silenttheory

although the above article is about showing the imbalance in neurotransmittersystems this is basically another article in english about phMRI. I mean.. if there's an imbalance in our serotonin levels/ transmitters and/or dopamine levels.. maybe this could show up on an phMRI? Pharmacologic magnetic resonance imaging (phMRI): imaging drug action in the brain. Jenkins BG. SourceAA Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Building 149, 13th Street, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA. bgj@nmr.mgh.harvard.edu Abstract The technique of functional magnetic resonance (fMRI), using various cognitive, motor and sensory stimuli has led to a revolution in the ability to map brain function. Drugs can also be used as stimuli to elicit an hemodynamic change. Stimulation with a pharmaceutical has a number of very different consequences compared to user controllable stimuli, most importantly in the time course of stimulus and response that is not, in general, controllable by the experimenter. Therefore, this type of experiment has been termed pharmacologic MRI (phMRI). The use of a drug stimulus leads to a number of interesting possibilities compared to conventional fMRI. Using receptor specific ligands one can characterize brain circuitry specific to neurotransmitter systems. The possibility exists to measure parameters reflecting neurotransmitter release and binding associated with the pharmacokinetics and/or the pharmacodynamics of drugs. There is also the ability to measure up- and down-regulation of receptors in specific disease states. phMRI can be characterized as a molecular imaging technique using the natural hemodynamic transduction related to neuro-receptor stimulus. This provides a coupling mechanism with very high sensitivity that can rival positron emission tomography (PET) in some circumstances. The large numbers of molecules available, that do not require a radio-label, means that phMRI becomes a very useful tool for performing drug discovery. Data and arguments will be presented to show that phMRI can provide information on neuro-receptor signaling and function that complements the static picture generated by PET studies of receptor numbers and occupancies.

yes do update me! Very interesting we have sort of the same odd symptoms... good luck at the dr. and natural dr. ! keep me posted

Since this is all caused by drugs and we kinda want to know where the damage lies exactly.. maybe this person can help? Maybe if us dutchies combine forces we can convince her to help us, or put us under a scanner.. or help us in any other way.. I would love to go under her scanner and see what the disturbances in my serotonin and dopamine levels are... Sorry this is in Dutch.. maybe I will be able to translate at a later point in time.. Also this is a link to the brain imaging center..: http://www.lebic-amc.nl/ Nieuwe MRI-techniek toont drugsschade in brein Bij recreatieve gebruikers van xtc of speed functioneren bepaalde neurotransmitters in de hersenen anders dan bij mensen die niet aan de drugs zitten. Dit ontdekte promovenda Marieke Schouw, door de veelbelovende techniek farmacologische MRI te gebruiken. doorAnna Tuenter Feestgangers nemen wel eens een pilletje Het festivalseizoen is weer aangebroken. Veel jongeren willen de gezelligheid, de zon en de muziek optimaal beleven door er even een pilletje bij te nemen. Zo nu en dan kan dat geen kwaad toch? Het lijkt erop van wel. Steeds meer studies tonen aan dat het recreatieve gebruik van MDMA– de stof in xtc waar je empathisch van wordt – neurotoxisch is, oftewel: giftig voor je brein. MDMA zorgt dat je hersencellen meer serotonine afgeven, een stofje dat in door gespecialiseerde hersencellen wordt gemaakt en je stemming en emotiebeleving beïnvloedt. Als je op regelmatige basis een pilletje neemt kan dat volgens onderzoekers van het AMC resulteren in het afsterven van die serotonine-producerende cellen, vernauwing van bloedvaatjes in de hersenen en vertraagde ontwikkeling van de verbindingen tussen je hersengebieden. En het is nog onduidelijk of deze schade omkeerbaar is. Diezelfde onderzoeksgroep vermoedt dat dextroamfetamine – een belangrijk bestanddeel van de bekende drug speed – vergelijkbare schade veroorzaakt aan de hersengebieden die dopaminerge produceren, de neurotransmitter die motorische controle, motivatie en beloningsgevoel regelt. Dextroamfetamine verhoogt de afgifte van dopamine tussen je hersencellen, waardoor je het gevoel krijgt mentaal en fysiek nog uren door te kunnen gaan. VerkenningstochtHóe deze drugs schade aanbrengen aan je natuurlijke neurotransmittersystemen is nog onduidelijk, maar misschien heel goed te meten met een jonge, nog vrij onbekende techniek die farmacologische MRI heet. Aan deze verkenningstocht wijdde Marieke Schouw, neurobioloog en radioloog aan het AMC, haar promotieonderzoek. De bloedvaten van je brein: alle soorten en maten Flickr.com Deze techniek is een nieuwe variant op ‘de oude’ MRI-toepassingen, en meet de veranderingen in bloedtoevoer naar de verschillende hersengebieden als reactie op de toediening van stofjes, zoals recreatieve drugs en medicijnen. “Het doel van mijn onderzoek was om te onderzoeken of farmacologische MRI een goede techniek is om verstoring van vooral dopamine, maar ook serotonine in mensen vast te stellen,” vertelt Schouw. Daarvoor heeft de promovenda verschillende kleine studies uitgevoerd. Telkens vergeleek ze de hersenen van gezonde proefpersonen met die van een groep volwassenen die regelmatig op recreatieve basis drugs gebruiken. Ze bracht de drugs in via de aderen van de proefpersonen: op die manier werken deze middeltjes al na een paar minuten. Andere bloedtoevoerAls ‘chronische MDMA-gebruikers’ verzamelde Schouw mannen die zo’n 6,5 jaar lang gemiddeld drie pilletjes per maand hadden geslikt. Bij deze groep bleek de bloedtoevoer naar de hippocampus – de hersenstructuur die een sleutelrol speelt bij geheugenvorming en het ophalen van kennis – sterk verminderd vergeleken met gezonde proefpersonen. Dit resultaat sluit aan bij eerder onderzoek dat aantoont dat de hippocampus van chronische drugsgebruikers ook ruim tien procent kleiner is dan bij drugsonthouders, en dat drugsgebruikers slechter scoren op geheugentaken, maar verder geen cognitieve problemen ervaren. Dextroamfetamine Flickr.com Ook leidde het toedienen van dextroamfetamine tot een structureel verhoogde bloedtoevoer in dopamine-gevoelige gebieden, wat volgens Schouw waarschijnlijk een teken is dat deze drug de dopamine-aanmaak opschroeft. Maar de bloedtoevoer was juist sterk verminderd in verschillende gebieden van de hersenschors, waar je waarnemingen worden geinterpreteerd en geanalyseerd, en je gedrag wordt aangestuurd. “Deze en meer resultaten laten zien dat farmacologische MRI een goede techniek is om verschillen in neurotransmitter-activiteit in beeld te brengen tussen gezonde controles en groepen van wie deze systemen zijn aangetastdoor het gebruik van drugs”, concludeert Schouw. De promovenda benadrukt dat dit slechts een verkennende studie was: er is vervolgonderzoek nodig om de conclusies hard te maken. Citalopram, een bekende SSRI flickr.com Toch is ze erg enthousiast. “Nu weten we ook dat deze techniek toegepast kan worden op andere groepen waarvan deze stofjes ook verminderd functioneren, zoals bij de ziekte van Parkinson, ADHD of depressie. Kortom, de opkomst van farmacologische MRI zou wel eens een hoop nieuw licht kunnen werpen op het wat al die medicijnen en drugs nou eigenlijk met onze hersenen doen.

moved to it's own thread.. *edit*

hi andrew, I have been off the speed (and partydrugs in general) since july 27th. I did speed on an on and off basis for approx. 2 years. I had an eating disorder and it helped me to not eat. Now I am eatingdisorder free, since this whole shit experience started. Only now I can't eat because I don't feel hunger anymore, nor do I ever feel tired, and I'm wired and anxious to the max. Including this electric shock/cloud/total abcense of mind, which only the rivotril seems to fade a little. I wasn't using on a daily basis though and I never took a lot although on one of these binges I would take minimal amounts, but like 10 hits a day.. but like I said the amount was never that high. Like 10 grams would last me and my gf for at least 8 months if not longer. If it's speed withdrawal, then holy fuck... I hope this will ever go away and get my personality back because now, everytime I see a picture of myself I feel like such a different person which makes me incredibly sad. I don't feel a connection between her and me anymore. I envy her in the picture, generally care free. . if it was just anxiety and or depression then I don't think olanzapine or seroquel would make my symptoms worse.. Unless my dopamine levels are fucked.. But then again, when I took zoloft, I went through the roof, like another bad trip on mdma times 10... I could feel the adrenaline rush through my veins and went to the ER because it didn't really feel right at all... Unless.. my dopamine levels are fucked.. then it would almost be a serotonin overload.. The ER brushed it away with anxiety.. and as always didn't really check anything..

this brain fog that you describe, I have this without any meds? What do you think it's related to? I am scared of these because it gets so foggy in my head I can't do anything anymore, until I take a clonazepam..

also I don't know if it truly is dr/dp.. it's just this constant fog that then turns me into a vegetable.. not being able to think, not remembering what I was doing, not being able to follow conversations, make decisions, shallow breathing, all stimuli are too much.. like I can't process anything anymore.. that's the part that scares me the most.. I don't know if these are symptoms of dr/dp but it's scary as hell.. Also my body is unwilling to go to sleep and right before I finally do, I get freaking cold.. so incredibly cold..

also I just keep chewing.. like still on speed or mdma..

yes.. veins in my hands too!! But... I did some research and it could also be an adrenaline/cortisol problem.. also hair loss and I have more masculine hair grow now too.. like chin and chest... I tried the no benzo's for like a month.. and it just got worse.. the cloud in my head, and the agitation, anxiety, not being able to sit still.. going in total overdrive... my stomach hurts like hell, food doesn't digest anymore, and everyone obviously says it's stress related. although I have no control over it. Breathing techniques or mindfulness don't work. When I don't take those clonazepam I can't function at all anymore.. (I've only been on them for 3 weeks and I take 0.5mg a day) I can't watch tv because the images just go all blurry and I end up zoning out. With the clonazepam at least the cloud in my head disappears and I can think straight. without them I can't make sentences, I forget stuff, I don't understand or follow conversations.. it's fucking scary.. And I feel like I'm alone in this. Since the doctors just kinda gave up..

Thank you, I do take magnesium, b complex, b3, omega supplements etc. However I am in a constant state of anxiety, or arousal, I can't get down.. except on the clonazepam, but my bp and hr still seem to go bezerk at times. I don't sleep for more than 3 to 4 hours (and wake up 3 to 4 times during that period) and haven't since july, even on temazepam. When the clonazepam wears off I start shaking, I get nervous and restless, the brainzaps that turn into dr/dp, muscle aches etc all return, my mind races and there is no stop to it whatsoever (except on the clonazepam). I also have a burning sensation on my skin on my abdominal area, and the small veins that are there turn red, after a clonazepam they also fade.. It's fucking weird, that's what it is.. cherry angiomas, yes they also appeared on my skin on my abdominal area, the doctor said it's nothing to worry about.. also some veins there turned purplish and are now more visible.. another thing the doctor said was normal because of my "thin skin" while I never had this... My other guess is that it could be a disturbance in noradrenalin or adrenaline, or that my hippocampus is going bezerk. Or all these symptoms come from me not being able to sleep because of this imbalance... I am still not sure about the HPPD because I don't seem to have the visuals. My shrink has her head set on anxiety disorder, she doesnt want to prescribe me anymore clonazepam in the future. That I should just deal with my anxiey. While I feel it's not an anxiety issue as any other anxiety disorder... this feels so physical.. I just don't know where to find a doctor who wants to explore ALL the possibilities there are, because I need my life back. I was doing so incredibly well, and one day it turned to shit... I wish there was a doctor somewhere who could test where in the brain the system stopped functioning properly.. so we could all get the meds we need and move on.. Love, Debs

I have the dizziness.. constantly.. it seems to go hand in hand with dr/dp or something.. but with me the clonazepam I am on takes the dizziness away.. and the earaches, and the headaches.. and the fog...

Hi, My name is Deborah, I'm 32, and from The Netherlands. (feels like AA typing this ) I was a recreational drug user for quite a few years MDMA and Speed, and noticed the MDMA drug effects were getting less and less pleasant over the last year or so. I had quite some traumatic experiences on MDMA, like my gf passing out and thinking she was gonna die, or her going into a major k-hole I thought she was never gonna come out of. A week later I took some speed, stayed up 3 nights and got to a point where I was almost passing out all day and had heart palpitations (and a doctor telling me I was just having anxiety issues). I felt fine again after some good night's sleep. A week later I had another speed binge, I stayed up 3 days and on the 3rd day the same thing happened.. althoug this time it stayed. Accompanied with a whole array of new symptoms: persistent anxiety, not being able to sleep, agitated, not being able to eat, buzzing in my head, almost like electric shocks, head aches, tinitus, ear aches, lack of balance, dr and dp to the max! Emotionless except for crying and the feeling of hopelesness. I sleep only 4 hours of scattered sleep a night and this is on sleeping pills. My body just doesn't seem to want to relax in any way shape or form. I forget stuff all the time, however I don't have any visual stuff, I have a foggy mind, like there's a cloud in my head which gets sp bad I forget what I'm doing and all stimuli makes it worse, this goes hand in hand with the sensation of not being balanced, although when I go to a doctor I can walk in a straight line. Sound and moving images make my head go even foggier, and I completely lose my shit when not on Clonazepam. With Clonazepam the fog and imbalance/buzzing feeling in my head kinda go away for a while and I feel semi-normal. They did a standard mri and an EEG (although I was on lorazepam at the time, and wasn't experiencing much of the fog) and they seemed fine. Since I don't have a clue what the hell is going on with me I went to the doctor's office quite a number of times, and they have now labeled me as a hypochondriac. A crisis shrink put me on anti-psychotics, which made EVERYTHING worse. Another shrink says it's an anxiety disorder. With the SSRI's I get so extremely agitated and I go through the roof, so I am scared of taking those again. Another doctor is convinced it's HPPD... The only thing I know is that the clonazepam kinda works until it wears off.. Can anyone tell me if this could be HPPD? Or did I mess something up with my neurotransmittersystems? My neurologist thinks it's psychological, and doesn't want to send me to a neuropsychologist, and my GP doesn't want to send me anywhere anymore since he thinks it's hypochondria. I could really use some help.. Love, Debs