[QUOTE=krugen68;732146]
Quote:
Originally Posted by lurkingforacure
We really wonder if the improvement is because these are all really stimulants and they are revving you up? I dont' get that taking a nico patch somehow makes your brain grow more nicotine receptors...which in turn makes your brain grow more dopamine receptors. This doesn't work for me. Maybe someone can explain it to me to where I can get it?
The other thing: I don't know that lack of receptors is the problem in PD. I thought it was the lack of dopamine producing neurons. Having all the receptors in the world will not help us if we lack the cell that makes what the receptor binds to, right? Or no?
QUOTE]
If I'm reading it correctly
http://www.macalester.edu/psychology...oholtobac.html |
I got that too, and we know nicotine makes us feel better because it makes the neurons still functioning to produce/release more dopamine, but that is not the same thing as actually growing more neurons or receptors. I read Villiers post to say that more were actually grown.
And of course a DAT or PET scan would see more dopamine in the brain after nicotine, because nicotine has that effect, making the neuron release more. But again, simply seeing more dopamine on the scan does not mean more neurons or receptors have been grown, just that there is more dopamine in the brain after a nicotine infusion.
Forcing an already stressed neuron to produce or release more dopamine may not be a good thing. This is why we stopped the patch, plus, the therapuetic benefit began to really dissipate and not last as long...and of course when it wore off those offs became increasingly harder.