If the nomenclature is wrong the action may be wrong!

Having practised orthomolecular psychiatry as an integral part of functional medicine for the past twenty seven years out of thirty and currently finishing off a new book "The Treatment & Prevention of Stroke & Dementia' and just researching the latest info on the physiology of the brain, I was not all that surprised to find:

If the nomenclature is wrong, then the action may be wrong!

In the past, neurons were the source of everything associated with the mind/brain complex and consequently all treatment was focussed on the neurons hence the terminology “Neurology”. The grey white matter of the brain is made up of glia, which were understood to support neurons; to feed them and clean up after them, and to respond to brain injury. But these functions were regarded as peripheral to the exciting functions that neurons perform in processing information and storing memories. All of this thought system has been changed, they had it wrong!

Glia make up about 85% of the brain and the functions of glia can be broadly divided into three main categories consisting of four very different types of glia which serve these different functions.
Astrocytes are glia so named because their shape reminded early anatomists of stars, fill the spaces between neurons. Astrocytes provide the energy source to neurons; they maintain the chemical environment surrounding neurons within the narrow limits required for neurons to survive and fire electrical impulses, and to communicate at synapses.

Microglia are the immune cells of the brain. The brain is isolated from the rest of the fluids in the body because the unique environment within brain tissue must be maintained. A barrier between the brain and the blood is formed by cells in the walls of blood vessels in the brain, which prevents the free diffusion of materials and cells between blood and brain. However, this barrier also prevents the immune cells of the bloodstream, which protect the entire body, from entering the brain. Microglia are the brain’s private cellular guard cells, seeking out and killing germs and healing the brain after injury. As such, microglia are involved in every aspect of nervous system disease and healing.

The third important function of glia is to form the electrical insulation on nerve fibres (axons), which is essential for high speed transmission of electrical impulses. The importance of this insulation, called myelin, is clearly seen in people who suffer from multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disorder that attacks the myelin sheath on axons, which leaves these people with serious impairments in sensory and motor function. Inside the brain and spinal cord, glial cells resembling cellular octopuses wrap up to 150 layers of compacted membrane around axons, much like electrical tape. The core of the brain—half its bulk—is comprised of millions of tightly bundled axons insulated with myelin. This brain region is called "white matter," because the colour of myelin tints this brain tissue white. Although of little interest in the past, white matter is the newest area of research on learning. In the rest of the body, glial called Schwann cells, which resemble flattened pearls strung up on axons, form this vital insulation.

As for role of astrocytes in forming synapses and changing their strength, and in how astrocytes communicate with each other and with neurons, we are only beginning to understand how astrocytes develop, grow, change forms, and respond to neurons. Astrocytes do, however, communicate among themselves with chemical signalling. This signalling can be observed using fluorescent dyes that sense calcium levels inside the cells.

Astrocytes have receptors for neuron transmitters, enabling them to respond to the neurotransmitter released by neurons at synapses. Astrocytes can communicate with other astrocytes, and they release or take up neurotransmitters from distant synapses to control the transmission of information between neurons.

The activity of astrocytes in controlling neurotransmitter levels at synapses implicates them in psychiatric disorders. All drugs for treating mental illnesses act by controlling the levels of different neurotransmitters, but this is the normal job of astrocytes.

That is the short story. However, I learned long ago that “if the nomenclature is wrong then the action may be wrong also”. And this is the crux of the matter when applied to the identification and treatment of disorders/diseases of the central nervous system that is the human brain.

Transdermal Rejuvenation

Have just launched a new transdermal product the result of three years research and a world first.
For full details: http;//proresolvin.ws see "Not just another cosmetic"

For the long story on mitochondria see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitochondria In the short term we are concerned with our energy factories numbering anywhere from 200 to 2,000 per everyone of your approximately one hundred trillion cells, you didn’t know?

 Even as a scientist one finds it somewhat difficult to even imagine a production unit so infinitely small. But they are there, and take up about 80% of the oxygen we breath and importantly rely on up to 90 nutrients to produce our energy .

 And how is that achieved? The food we eat is oxidized to produce high-energy electrons that are converted to stored energy. This energy is stored in high energy phosphate bonds in a molecule called adenosine triphosphate, or ATP. ATP is converted from adenosine diphosphate by adding the phosphate group with the high-energy bond. Various reactions in the cell can either use energy (whereby the ATP is converted back to ADP, releasing the high energy bond) or produce it (whereby the ATP is produced from ADP). So there you have it but apologies for the gobbledygook, there is no easier way and in our case does not matter. What matters is: ATP production in the mitochondria generates free radicals which can cause localised oxidative stress and damage the mitochondria. By the way your mitochondrion have their very own DNA.

 But first, one-up for the femmes: In mammals, 99.99% of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is inherited from the mother.  This is because the sperm carries its mitochondria around a portion of its tail and has only about 100 mitochondria compared to 100,000 in the oocyte. As the cells develop, more and more of the mtDNA from males is diluted out.  Hence less than one part in 10⁴ or 0.01% of the mtDNA is paternal.  This means that mutations of mtDNA can be passed from mother to child.  Congratulations ladies! But then you always knew your superiority ladies didnya?

 The mitochondria are the only place in the cell where oxygen can be combined with the food molecules. After the oxygen is added, the material can be digested. They are working organelles that keep the cell full of energy. A mitochondrion may also be involved in controlling the concentration of calcium (Ca) within the cell. 

 Antioxidants protect the mitochondria against oxidative stress by acting as free radical scavengers and are therefore vital for all energy-dependant processes, including heart muscle contraction. Supplementing with specific nutrients may help build up the body’s energy reserves and may improve stamina and endurance.

The heart is the most susceptible of all the organs to premature ageing and oxidative stress; free radical induced damage is believed to contribute to cardiovascular disease through a number of pathways.

Damage - and subsequent dysfunction – through a wide variety of determinants in mitochondria is an important factor in a wide range of human diseases. Mitochondrial disorders often present as neurological disorders, but can manifest as myopathy, (muscle disorders) diabetes, multiple endocrinopathy, (all or any of your glands) or a variety of other systemic manifestations, and very importantly all autoimmune diseases.

 Environmental influences may also interact with hereditary predispositions and cause mitochondrial disease. For example, there may be a link between pesticide exposure and the later onset of Parkinson's disease.

Other pathologies with aetiology involving mitochondrial dysfunction include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, epilepsy, stroke, cardiovascular disease, retinitis pigmentosa (eyes), and diabetes mellitus.

Mitochondria are sometimes said to have their own genome, often referred to as the "mitochondrial genome". Back to wikepedia for that one, but suffice to say the genome stored in the mitochondrial DNA if likened to a book would be about one billion words long, fascinating ain’t  it? We are going to talk more on genomes and food as “Nutrigenomics” soon.

Aging

Do not be confused here by my terminology 'healthy aging" being confined to older people.

You began to age from conception!

 Thus, my work begins with the new born and gravitates through the life stages to finality.

Those of you born since about 1950 were compromised in health status from day one by numerous factors both biological and societal, including of course a major player known as “Dr. Spock", who  in the fifties said  of the children "let them do what they like, and they will work it out", or words to that effect.

 One wrote a paper in 1982 that the "baby boomers" would eventually break the bank, meaning the Federal government "medibank". Time moves on, we now have the baby boomers children and more than a few of their children.

 And believe me, if you will; "they are breaking the bank". Whilst governments, owned mostly by BIG PHARMA ably abetted by the medical profession, both vested interests in keeping you sick, waffle on month in month out, year by year, ad infinitum, about fixing it all. This one calls "bully Poop". And about as effective in health care.

 Apologies for the typographical error! It cannot possibly be "health care" can it? Because if you were healthy, you would not need doctors, or medicine. No, this is a "wish" nomenclature and if the nomenclature is wrong you may bet your "sweet bippy" whatever that is, that the action will also be wrong! So I call it "sick care".

 Allow now a little digression, I do it all the time, as any one of my past twenty odd thousand patients will attest. In this "lucky country" an irrefutable truism today we have a National Health Summary 2004, which shows more than 70% of the population suffering one or more chronic illness conditions. Our first summary (1947) showed only 42%. End of summaries!

 One has conducted epidemiological surveys for the past twenty five years on the 14 to 25 year age group who in 1985 showed 66% for chronic illness and in 2004 70% or more.

 Interestingly one recently obtained copy (PDF 132 pages) of a Federal Department of Health & Aging nutrition survey 1983/85 to 1995. Rather enlightening even to a mathematical drop out like me self.

 I certainly would appreciate input on some results to be shared soon.

 My quandary includes the irrefutable facts that whilst intake of cereal grains, fruit and vegetables increased, whereas intake of fats and cholesterol fell the Basal Metabolic Index (BMI) rose significantly as did according to other data cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, diabetes and most other disease and chronic illness conditions?

 HMG that's a spiritual saying! They knew all of this in 1995 and yet (maybe I am dumb) we achieved that highly prized, at least by BIG PHARMA, award: The Fattest Nation on Earth.

 Mind you I knew they could do it!

 My BMI? 23.

 What's yours?

 It's all about the mitochondria!