Picture of Brain cell with effect of psychedelics
Brain Science: We have discussed the promise of psychedelics in treating bipolar and depression health issues. The February issue of "The Scientist" magazine outlined clinical studies that discovered that hallucinogenic drugs slip past cell membranes and bind brain cells. Without trying to get into the brain receptors discussion again let's just let it be said that we have definitely found the classification of the inner brain cells related to positive feelings and thought. Also they have found that brain cell neurotransmitters (serotonin) are affected by psychedelics to the extent that they smooth out the reactions across the brain cells. ( you may recall that neurotransmitters are connecting fluids between cells.) They can either inhibit conductivity or promote it. Thus if we can control the conductivity of cells associated with depression and bipolar reactions then we can control both. What is also interesting from February's report ,is that that in affecting the neurotransmitter (serotonin), the drugs also affected the coating of the nerve brain cell stem by making it more, for lack of a better term, more greasy. Whats that mean? It "slikens" the brain cell stem so that it produces more dendrites (connecting points) and produce a more plastic brain. In other words, it promotes new brain cell growth and connections. That gives us a clue as to why more positive behavior may result from psychedelics. If the drug is coupled with the right exterior inputs we can create new learned positive behavior in the patient's brain. ( Now at this point I think this gets a little scarey... will talk about that in "So What".) So what we are looking at now is that psychedelic drugs my not only repress negative reactions in the brain it also may facilitate and create improved behavior. Wouldn't that be amazing!
Brain Facts
At any one time, 7% of the U.S. population is suffering from depression.
Depression is more common in young adults 18 to 25. 17 percent of young adults suffer from depression.
11 million adults have suffered from a episode of depression that resulted in some form of impairment.
In a 2017 study it was determined that 300 million people have or have had depression world wide.
1 in 10 of Americans have at some point suffered from depression.
The National Institute of Mental Health indicates that 5.7 million americans become diagnosed with bipolar disorder every year.
46 million people around the world have bipolar disease.
Both depression and bipolar disorder are treatable with drugs that are fairly effective today.Mood stabilizers are the most common today. About one in three people will be completely free of symptoms by taking mood-stabilizers for life. Other drugs are used to offset serious side effects and " overshoot".
So What: It is truly amazing that we are learning how to create new brain cells and to promote and not promote brain cell communication. A few years ago this would be science fiction. Today it is a reality. Both depression and bipolar are treatable. The problem is that only about 35% are permanently cured by treatment. I am sure that number is significantly affected though by the issue of life long treatment of the symptoms. One of the big problems is the fact that so many people are treated, get well and then they stop treatment. Then they are sick again! The cycle starts over. Current drugs treat the symptom. Psychedelics treatment actually changes the brain and gives hope for eliminating the cycle.
Current status of drug development centers in on the combination of psychedelic drugs with other drugs to regulate the psychedelic. I am not sure but since most experimental treatments are with existing drugs coupled with non drug additive psychedelics, it may be possible to reduced approval time. Or since it has the potential to permanently change the brain, it may take more time. One thing is certain, the experimentation should be in trial and laboratory standard conditions.
Earlier I mentioned that this area of exploration is getting a bit scary. I am struck by the thought that if humans can mess something up they will. Just think of what "Bad Actors" in the world can do with this. During and after the Korean war there was a lot of talk about prisoners of war being programed by the Chinese. There was even a movie made about it,"Manchurian Candidate", that starred Frank Sinatra. In it a war hero is programmed to kill. What do you think might happen today coming out of a lab ?..... feel free to pass this on!!!
Note: In the previous blog I mentioned that you might talk to your doctor. A friend did so. It turns out that maybe that was not the best advice for this Doctor.. This blog is not an attempt to interfere with a Doctors treatment. It is about informing people who might be patients. We encourage patients to seek information from their individual doctor. As stated I have a PhD and I am not a medical doctor. What this and other Doctors of Philosophy do is talk about the future. General Practice Doctors are mostly concerned about the here and now with their patients. That is how it should be.Some would like know more about what their patients are reading and some would not.
Comments