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Benzo Neurotoxicity

J

jookie

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Joined
Mar 4, 2011
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I've been taking etizolams (along with other benzos) on and off. Sometimes I won't go 3-4 days without although there are times when I use it up to 5 times a week. As a result I'm pretty anxious when not on it, but I can deal with that. Seeing the amphetamine neurotoxicity and tolerance thread made me wonder if there's things I can do to prevent benzo neurotoxicity.
 
Benzos are non-neurotoxic as far as I know. The withdrawal symptoms are another thing entirely.
 
^ Indeed, while not directly 'toxic' to neurons in the sense of killing them off, benzos have been shown to cause a reduction in brain size after chronic, regular use. Think of it as a withering effect, rather than a destruction, however.

If amphetamines were muscle tears from over-exertion, benzos would be flabbiness from a sedentary life style.
 
^ Benzos can protect against glutamatergic excitotoxicity - as seen in dissociatives (clonazepam prevents olneys lesions in rats) and in severe cases of amphetamine abuse as well.

However, a strict diet of benzos will eventually cause your brain to atrophy.

Balance is the key, here.
 
I think it makes sense on a simple level that constantly stopping neurons from firing, stopping them in effect from working, will cause many of them to "die" eventually, just as humans who don't do much in general have a lower life expectancy than those who exercise their mind and body regularly.
 
Ho-Chi-Minh said:
I think it makes sense on a simple level that constantly stopping neurons from firing, stopping them in effect from working, will cause many of them to "die" eventually, just as humans who don't do much in general have a lower life expectancy than those who exercise their mind and body regularly.
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The only thing I've really ever heard of along these lines is chronic BZD use resulting in lower expression of GABAneric receptors entirely. But, I don't think they "die" so to speak.
 
I think there's plenty of evidence that long term BZD therapy is not a good thing for the general population.
While I don't doubt benzos are neuroprotective in some cases (control of seizure) I don't see any good coming from adding them to your "noots" "stack" (ugh.).
 
Well of course for long term therapy there's no doubt they'll cause deficits in the brain. I more suggested it as people often use very high doses of amphetmines and MDMA - ocassionally not all the time, and perhaps a dose of 10mg of Valium mixed into it would prevent some toxicity.
 
Well, I think that reducing the stimulant high to a small degree is much worth stopping the potential damage you could cause, especially in the case of MDMA mixed with amphetamines. In fact, i've found that mixing it with diazepam adds to the sort of crazyness/euphoria of the drugs in a way.
 
So gaba inhibiting glutamate related firing is the long term issue here? Leaving the brain too long in a inhibitory state.

Would it be possible to activate the glutaminergic system during benzo treatment eg with nefiracetam or something that acts on the excitaroy pathways to avoid this from occuring? (yes another hypothesis of me wich may be rubbish but im just asking for the directions to go to rome, all roads go there but im not really on the road yet.

for fucking sake half my post removed fucking linux bullshit.

Basicly activate the glut etc shit next to benzo treatment and prob is fixed the brain is full of things blocking eachother like gaba, does it a bit too much with benzo's so we gotta bring it back it in balance by potentiating its polar.
 
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MeDieViL said:
So gaba inhibiting glutamate related firing is the long term issue here? Leaving the brain too long in a inhibitory state.

Would it be possible to activate the glutaminergic system during benzo treatment eg with nefiracetam or something that acts on the excitaroy pathways to avoid this from occuring? (yes another hypothesis of me wich may be rubbish but im just asking for the directions to go to rome, all roads go there but im not really on the road yet.

for fucking sake half my post removed fucking linux bullshit.

Basicly activate the glut etc shit next to benzo treatment and prob is fixed the brain is full of things blocking eachother like gaba, does it a bit too much with benzo's so we gotta bring it back it in balance by potentiating its polar.
Click to expand...

You sound like you could use a Xanax without hypothetical poly-pharmacy techniques with limited, or f any, evidence. :)
 
Tussmann said:
You sound like you could use a Xanax without hypothetical poly-pharmacy techniques with limited, or f any, evidence. :)
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I said its a hypothesis, for evidence ill have to look up wheter long term glutamate depression causes detrimental effects but im too lazy for that, i often like to prompt others to do research that didnt think of it otherwise and sometimes i got it right, sometimes not.

GABA is major inhibitory, its the same with all compounds witch rules out toxiticy of a certain benzo, and the neurotransmitter unlike glut aint toxic either.

Inhibit nmda long enough in rodents and they have shizo cognitive decline, perhaps something simular i wouldnt know but someone may.
 
How long does the duration of Benzo use need to be for the possibilty of cognitive defects to start occuring ? I read somewhere that after 10 years chronic use they may be a decline in cognitive functioning, and increased chances of suffering depression.

I was let to believe that for all but the most chronic of users that if you do a proper taper, your brains Gaba system will start upregulating sooner. I have read that this process can take a hellish 6-12 months, but if the taper is done right you shouldnt suffer too badly.

This info came from Wikepedia and the Ashton Manual, have new finding emerged since they published their article on the effects of long term use of benzos ? Apologies if this question isnt scientific enough for ADD, but its obviously very important to establish the timeframes of all these processes.
 
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