(ANSA) - Florence, November 13 - Researchers from the University of Florence have found that anti-depressant drugs may also have a positive effect in combating neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

In a study published in Biological Psychiatry by a team led by Maura Boldrini, the researchers lay out evidence which shows that on subjects who suffer from forms of depression, using anti-depressant drugs also stimulates the growth of nervous-system stem cells as well as blood vessels.

"This discovery strengthens convictions in the scientific world of the potential of treatments based on the regenerative capacities of stem cells," Boldrini said in the study.

"It's a known fact that anti-depressants have a potential which goes beyond merely regulating people's moods".

The researcher said that her group would now propose a new project to study on what receptors anti-depressant drugs act in order to produce the desired growth effects. A few days after having been published in Biological Psychiatry, Boldrini's research was also published in the journal Science.

http://www.ansa.it/web/notizie/rubri...n_7788114.html

Uh-oh.
My doc figured I was getting too crazy a few weeks ago - and gave me quetiapine; but i did not take it because I ain't crazy and I am full of drugs already. He was eager to have me try it, but I didn't. Now, with this post by ashleyk, I begin to think I should try it out. But is anti-depressant and anti-psychotic in the same league?

"...Quetiapine down-regulates or blocks (i.e. as an antagonist) dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin and certain histamine receptors, but mainly dopamine. ..."

(So is that good or bad? Why do i want to "down-regulate or block dopamine??? (as antagonist)"
Wikipedia says:

Trade names Seroquel
Bioavailability 9%
Metabolism Hepatic
Half-life 6 hours (parent compound); 12 hours (active metabolite)
Excretion Renal

Quetiapine (branded as Seroquel, Xeroquel, Ketipinor), is an atypical antipsychotic approved for the treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, insomnia and at a lower dose an add-on to treat depression.

(Yeah, but sneezing? Does it stop ragweed sneezing?)

Annual sales are approximately $5.7 billion worldwide, with $2.9 billion in the United States. Quetiapine effects multiple cellular receptors. Specifically it is an antagonist that primarily effects the H1, a1, 5HT2a receptors, (and to a lessor extent D2 and M1 receptors). Quetiapine down-regulates or blocks (i.e. as an antagonist) dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin and certain histamine receptors, but mainly dopamine.
Y'all figure I should try it out?

i remember reading that lithium might stimulate neuron growth
http://discovermagazine.com/2010/the...-years-lithium

only looked at the first few links on my google search so this might be pie in the sky concerning lithium.

Be very very careful with any antidepressant or neuroleptic if you have Parkinsons with Lewy Bodies.

Have a look.

http://community.lbda.org/forum/view...php?f=2&t=3186

Bob,

At least your doctor recognized you were "off". My GP was the one to tell me to lower my agonist because it looked like I had a drug induced Bi-polar disorder.

I can't say I blame you for not taking it. Bad enough our neurotransmitters get mucked up by our own meds let alone letting an anti-psychotic loose up there?!? I would have to be naked and swinging from a chandelier singing "Top o the world, ma" before I willingly took one.

This is the warning that scares me:

Due to compensatory changes at dopamine, serotonin, adrenergic and histamine receptor sites in the central nervous system, a gradual reduction in dosage is recommended to minimise or avoid withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms reported to occur after discontinuation of quetiapine include.... In other words Seroquel is addictive too.

Two other less intense alternatives come to mind. First, I have read several studies indicating that SSRIs are neuroprotective especially Citalopram and Fluoxetine (AKA Prozac). I am thinking one of these might balance you out. Lithium, Soccertese's post, has been used a lot longer than the anti-psychotic Seroquel which is what doc you gave you. I took Citalopram for awhile and felt great. More balanced but the best thing was that I would get sleepy at a "normal brain" hour and sleep a full 6-7 hours.

My other idea is maybe Amantadine? I take it for dyskinesia but seems to help the manic side of too much ldopa.

Hope things "normalize" soon.

Laura