Brain cell stimulation

Like Prozac and Paxil, MDMA also increases serotonin levels in the brain. The similarities end there, however. Doctor-prescribed anti-depressants are both safe and effective. Ecstasy is definitely not safe, and after the first use, becomes less safe and less effective. The primary effect of MDMA in the brain is to increase greatly the amount of serotonin in the brain s synapses (the areas in between two brain cells where signaling takes place). MDMA does this by interfering with the neurons ability to remove serotonin from the synapse after it is released (Figure 2.2). When serotonin is released normally, under drug free conditions, it stimulates the receiving neuron and is quickly taken back up into the neuron that released it in the... 

Although the researchers do not discuss it, reduced glucose utilization would produce the reduced metabolic rate and hypoactivity in the frontal lobes caused by neuroleptics, causing or contributing to their brain-disabling, lobotomy-like effect. And they fall prey to wishful thinking, imagining that the abnormal proliferation of neural cells stimulated by olanzapine may be therapeutic. 

Chen et al. (2000) gave lithium to rats in their chow, achieving blood levels comparable with human treatment, and found a proliferation of brain cells in the hippocampus. They made the leap to claim that this neurotrophic effect may make lithium of use in long-term treatment of other neuropsychiatric disorders. In other words, stimulating the brain to make abnormal brain cells is likely to be good for a variety of psychiatric disorders. This kind of giant leap, utterly ignoring the obvious toxic effects of lithium, has become common in the literature. 

The term plasticity has been used to emphasize the brain s responsiveness and ability to adapt to changing environmental input. The brain creates new brain cell synapses and prunes old ones in response to experience (Greenough et al., 1992 Weiler et al., 1995). Caged animals with limited opportunities for spontaneous activity will not develop as many neuronal interconnections as more free-ranging animals. It is doubtful that the brains of children would be any less responsive to the environment than those of rats. If environmental influences, such as the frequency and quality of communication, can influence brain development, chronic drug exposure should be viewed as potentially dangerous. In addition, the stimulants make children less spontaneous, reducing their interactions with the environment and hence their brain development. 

Vadeboncoeur N, Segura M, Al-Numani D, Vauier G, Gottschalk M (2003) Proinflammatory cytokine and chemokine release by human brain microvascular endothelial cells stimulated by Streptococcus suis serotype 2. FEMS Immunology and Medical Microbiology 35 49-58. 

Interferon (IFN)-inducible protein-10 is a chemoattractant for macrophages and activated T lymphocytes [7,114]. It was demonstrated that in vitro, smooth muscle cells stimulated by IFN and IL-1 P or TNF-a produce IFN-inducible protein-10 [114]. IFN-inducible protein-10 mRNA expression has been demonstrated in the rat after endothelial damage by balloon angioplasty. It seems likely that this molecule could also play a role in cerebral ischemia because endothelial damage occurs during brain ischemia [7,114]. 

Interleukin 1 (IL-1) Endogenous pyrogen Monocytes/macs Th cells stimulates production of lymphokines, especially IL-2 and expression of IL-2R B cells proliferation and differentiation Macs stimulates production of cytokines, IL-1, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a) Brain fever response... 

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