FHN Complementary Medicine Monthly Newsletter August 2005
Neurotransmitter Testing
Last month we talked about SSRI’s and TAAT (targeted amino acid therapy). One of the problems with the usage of SSRI’s or SNRI’s is picking the right one or titrating the right dose. Up to now that has been done by the clinical skill of the physician, which at times can be hit or miss. Assaying the brain levels has proven clinically difficult as CSF is not practical to obtain. There are several studies that have shown that HPLC testing of urine can be used to assay neurotransmitters with results that compare with CSF levels. A lab in Wisconsin ‘NeuroScience’ has started to offer this type of testing.
Knowing what the status of the individual neurotransmitters are can be invaluable in decided what class of antidepressant to use. Further targeted amino acid therapy can be added to address long term deficiencies.
Therapeutic doses can be titratated with additional testing after the start of a therapeutic regimen.
Up to now we have been talking about depression but the same approach can be used with other neurotransmitter sensitive problems such as ADD and ADHD.
Sincerely,
Drs. Glenn and Julie Smith
Complementary Medicine
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