btbnnyr wrote:
I'm curious about Zoloft and sociopathy. What is the nature of the sociopathic side effect?
https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:B_z4OwCe0YoJ:www.researchgate.net/publication/11245452_Emotional_blunting_associated_with_SSRI-induced_sexual_dysfunction._Do_SSRIs_inhibit_emotional_responses/file/d912f51104a079d293.pdf+emotional+blunting+ssri&hl=en&gl=nl&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESggoT_08mZujFN7nddvP7W0bs3DoJt0qdtDy2-XuI8ECnKW6HPo290r0oKgHta-tt7JoA0GL-BbyeY0ldUPdF4c-qeIrlrbDlekUcZTa5dDk7YoY44b9QHEq01JzLsEON6Gcr0c&sig=AHIEtbS_5MrALsPxi7vxikKBsLC-Cjo5EQ wrote:
How could SSRIs be inducing emotional blunting? One speculative thought is that SSRIs may be reducing the function of specific brain areas involved in emotional processing. An example of such an area is the anterior cingulate. A recent study suggests that regional brain metabolism, as measured by positron emission tomography, is reduced in the anterior cingulate of depressed subjects when compared to non-depressed subjects (Kennedy et al., 1997). This cortical region is associated with emotional expression, regulation of affect, and is modulated by dopaminergic, noradrenergic, and cholinergic systems. Increases and decreases in cingulate activity have been reported during depression and following treatment (Kennedy et al., 2001). Rather than restore normal function to this area, SSRI administration has been shown to further decrease activity in the anterior cingulate cortex (Ebert and Ebmeier, 1996). Finally, another study found that noradrenergic challenge increased anterior cingulate activity (Dubini et al., 1997). This line of reasoning raises the possibility, albeit a speculative one, that emotional blunting may be related to reduced metabolism in the anterior cingulate or other limbic areas such as the amygdala. Additionally, it could be that certain groups of patients experience emotional blunting as part of the therapeutic effect, diminishing emotional responses to aversive life situations or stress. This may explain why some non-depressed patients with irritability (Elfenbein, 1995), patients with impulse control, or those with anxiety disorders improve with SSRI administration. In summary, emotional blunting associated with SSRI treatment may be more common than previously thought.
Further study is required to determine the frequency of this phenomenon, whether it is associated primarily with SSRI antidepressants, whether usually associated with the presence of sexual dysfunction, and what the functional implications of these symptoms are. We speculate that in some patients, rather than representing a side-effect, blunting of emotions may be the central therapeutic effect of SSRIs.
In some with OCD it damaged the frontal lobes too.
I know you don't need this, but here's what the anterior cingulate does:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anterior_cingulate_cortex wrote:
The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is the frontal part of the cingulate cortex, which resembles a "collar" surrounding the frontal part of the corpus callosum. It consists of Brodmann areas 24, 32, and 33. It appears to play a role in a wide variety of autonomic functions, such as regulating blood pressure and heart rate, as well as rational cognitive functions, such as reward anticipation, decision-making, empathy, impulse control, and emotion.
Last edited by Anomiel on 01 Jun 2013, 11:38 am, edited 1 time in total.
28 May 2013, 1:03 am
