Arachnoid Cysts and depression

[mrsvalden]

I was wondering if anyone had heard of arachnoid cysts in the brain, or knows someone that has one, or has one themselves?

My husband had an MRI 4 years ago in preparation for electroshock treatments for his recurrent depression. That MRI showed that he has a small arachnoid cyst in the left front temporal part of his brain. At the time they had him see a neurologist to see if it was something to be concerned about.

He said it wasn't. He said that they aren't terribly uncommon, and typically they are asymptomatic. The fact that it's not effecting any motor skills he said was a positive. But he said that it was very interesting that it was in the "mood portion of his brain." He said it would be practically impossible to prove if it was causing his depression or not. And he doubted that a neurosurgeon would do any sort of surgery/drainage on it if it wasn't showing signs of something.

But we've wondered all this time about it. Nothing seems to help his depression much. He's suffered from treatment-resistant recurrent major depressive disorder for almost 14 years. He's tried all sorts of anti-depressants, therapy, hospitilization, and even 8 electroshock treatments that did nothing but make him lose memory from that time.

So the fact that this cyst is in the mood part of the brain makes me wonder. I think we're finally ready to pursue it further. I've made an appt. with our primary care doctor for next Friday, because she'll have to coordinate the referrals to specialists. I assume they'll want to do another MRI to see if it's changed in the past 4 years. And then probably see a neurologist of neurosurgeon.

He's so desparate to feel better that he doesn't care if brain surgery would kill him...he just wants to be able to rule everything out. Well, I'm not to the point of wanting to try anything if it's too dangerous, but I'd like to discuss it with a surgeon.

Has anyone else had any experience or have any knowledge of this topic at all?

Thanks for reading.

[mrs"e"]

I'm interested in learning more. Keep me updated on what you learn. And good luck.

[♥ Kathryn ♥]

I have no knowledge of this, but I wish you the best of luck! And please keep us updated. I'll be praying that everything goes well with his appointment.

[tookmo]

Hi there.

I don't know if you remember my introduction, but I suffer from a TBI (Brain Injury). I attend the Nanaimo Brain Injury Society in my town. They have ALL the knowledge in the world and more. I would ease your worries by going into a society or association for Brain Injury ~ Brain Disorders/Diseases a lot of people don't realize that they are the same thing ~ the brain is divided into sections and each section has a function or functions.

I agree with you that there is most likely a direct association between his moods and the cyst. I have several friends with cysts and unfortunately tumours and they all have unique responses and not all the same.

I could write a lot of information, but I would think it would be best to set up an appointment to talk to the ones who know specifically about this cyst or at least have the resources to give to you.

When something invades the brain, it directly causes depression or depressive moods. I too, see a psychiatrist to balance pain medications along with depressives.

I'm sure you'll be able to Google some sites or associations. If someone doesn't know, please don't honor them if they "guess its the same". Nothing is the same with the brain so I wouldn't want some rookie saying something to get you more worried then you are.

If it is a benign cyst or fibroma, they usually won't disturb it because the surgery itself could cause extra or additional deficits. There is a type of radiation that can be applied to shrink the cyst; however, with every procedure on the brain, the side effects could be worse.

For example, the depression could be lifted, but then there is an emotional lability present (its an inability to control ones emotions...laugh when its not funny or cry uncontrollably during a comedy). I have some of these deficits, but they can be controlled and there are techniques to subdue symptoms.

I hope this helps you seek out the answers. The doctors are not Gods and they don't always present the information clearly or in your language, so its good to take notes and questions the words that you are unsure about.

Good Luck. If I can help you, I will try to help.

preciouslittlesouls.piczo.com This was a site I did for therapeutic purposes. There are some links too.

[Bibi]

Carol, I didn't know anything about it, but I wish you good luck, I'll pray for you guys!!

Everything is going to be ok!

[mrsvalden]

Thanks so much for your kind words and encouragement, everyone. And thanks for the info, Joan. I've been looking around the internet, and I did find a site called arachnoidcyst.org that has lots of information. And it also has a forum that I'm going to post my question to, so maybe someone else will have similar experiences. It seems that a lot of things I read are about children with these cysts and how they affect physical things. Not so much mental or emotional, but I'm going to keep digging.

Since I work in a university library, I have a lot of resources at my disposal, but there's not a whole lot out there about this topic. I found one book that mentions in a paragraph that arachnoid cysts in the left temporal part of the brain are associated with depressive symptoms. But that was all. But it listed another article as a source, so I've requested that article from another library, and I'm waiting for that to arrive. We'll see if it says anymore.

Thanks again. This group is such a wonderful support for me!!

[Little Pet Crazy]

Big Hugs Carol. I hope that you can get some answers. I know what its like trying to get answers from doctors. They have all the answers but sometimes they just can put two and two together. We will be thinking of you.

[mrsvalden]

Aug 15, 2008 12:05:26 GMT -5 Little Pet Crazy said:

Big Hugs Carol. I hope that you can get some answers. I know what its like trying to get answers from doctors. They have all the answers but sometimes they just can put two and two together. We will be thinking of you.

Thanks so much, Laurie. I really appreciate it.

4 years ago when we saw the neurologist right after his MRI, he told us that he would be surprised if a neurosurgeon would want to mess with the cyst, since it's not definite that it's the problem. And the danger of what else could get messed up during a procedure might keep them from wanting to.

But he did mention that the VA (Veterans Administration) system has a big hospital in San Diego that specializes in brain problems, and they might be willing to try something as an experimental case study. He said it would be interesting for a doctor to do a case study on it to see if it might be causing the depression. Since there's not a lot of information out there about the correlation, someone might want to try. But we'll have to see.

I'd rather not have to go to San Diego, but we'll see. They do have a cool zoo, I hear.

[Bibi]

Aug 15, 2008 13:10:15 GMT -5 mrsvalden said:

Aug 15, 2008 12:05:26 GMT -5 Little Pet Crazy said:

Big Hugs Carol. I hope that you can get some answers. I know what its like trying to get answers from doctors. They have all the answers but sometimes they just can put two and two together. We will be thinking of you.

Thanks so much, Laurie. I really appreciate it.

4 years ago when we saw the neurologist right after his MRI, he told us that he would be surprised if a neurosurgeon would want to mess with the cyst, since it's not definite that it's the problem. And the danger of what else could get messed up during a procedure might keep them from wanting to.

But he did mention that the VA (Veterans Administration) system has a big hospital in San Diego that specializes in brain problems, and they might be willing to try something as an experimental case study. He said it would be interesting for a doctor to do a case study on it to see if it might be causing the depression. Since there's not a lot of information out there about the correlation, someone might want to try. But we'll have to see.

I'd rather not have to go to San Diego, but we'll see. They do have a cool zoo, I hear.

San Diego is really nice Carol, at least you will have a beautiful sight!!!

And sometimes is good to go to some place different from where you're used to...

[LPS NANA]

Carol I'm so sorry you and hubby are doing thru this. I don't know anything about the condition but I do wish you two the best of luck and send you lots of big big hugs.

[mrsvalden]

Thanks, Kim! I love hugs and really appreciate them. Sometimes they are the best medicine.

[mrsvalden]

Aug 15, 2008 17:18:31 GMT -5 Bibi said:

Aug 15, 2008 13:10:15 GMT -5 mrsvalden said:

Thanks so much, Laurie. I really appreciate it.

4 years ago when we saw the neurologist right after his MRI, he told us that he would be surprised if a neurosurgeon would want to mess with the cyst, since it's not definite that it's the problem. And the danger of what else could get messed up during a procedure might keep them from wanting to.

But he did mention that the VA (Veterans Administration) system has a big hospital in San Diego that specializes in brain problems, and they might be willing to try something as an experimental case study. He said it would be interesting for a doctor to do a case study on it to see if it might be causing the depression. Since there's not a lot of information out there about the correlation, someone might want to try. But we'll have to see.

I'd rather not have to go to San Diego, but we'll see. They do have a cool zoo, I hear.

San Diego is really nice Carol, at least you will have a beautiful sight!!!

And sometimes is good to go to some place different from where you're used to...

I agree, Gabi. San Diego is one of the places I'd like to visit in my lifetime. So if we do end up having to go to a big hospital, I'm glad San Diego is a possibility.

[Bibi]

Carol, any good news on your research?

[mrsvalden]

Aug 19, 2008 15:44:14 GMT -5 Bibi said:

Carol, any good news on your research?

I'm afraid there's not a whole lot out there that I've found yet. There was one blurb in a Neuropsychiatry book that said, "Depression has been associated with frontal arachnoid cysts..." And that was all in that book.

And then I'm waiting to receive a book from another library that might mention something else.

And I'm waiting for an article from another library titled "Frontal Arachnoid Cyst Associated with Depression: case report and literature review", so I'm very curious what that one will say.

I did post something on the forum at arachnoidcyst.net. I had 2 responses so far saying that they are also depressed. But it seems like most of what I've read is that these people have physical symptoms that then cause them to be depressed. Richard doesn't have any physical symptoms from the cyst, so I haven't found anyone else in his situation yet.

He doesn't think it's causing the depression, because it's gotten worse over the years. And if it was the cyst, why would it have worsened. There was a time when he could still function with the depression, but now he can't. But I wonder if that's the cumulative effect of 14 years of depression. That would drag anyone down further.

We'll see what happens at the doctor's on Friday.

I'm afraid I'm not feeling very encouraged about any of it. I don't want him to have to undergo a procedure and not have it help. But I hate the thought that it might possibly help and us not try to have something done. There's just so much unknown...

Thanks for asking, Gabi.

I was sad yesterday when I was with my nephews. I told them that I would see them again on Saturday. And Daniel (the 2 year old) said, "Richard?" I said, "No Richard probably won't come." And he said, "Sleeping?" I said, "Yeah, he'll probably be sleeping." That's how I always explain it to them...Uncle Richard doesn't sleep well and has to sleep during the day a lot. Which is true, but it's also that he just can't make himself get up and out. And to see the sad look on his face when he asked about Richard just broke my heart.

When Zach was younger he'd asked about him too. He asked where Richard was, and I said he was at home sleeping. He said, "He's sick, right?" I said, "Yeah, buddy, Uncle Richard is sick." I did start crying after that when he left the room. I want them to know how wonderful Richard is, but they just don't see him much. But he always attends holiday functions and birthdays, so they do see him. And they love him when they see him. I hope they just remember that and not all the times he had to stay home... I'm crying now, so that's that.

Thanks again, my sweet friend.

[mrsvalden]

The other book just arrived, and this is what it says, "There are occasional reports of patients with space-occupying brain lesions and frank psychosis. ...reported psychosis in four patients with arachonid cysts--fluid-filled cavities--affecting their left temporal lobes. The patients experienced brief paranoid delusions and strong mood-related changes that alternated between depression and excitement. They also showed aggressiveness, disturbed sleeping and waking behavior, and changes in eating habits. This syndrome is intriguing, but it resembles mood disturbances like manic depression as much as schizophrenia..."

Hmmmm...more to think about.