An Overview of Psychiatry Theories

One of the main theories in psychiatry is the tryptophan theory, but there are variations on this theory. Tryptophan theories have been put forward for various psychiatric diseases including schizophrenia, depression, etc (1, 2, 6).

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The Chanticleer is a free mental health newsletter. Write to The Chanticleer, P.O. Box 760912, Melrose, MA 02176. There is no advertizing in this newsletter yet. It is an advocacy newsletter that fights against stigma. Some useful information about psychiatry is presented.

Nutrition Theories

Some nutrition theories are presented in Refs. 3-5. Ref. 4 presents the fish oil theory for depression and bipolar disorder, favored by the late Dr. Horrobin and by Dr. Andrew Weil. This is one of the few instances I disagree with Weil. My experience is that this treatment doesn't work, and it has a side effect of possible weight gain. Ref. 5 also explains some psychiatric drugs. It seems that MAO inhibitors, used as antidepressants, can interact with certain foods and certain nonprescription drugs. These interactions can raise the blood pressure. Not only that, but they can also interact with SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors). This can cause serotonin to become to high and can cause the serotonin syndrome, a dangerous side effect.

Ref. 5 is available free full text at the Gale database Health Reference Center. This database is at most large libraries.

Post-Partum Depression

This disease occurs after childbirth. It is thought to be caused by biochemical changes during pregnancy (10).

Malnutrition in Psychiatric Patients

There is indeed malnutrition in psychiatric patients, particulalry in anorexia nervosa (11, 12). Anorexia can lead to death if untreated. Often there is overnutrition, sometimes caused by psychiatric drugs. Weight gain is seen as a common side effect of atyptical antipsychotics. Nutrition should not be neglected in psychiatry. I have studied the Fountain House standards for psychosocial rehabilitation, and in these dozens of standards there is not one dealing with nutrition. These standards are supposed to represent quality care.

Alcoholism is another case in which malnutrition can be a problem. Alcoholics have a bizarre diet which is mostly carbohydrates. My view is that the Dept. of Mental Health should consider giving vitamin supplements to these unfortunates.

Herbal Medicine

St. John's wort has been used in depression (14). My experience is that this treatment does not work, although it is not dangerous.

Vitamins

Ref. 15 presents one vitamin theory. There are a large number of vitamin theories in psychiatry. In Hartnup's disease, an inborn error of metabolism, tryptophan absorption is low. This results in abnormal niacin production from tryptophan, which results in niacin deficiency. Even though the diet may be adequate in niacin, the patient gets niacin deficiency! This throws a lot of cold water on the RDAs. The RDAs are only good for healthy people. They are questionable in disease. Even in healthy people there is biochemical individuality. Everybody has a different chemistry.

Hartnup's disease, which has psychiatric symptoms (like pellagra), is treated by niacin supplements. Pellagra also has psychiatric symptoms and is also treated with niacin.

Conclusions

There is no shortage of theories in psychiatry (16, 17). the shortage is of good theories! One of the best theories is the monoamine theory (19), which has many different variations. Hoffer favored a toxic amine, the "M-substance", as causing schizophrenia. He called it the "M-substance" because it was supposed to be similar to mescaline only made in the brain or in the body. Catecholamines have structures similar to mescaline.

A website dealing with drug side effects and interactions is Worst Pills at www.worstpills.org. I have not yet studied this website, but I have studied the book that it was based on. The book was a shocker! The book was called "Worst Pills, Best Pills".

Further information on these topics is presented in Refs. 20-23.

References

1. Miller, Christine L., Ida C. Llenos, Mary Cwik, John Walkup, and Serge Weis. "Alterations in kynurenine precursor and product levels in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.(Report)." Neurochemistry International 52.6 (May 2008): 1297(7). Health Reference Center Academic. Gale. Newton Free Library. 18 July 2009.

2. "HCV patients, psychopathology and tryptophan metabolism: analysis of the effects of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin treatment 1.(Author abstract)(Report)." Digestive and Liver Disease 39 (Sept 2007): S107-S111. Health Reference Center Academic. Gale.

3. Thomas B. Mental illness. In: Thomas B, British Dietetic Association, eds. Manual of Dietetic Practice, 3rd edn. London: Blackwell Publishing, 2002; 571-9.

4. Timonen M, Horrobin D, Jokelainen J, Laitinen J, Herva A, Rasanen P. Fish consumption and depression: the Northern Finland 1966 birth cohort study. J Affect Disord 2004; 82: 447-52.
5. Volker, Dianne, and Jade Ng. "Depression: does nutrition have an adjunctive treatment role?." Nutrition & Dietetics: The Journal of the Dietitians Association of Australia 63.4 (Dec 2006): 213(14). Health Reference Center Academic. Gale.

6. Miller, Christine L., Ida C. Llenos, Jeannette R. Dulay, and Serge Weis. "Upregulation of the initiating step of the kynurenine pathway in postmortem anterior cingulate cortex from individuals with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.(Report)." Brain Research 1073-1074 (Feb 16, 2006): 25(13). Health Reference Center Academic. Gale.

7. Baumel S. Dealing with Depression Naturally. Los Angeles, CA: Keats, 2000.

8. Information leaflet about Neurotransmitters. (Cited 12 Nov 2005.) Available from URL: http://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/neurotransmitters.

9. Bottiglieri T, Laundy M, Crellin R, Toone B, Carney M, Reynolds E. Homocysteine, folate, methylation, and monoamine metabolism in depression. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 2000; 69: 228-32.

10. O'Hara M, Swain A. Rates and risks of post-partum depression--a meta-analysis. Int Rev Psychiatry 1996; 8: 37-54.

11. O'Brien K, Vincent N. Psychiatric comorbidity in anorexia and bulimia nervosa: nature, prevalence and causal relationships. Clin Psychol Rev 2003; 23: 57-74.

12. Sullivan P. Mortality in anorexia nervosa. Am J Psychiatry 1995; 152: 1073-4.

13. Fernstrom JD. Can nutrient supplements modify brain function? Am J Clin Nutr 2000; 71: 1669S-73S.

14. Butterweck V. Mechanism of action of St John's Wort in depression: what is known? CNS Drugs 2003; 17: 539-62.

15. Crellin R, Bottiglieri T, Reynolds E. Folates and psychiatric disorders: clinical potential. Drugs 1993; 45: 623-36.

16. Tanskanen A, Hibbeln J, Hintikka J, Haatainen K, Honkalampi K, Viinamaki H. Fish consumption, depression and suicidality in general population. Arch Gen Psychiatry 2001; 58: 512-13.

17. Hakkarainen R, Partonen T, Haukka J, Virtamo J, Albanes D, Lonnqvist J. Is low dietary intake of omega-3 fatty acids associated with depression? Am J Psychiatry 2004; 161: 567-9.

18. Maes M, Smith R, Christophe A, Cosyns P. Fatty acid composition in major depression: decreased omega-3 fractions in cholesteryl esters and increased C20:4 n-6/C20:5 n-3 ratio in cholesteryl esters and phospholipids. J Affect Disord 1996; 36: 35-46.

19. Booij, L, A J W Van der Does, and W J Riedel. "Monoamine depletion in psychiatric and healthy populations: review.(Feature Review)." Molecular Psychiatry 8.12 (Dec 2003): 951. Health Reference Center Academic. Gale.

20. http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/237845/the_link_between_food_allergies_and.html

21. www.associatedcontent.com/article/1932938/disease_biomarkers_in_psychiatry.html

22. www.associatedcontent.com/article/1926322/advocacy_for_mental_health_clients.html
23. www.associatedcontent.com/article/1922710/new_approaches_to_mental_health.html