Episode Summary
In today’s episode I share my findings in my ongoing research to understand what is happening in the brain when someone takes antidepressants. It is part of my quest to find drug free alternatives to get the same therapeutic benefits.
I share what I’ve learnt about the neuro-chemical mechanics and how antidepressants play a part in that. This is a high level and very basic grasp (I think) of what is going on and gives me enough of an understanding to move forward.
Episode Show Notes
00:10 – The two questions I want to answer in this episode:
- Why are there different types of antidepressants?
- What do antidepressants do to help in the brain?
00:24 – A potted history of my experience of taking antidepressants.
01:23 – Why I took myself off antidepressants after just a few weeks.
02:08 – A caveat – I am doing this for my own purposes and don’t necessarily recommend not taking antidepressants. They have been shown to work for some people in some cases, especially when combined with cognitive therapy.
02:37 – The problem antidepressants solve (see also episode 082 – Kindergarten Neuroscience).
03:04 – Another caveat – my explanation of what is going on in the brain is an over simplified generalisation of what I have gleaned from my research.
03:15 – How brain cells communicate with each other across the synaptic gap.
- Communication along a brain cell is electrical and between brain cells is chemical.
- Neurotransmitters from the pre-synaptic cell (the sending cell) cross the synaptic gap and may (or may not) be taken up by receptors in the post-synaptic cell.
- Once the signal has been passed between the cells, the pre-synaptic cell “hoovers” up the neurotransmitters for later re-use
05:08 – The problem in the brain appears to low levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine. Antidepressants “enhance” the presence of those chemicals in the synaptic gap.
06:03 – Monoamine Oxidase is a neurochemical that removes serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine from the brain.
06:35 – Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs) antidepressants reduce the removal of the neurotransmitters. These are usually a last line of treatment because of potentially fatal interactions with some food and drugs!
06:51 – Other antidepressant types are generally types of inhibitors – those that prevent the re-uptake of the neurotransmitters by the pre-synaptic cell.
07:17 – This means more neurotransmitters stay in the synaptic gap increasing the chance the post-synaptic cell will be triggered.
08:00 – Selective Serotonin Re-uptake Inhibitor (SSRIs) antidepressants restrict the re-uptake of serotonin (as the name suggests). Serotonin-Norepinephrine Re-uptake Inhibitor (SNRIs) antidepressants restrict the re-uptake of serotonin and norepinephrine.
08:41 – Trycyclic and tetracyclic antidepressants act like SSRIs or SNRIs but are older forms.
09:09 – There are more types and variants of antidepressants that appear to be more specialised but for now I have enough information for my purposes.
09:49 – Two questions now spring to mind:
- Is there a natural way to replicate the restriction of the re-uptake in the synaptic gap?
- What can we do that naturally increases the levels of dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain?
10:36 – I think my next step will be to unearth what evidence I can find about the success of antidepressants.
10:58 – Antidepressants appear to only begin taking effect (lifting the mood) after 4-6 weeks.
11:34 – Some recent research indicates antidepressants may trigger neurogenesis in the hippocampus (the creation of new neurons).
Sources Used To Compile The Information Discussed In This Episode
[1] Antidepressants – (www.mentalhelp.net) – this reference draws on reference [2] extensively
[2] Antidepressant – (WikipediA)
[3] Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor (MAOIs) – (www.mayoclinic.org)
[4] Antidepressants For Major Depression – SSRIs (www.mentalhelp.net)
[5] Antidepressants For Major Depression – SSNRIs (www.mentalhelp.net)
