| Posted by melissal ® , Apr 22,2002,16:10 |
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If one has an elevated level of serotonin then there is a depressed level of dopamine within the system. Looking over your symptoms that you have mentioned one would begin to say that depression is definitely occurring. Lack of light through the eyes can also cause the same syndrome. Some of the names would be (SAD) seasonal affective disorder, depression, lack of motivation, and the list is very much the same as you have described.
Light therapy
Increased exposure to sunlight may be a partial remedy to your problem. As light travels through the pupil of the eye it stimulates rods and cones on the retina and neurotransmitters are released. Dopamine is one of those neurotransmitters. Dopamine released into the system will counteract the balance or inhibit the release of serotonin. This allows serotonin to decrease while the mood increases from release of dopamine.
With lack of dopamine in the body one will see elevated serotonin levels. This, in turn, may cause one to experience movement disorders, like tremors and blepharospasm (twitching of the eyelids). Depressed states of mind are also very common.
Dr. Schiffer MD, a prominent psychiatrist from Harvard medical school has conducted research in this particular area. He has shown that changes in the input of light therapy can indeed change the affects of patients that suffer states of depression. Depression has a wide range of symptoms many like what you have described earlier Deb. This particular study was performed at the McLean Hospital in Massachusetts. A copy of his article can be found at www.eyelights.com. Go to mental performance and click on the "Of 2 Minds" button. It is explained very well at that particular site. There is also some very interesting material dealing with many of your problems at the same site.
One more note…Light also has a profound affect on regulation of the pituitary gland that controls many of your female related hormones.
I look forward to hearing back from you. Also it would be of great benefit to get some blood work done that consisted of a SMAC, CBC, Thyroid Profile and TSH, along with a cholesterol breakdown. Post them and I will be happy to look them over and recommend from there.
Beyond Limitation,
Dr. J, Neurologist
Re: WHO IS THIS POSTED DIRECTED TO????
Were you answering another post - don't understand to whom this post was directed?June in Toronto (beb/meige)
--modified by June in Toronto at Mon, Apr 22, 2002, 22:11:07
Re: WHO IS THIS POSTED DIRECTED TO????
June, I believe that Melissal posted an article from off the internet. It was long and therefore wound up in two posts. This one was #2. It was a bit confusing and looked like a physician was doing the posting on the bb. I didn't figure it out until I read post #1. Maybe Melissal could let us know if she had a question or was just posting the information from the internet link.Shirley in Arkansas with a sore neck from being on the computer too much today.
Re: WHO IS THIS POSTED DIRECTED TO????
Basically it explains the delicate balance between dopamine and serotonine, two neurotransmitters (neuro as in nerves and transmitter as in conection or transmission), and how it has been seen that when serotonine is high and dopamine is low you can get involuntary spasms (like bleph!).Also says how serotonine increases when you eat way too much cheese or carbohydrates (starch).The increase in serotonine can cause a decrease in dopamine. I thought it was very interesting, and I hope that is clearer for you the way I just explained it. Rgds
Re: WHO IS THIS POSTED DIRECTED TO????
Hi Melissal,
I found your post very interesting and informative ... both for me as a Blephro and for my husband who has Islet Cell Carcinoma (a tumor off the pancreas and islet cells). It helps to explain a lot of what he is experiencing as well as my problem. Thanks for posting it.Marie in Florida where it is cloudy but still Utopian
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