I just want to sum up a few things for myself and maybe others who are trying to figure this out. I'm 29, suffering from an inability to focus on tasks I don't like and often misplace things. Have some social issues and some OCD, but its managable nothing too serious. My genetic profile says I can develop both ADHD and schizophrenia. One parent is suffering from Schizophrenia but I personally feel like I have low dopamine, not high dopamine, for example when I drink coffee after a long time again I can often focus very well.
ADHD:
- Low Dopamine
- Confusion, Forgetful, Anxiety
- OCD Possible
- Impaired Attention But More Ommission Errors And Slower (ADHD-I)
- Possible Pre-cursor? Prodromal symptoms of schizophrenia may include ADHD
- Treatment: Dopamine Receptor Upregulation, Short-Term: Dopamine Releasing Meds
Schizophrenia:
- High Dopamine
- Delusions, Voices, Paranoia
- OCD Possible
- Impaired Attention Possible (Initial Focus More Difficult)
- Treatment: Dopamine Blockers, Anti-psychotics
http://www.sciencedi...887617707001278
Specifically interesting for ADHD-I(nattentive)
ADHD-I subjects reacted slower all along compared to ADHD
Although not confirmed entirely, we consider the pattern that emerged here compatible with a “lethargic attention deficit”.
Compared to the other two groups, their reaction time became more variable as a function of time on task. As hypothesized, they committed more omission errors on the last third of the test.
____________
Possible upregulation of D2 (Dopamine) receptors through NMDA antagonist
- - Inositol (test on myself, confirmed to work, it also lowers anxiety and increases focus)
- - Forskolin
- Huperzin Ahttp://www.longecity...ut-huperzine-a/- - Zinc, Taurine, Cats Claw
- - Memantine, Ketamine
Possibly beneficial for schizophrenia are then NMDA agonists that can block Dopamine
- - Glycine
- - D-Serine
- - Sarcosine? (not sure about NMDA agonist but may be beneficial)
Both glycine and d-serine (NMDA agonists) have been found to be decreased in both the blood and cerebrospinal fluid of people with schizophrenia compared to controls. This has all led to the hypothesis that people with schizophrenia have too little NMDA and that is one cause of some of the symptoms of the disease – particularly the negative symptoms and the cognitive deficits.
http://www.schizophr...com/glycine.htm
____________________________
I am personally trying to figure out where I fall in the spectrum. I have serious problems with low dopamine. I abused coffee for 2 years, was addicted to video games as a teenager and I am probably somewhat addicted to the internet now, however I have genes for both ADHD and Schizophrenia and they may go hand in hand according to some studies which totally irritates me because that would mean it could swing from one extreme to the other.
I am also trying to figure out what is real science here and what is mumbojumbo. I know gene expression plays a great role.
For example, in alternative health you will often read that most schizophrenics have pyroloruia. I just can figure out whether I should take it seriously. They'd recommend Zinc and B6 in high doses. Taking B6 / P5P in high doses would improve methylation and decrease dopamine, thats about it. Zinc can obviously improve stress-handling. Yes, I and some other members share probably 20 out of 20 symptoms on those "symptom lists" but they are also very general symptoms (like white spots on fingernails or more stretch marks - possibly due to zinc, magnesium deficiency or similar).
So my conclusions thus far:
Talk to a doctor about a possible brain scan or if not possible write a very extensive list of symptoms to exclude the possibility of schizophrenia. Then if I have in fact ADHD upregulate Dopamine receptors with Inositol and improve Dopamine production with Ginko. Both seems to work fine for me already. Also went on T3 meds (thyroid meds) which immediately relived a lot of symptoms including constipation. My body apparently is unable to convert T4 into T3. I also seem very high in homocysteine, which is why I will start TMG again. I am taking pregnenolone to balance my hormones and it seems to work to some extent (cant rule out placebo but its doing something).
Would be great to get some feedback here. Did I get anything wrong, please correct me and I'll fix it.
Moderator's corrections in red.
Edited by YOLF, 29 June 2016 - 10:03 AM.