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OD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | Tryptamino
MAOI's???
- Thread starter posone
- Start date
fairnymph
Ex-Bluelighter
MAO (monoamine oxidase) is an enzyme that breaks down various neurotransmitters (chemicals in your brain) -- specifically, serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine (and possibly some others). These chemicals - especially serotonin and dopamine -- make you feel good normally and when you do drugs, the release of these chemicals in your brain is what makes you feel high.
A MAOI is a MAO-inhibitor -- it prevents/limits MAO from breaking down the chemicals I mentioned above. Thus, for people who do not produce enough neurotransmitters and are depressed or have other psychiatric problems, taking a medication that is a MAOI helps keep the chemicals in their brains (in the synapses) longer, therefore making them happier.
The problem with combining many drugs with a MAOI is that a lot of drugs (e, meth, probably lsd and other psychedlics, and others) cause the release of large amounts of neurotransmitters in your brain, which can't be broken down because of the MAOI, and therefore overwhelm your brain. This can lead to serotonin syndrome, a hypertensive crisis, and even death -- a very dangerous combination indeed.
A MAOI is a MAO-inhibitor -- it prevents/limits MAO from breaking down the chemicals I mentioned above. Thus, for people who do not produce enough neurotransmitters and are depressed or have other psychiatric problems, taking a medication that is a MAOI helps keep the chemicals in their brains (in the synapses) longer, therefore making them happier.
The problem with combining many drugs with a MAOI is that a lot of drugs (e, meth, probably lsd and other psychedlics, and others) cause the release of large amounts of neurotransmitters in your brain, which can't be broken down because of the MAOI, and therefore overwhelm your brain. This can lead to serotonin syndrome, a hypertensive crisis, and even death -- a very dangerous combination indeed.
Just to nitpick a little bit. MAOIs do not have very good anti-depressant properties because it doesn't actualy help the chemicals stay in the synapse longer. Rather just helps keep them from being destroyed. If your brain isn't releasing enough of these chemicals from the axons a MAOI really wont produce any real help. SSRIs help keep the chemicals IN the actual synapse.
[This message has been edited by Deus121 (edited 06 November 2001).]
fairnymph
Ex-Bluelighter
^^^^
This is true, I just didn't feel like overwhelming the newbie's neurons with too much information at once. As it is, he doesn't seem able to handle punctuation and capitlization very well.
This is true, I just didn't feel like overwhelming the newbie's neurons with too much information at once. As it is, he doesn't seem able to handle punctuation and capitlization very well.