Comments on: Discovery of pathway leading to depression reveals new drug targets http://www.kurzweilai.net/discovery-of-pathway-leading-to-depression-reveals-new-drug-targets Accelerating Intelligence Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:11:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: beatriz valdes http://www.kurzweilai.net/discovery-of-pathway-leading-to-depression-reveals-new-drug-targets/comment-page-1#comment-93647 beatriz valdes Tue, 29 Jan 2013 23:33:44 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=176036#comment-93647 I feel that using a drug that makes you change your behaviour long enough, will actually change the way the related neurons behave. One example: a person who is socially deficient, anxious, insecure, takes the appropriate drug long enough to get into a new habit of being social, and enjoying the experience, has a good chance to keep in his or her personality those gains. I feel that using a drug that makes you change your behaviour long enough, will actually change the way the related neurons behave. One example: a person who is socially deficient, anxious, insecure, takes the appropriate drug long enough to get into a new habit of being social, and enjoying the experience, has a good chance to keep in his or her personality those gains.

]]> By: Jerry http://www.kurzweilai.net/discovery-of-pathway-leading-to-depression-reveals-new-drug-targets/comment-page-1#comment-85317 Jerry Wed, 09 Jan 2013 08:20:27 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=176036#comment-85317 Studies show medication alone is about as effective as counselling alone for chronic depression. Combined they are extremely effective and the best bet to recovery. It's just that it takes a lot of courage to admit and fix things and the pills just make you sort of spaced/bland. So many people happily ignore needing to go that extra step (and unfortunately cost) to fix the problem and not just continue to mask it. Studies show medication alone is about as effective as counselling alone for chronic depression. Combined they are extremely effective and the best bet to recovery. It’s just that it takes a lot of courage to admit and fix things and the pills just make you sort of spaced/bland. So many people happily ignore needing to go that extra step (and unfortunately cost) to fix the problem and not just continue to mask it.

]]> By: Guest http://www.kurzweilai.net/discovery-of-pathway-leading-to-depression-reveals-new-drug-targets/comment-page-1#comment-84811 Guest Mon, 07 Jan 2013 20:55:55 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=176036#comment-84811 @Khannea Suntzu Actually the next news item "Induction of adult cortical neurogenesis by an antidepressant" describes how Big Pharma's Prozac induces "newly generated neurons" whereas here stimulating the Hedgehog pathway normalizes the production of new brain cells. Not too bad for a 35 year old medicine. @Khannea Suntzu
Actually the next news item “Induction of adult cortical neurogenesis by an antidepressant” describes how Big Pharma’s Prozac induces “newly generated neurons” whereas here stimulating the Hedgehog pathway normalizes the production of new brain cells. Not too bad for a 35 year old medicine.

]]> By: stevewaclo http://www.kurzweilai.net/discovery-of-pathway-leading-to-depression-reveals-new-drug-targets/comment-page-1#comment-84800 stevewaclo Mon, 07 Jan 2013 20:28:20 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=176036#comment-84800 While I have not the slightest doubt depression is an all too real malady, perhaps caused by stress induced "chemical imbalance", I have become convinced over many years it is primarily a situational problem. No medication will produce a long term "cure" for anyone struggling with seemingly insoluble issues in their life, unless they ultimately find ways to deal successfully with those issues. Perhaps the meds may provide brief respite to enable positive action, but it's all in the fundamentals of one's life. Best wishes and Happy New Year all While I have not the slightest doubt depression is an all too real malady, perhaps caused by stress induced “chemical imbalance”, I have become convinced over many years it is primarily a situational problem. No medication will produce a long term “cure” for anyone struggling with seemingly insoluble issues in their life, unless they ultimately find ways to deal successfully with those issues. Perhaps the meds may provide brief respite to enable positive action, but it’s all in the fundamentals of one’s life.

Best wishes and Happy New Year all

]]> By: Joe http://www.kurzweilai.net/discovery-of-pathway-leading-to-depression-reveals-new-drug-targets/comment-page-1#comment-84736 Joe Mon, 07 Jan 2013 16:53:45 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=176036#comment-84736 Boy, you must be smart to know that millions have used these medications and not been helped but rather exploited. I won't speak on behalf of millions but will say that I have taken an anti-depressant for years and it has helped me immeasurably. I find it so interesting that people that have no idea first-hand how depression affects someone can speak as if they know so much. Most people are unable to imagine what it is like to have depression and go through a long period of time with a poor quality of life. I also happen to think that most medical professionals are in it to help people rather than exploit them. I know that is why I became a physician. Overall, I don't think your comment is helpful in the least. Boy, you must be smart to know that millions have used these medications and not been helped but rather exploited. I won’t speak on behalf of millions but will say that I have taken an anti-depressant for years and it has helped me immeasurably. I find it so interesting that people that have no idea first-hand how depression affects someone can speak as if they know so much. Most people are unable to imagine what it is like to have depression and go through a long period of time with a poor quality of life.

I also happen to think that most medical professionals are in it to help people rather than exploit them. I know that is why I became a physician.

Overall, I don’t think your comment is helpful in the least.

]]> By: Paul Edson http://www.kurzweilai.net/discovery-of-pathway-leading-to-depression-reveals-new-drug-targets/comment-page-1#comment-84724 Paul Edson Mon, 07 Jan 2013 16:07:07 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=176036#comment-84724 Reality prompts the comment; "The scientists and community involved in research must eat." It costs money to perform the research needed to make ethical and useful medical decisions. Isn’t it best you select the way to make money available as ethically and efficiently as possible? You can seek the money by "free" enterprise or by taxing those involved in free enterprise and having a bureaucracy direct the use of the funds. There is potential for waste and abuse in both processes. I find it difficult to condemn “big Phara” research with a blanket of distain that also suggests those involved in the research described in this article are not ethical but amoral people simply out for the money. Improvement of the system needs to be reached by patience and cultural agreement as to how best to proceed in my opinion; acting in the immediacy of anger is usually counterproductive. Reality prompts the comment; “The scientists and community involved in research must eat.” It costs money to perform the research needed to make ethical and useful medical decisions. Isn’t it best you select the way to make money available as ethically and efficiently as possible? You can seek the money by “free” enterprise or by taxing those involved in free enterprise and having a bureaucracy direct the use of the funds. There is potential for waste and abuse in both processes.
I find it difficult to condemn “big Phara” research with a blanket of distain that also suggests those involved in the research described in this article are not ethical but amoral people simply out for the money.
Improvement of the system needs to be reached by patience and cultural agreement as to how best to proceed in my opinion; acting in the immediacy of anger is usually counterproductive.

]]> By: Khannea Suntzu http://www.kurzweilai.net/discovery-of-pathway-leading-to-depression-reveals-new-drug-targets/comment-page-1#comment-84694 Khannea Suntzu Mon, 07 Jan 2013 14:39:27 +0000 http://www.kurzweilai.net/?p=176036#comment-84694 In the meantime a generation of people in the 'developed' world has lost years to over a decade being abused and exploited by a cavalier medical industry. Antidepressant abuse has ruined the lives of millions and damaged their endocrinal health. Will the next crop of pharmological moneymakers be any more trustworthy? What else have consumers become other than cash cows? In the meantime a generation of people in the ‘developed’ world has lost years to over a decade being abused and exploited by a cavalier medical industry. Antidepressant abuse has ruined the lives of millions and damaged their endocrinal health. Will the next crop of pharmological moneymakers be any more trustworthy?

What else have consumers become other than cash cows?

]]>