Posted by JohnL on September 18, 2000, at 4:35:27
In reply to Amantadine work for anybody?, posted by anita on September 18, 2000, at 1:55:45
> Hi,
>
> Has anyone been helped with depression, apathy, or fatigue by taking amantadine, alone or in combination with an antidepressant?
>
> I ask because amantadine is the only dopamine agonist (that I haven't tried yet) that I can afford right now.
>
> thanks,
> anitaAnita,
I can't recall anyone trying Amantadine. It is however discussed favorably in Dr Bobs Tips and in other literature. Sometimes depression is virus-related, and Amantadine might be worth a try because it could work from a couple different angles.If you are focusing on dopamine, Provigil might be another consideration. But unfortunately it doesn't fit your description of being affordable. It is pretty pricey. I mention it because even though they aren't sure how it works, they are in agreement on a couple things. First, it is a stimulant and can work on the symptoms of apathy and fatigue you described. Second, of all the unknown mechanisms, the one mechanism that IS known is that it has dopamine reuptake inhibition. Unlike other dopamine reuptake inhibitors like Wellbutrin or Effexor for example, Provigil works only on inhibiting the reuptake of dopamine, not NE or serotonin.
But if you can get your doctor to go along with Amantadine, that would be cool. It might work. I think you are at least on the right track. Because in my own personal experience, if apathy, anhedonia, and fatique are primary symptoms, then the dopamine circuitry(#1) and the NE circuitry(#2) are probably involved to a much greater degree than the serotonin circuitry. How exactly we manipulate the dopamine circuitry makes all the difference in the world. Increasing dopamine release, i.e. stimulants or Amisulpride, is one way. Dopamine reuptake inhibition is another way. One way might work while another doesn't. But no matter, if you're focusing on dopamine, Amantadine would be intersting. I've read about a few cases where patients were prescribed Amantadine for other nonpsychiatric reasons, only to be pleasantly surprised to see that their longstanding depression disappeared.
John
poster:JohnL
thread:44856
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20000905/msgs/44861.html