Posted by Sorcerer (38.193.87.17) on August 07, 1999 at 10:02:08:
Sherry's recent confusion over the role of serotonin in CH
has got me wondering...did Dr Goadsby overlook a very important
link when he MRI'd those English CHers?
We're so visual, these days. And with the new technologies in medicine, MRI,
PETA and the like, are medical scientists ignoring some of the "old technology"
in favor of being able to draw an arrow around suspected pathology, as
observed on an xray photo?
Some of us take anticonvulsant medications as prophylaxis for CH. Indeed, some
of us may have a history of epileptiform seizures! Many of us are confused
about the role(s) of various chemicals, amino acids, other neurotransmitters
in CH. Me too!
Has anyone ever had their doctor suggest recording their brain waves
(electroencephalogram) DURING a CH? It wouldn't be that difficult to
initiate a cluster if the patient were already in a cycle (for me...
½ oz. of alcoholic spirit would do the trick!)
There are MANY types of "seizures," and only some of them include the
clonic, tonic physical activity we commonly associate with "Grand Mal"
and "Jacksonian" epilepsies. And maybe epilepsy is the wrong term, altogether,
when referring to CH. But the fact remains, some kind of "link" between CNS
electroencephalographic activity and CH is most likely. If you don't believe
THAT, try to discount the association between REM sleep and cluster.
Just wondering..........d