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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 3 of 3. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by denise528 on January 18, 2003, at 8:45:03
"Just wondering, if dopamine depletion causes with Parkinson's Disease and if lowering dopamine levels also blunts emotion, effects motivation etc then why is it that people with Parkinsons Disease don't necessarily suffer from depression or apathy.
I was reading a book by Michael J Fox and he seems a motivated, positive kind of person.
Also, why is it that when I take an antipsychotic like Zyprexa, which supposedly lowers dopamine levels, do I feel more motivated and alive? Could it be that when I initially take it it increases my dopamine levels in some way?"
Denise
Posted by Caleb462 on January 19, 2003, at 1:08:09
In reply to Parkinson's Dopamine and Zyprexa question, posted by denise528 on January 18, 2003, at 8:45:03
What dose Zyprexa are you on? The low end doses, by blocking the 5-HT2c receptor, stimulate dopamine function.
Posted by jonh kimble on January 19, 2003, at 1:19:32
In reply to Parkinson's Dopamine and Zyprexa question, posted by denise528 on January 18, 2003, at 8:45:03
Good question. Ive wondered the same thing and now I think I know. First of all, dopamine has different roles in different parts of the brain. In whatever area it is with PD, those dopamine cells control movement etc... Dopamine in the limbic part of the brain affects motivation, self confidence, energy levels, mood, concentration, etc... As in more dopamine means more of the above. So in PD, it is primarely in that other part of the brain (or totally) that these cells are lost. However, there definitly is a greater chance that people with PD will be depressed and all that. People with social anxiety disorder are five times more likely to develop PD because they are pre disposed to dopamine dysfunction.And a medication like zyprexa as you know blocks dopamine receptors. At high enough dosages, it defintly can cause apathy, social withdrawl, etc... but at low doses it can have the opposite effect. This is how I understand it. Zyprexa at low doses only blocks certain types of receptors, and these act as something like a thermostat for dopamine release. When they are stimulated, they send out the message to slow down production, but when they are blocked, they send a message kinds like "its cold in here, crank er up" So Da production goes up and so does the other good things that come with that.
This is the end of the thread.
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