Protect This!

Don’t wait for the next “block-buster” study to come along to give you permission to integrate the latest neuroprotective agents into your day to day life—it may be too late.  

While scientists are busy conducting bench research (controlled laboratory studies) and not talking to one another, ethnobotanists are collecting real-world data that can help your brain survive the onslaught of aging and the 21st century.

The following nine neuroprotective agents are as close as your local supermarket or quality health-food store.  

1. Astaxanthin 4 mg 2 per day
2. Boswellia 100 mg one per day
3. Caffeine (coffee, have some)
4. Curcumin 250 mg 2 per day
5. E vitamins as tocotrienols 200 mg 2 per day
6. Flavonoids from food
7. Grapefruit juice (naringenin 250 mg 2 per day)
8. Huperzine 50 mcg 2 per day
9. Ubiquinol 50 mg 2 per day

JUST ASK ASTAXANTHIN

One of my all time favorite antioxidants is astaxanthin (ast uh ZAN thin). It’s just one of 700 carotenoids and is found in everything from marine animals to vegetables.

An optical isomer of astaxanthin is responsible for  the “rainbow” in rainbow trout.  More importantly, astaxanthin quenches singlet oxygen, prevents the oxidation of LDL cholesterol, reduces the risk for age-related macular degeneration, protects the skin from ultraviolet radiation and exhibits neuroprotective properties.

BOSWELLIA BEATS ALL

Nothing beats boswellic acid when it comes to naturally occurring anti-inflammatory agents.  Boswellic acid is the active component of  Boswellia Serrata (frankincense) and has essentially the same pharmacologic effect as non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)—without the nasty side-effects of course.  Given that neuroinflammation is the hallmark of most neurodegenerative disorders, naturally occurring antiinflammatory agents are high on the list of important neuroprotective agents.

CURCUMINOIDS COUNT

Curcumin is a close second.  Curcumin is an extract of tumeric and tumeric is a member of the ginger family.  Curcuminoids have been the subject of 6 human trials, all of which demonstrated safety in addition to potent anti-inflammatory properties.  In another study, both naringenin (the bitter principle in grapefruit juice) and curcumin were able to protect the dopamine producing cells of the substantia nigra area of the brain in a rat model of Parkinson’s Disease.

I NEED NARINGENIN (AND A CUP OF COFFEE)

Of note, by inhibiting an isomer of the P450 cytochrome in the liver, naringenin enhances both the psychostimulant and neuroprotective properties of caffeine.  While not exotic, the neuroprotective effects of caffeine (3 cups per day) are now well established from both a mechanistic and population based study perspective.

TOUCHED BY A TOCOTRIENOL

Not to be confused with tocopherols, tocotrienols possess an unsaturated side chain that allow deep penetration into the brain. Even nanomolar concentrations of tocotrienols within the brain prevent the excitotoxic effects of the neurotransmitter glutamate.  No small feat given that glutamate induced neurotoxicity is currently the subject of intense neuroscientific research.

FLAVONOIDS FIRST

Flavonoids are found in everything from red wine to raspberries.  Citrus flavonoids however,  possess the one property critical to brain health—lipophilicity.  Lipophilic (read fat soluble) compounds are able to traverse the blood brain barrier and “bring the goods home” so to speak.  Hesperetin, naringenin and their metabolites do what nanotechnologists only wish they could—consistently and safely permeate the brain and impart a neuroprotective effect.  

HELP FROM HUPERZINE

Huperzine A is an alkaloid derived from the Chinese club moss Huperzia serrata. Huperzine is a naturally occurring acetylcholine esterase inhibitor.  In other words, huperzine has the same pharmacologic properties as Aricept, Exelon and Reminyl—medications that I have prescribed for patients with Alzheimer’s Disease for years—minus the potential adverse effects!  When the enzyme acetylcholine esterase is inhibited, acetylcholine levels increase in the brain.  Acetylcholine is the major  excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain—no acetylcholine—no neuroplasticity—no new memories.

Better yet, huperzine is a known NMDA receptor antagonist.  NMDA receptors are activated by glutamate, an amino acid/ neurotransmitter that when released in excessive amounts generate what neuroscientists call the “glutamate storm”.  Head trauma, stroke and chronic neurodegenerative diseases all involve excessive amounts of glutamic acid. Huperzine limits the damage and mops up the aftermath of the storm.

UBIQUINOL: IT’S EVERYWHERE YOUR BRAIN NEEDS TO BE    

CoQ10 or ubiquinone was discovered in 1957, its molecular structure determined in 1958 and its true physiologic function—unfolding as we speak!   A transfer of electrons converts ubiquinone to ubiquinol and creates the active antioxidant component of CoQ10. Compared to CoQ10, ubiquinol has increased bioavailability thereby doubling plasma levels without side-effects.  Human mitochondria are extraordinarily rich with CoQ10.  Without it, oxidative stress results in damaged DNA and mitochondrial dysfunction.  Mitochondrial dysfunction is causally linked to Parkinson’s Disease and other neurodegenerative diseases.  

So why wait?  Neuroprotection is a life-long endeavor that starts today.  Prevent the glutamate gate from swinging open and the flood of neurotoxicity that comes with it!

This is a post from The Neuroprotective Lifestyle by Kerry Friesen, M.D.

Nine Natural Neuroprotective Agents You Can’t Live Without!

Troy Patterson: Founder of Nature's Purest Spring Water fulfilling his dream of bringing pure water to the rest of the world, 1996.

WHERE HAS ALL THE WATER GONE?

You can forget about oil.

Water is the world’s most precious commodity—and it’s getting harder to find.

† In 1992 the United Nations designated March 22, World Water Day, to emphasize the ever increasing scarcity of safe water.

Good water is synonymous with good health—and worldwide for a billion people, it’s nearly impossible to find.

Each year 5 million people die of water related diseases, and every day women and children spend countless hours collecting polluted water from distant sources.

Here in America,  our tap water is contaminated with 141 unregulated chemicals, some that are well known neurotoxins.

WATER IS LIFE

While water is the most basic element on earth, it is also the least understood—just ask Dr. Emoto.

This much we know for certain:

• 70% of our overall body weight is water
• 80% of the composition of the brain is water (and)
• CSF (cerebrospinal fluid) the clear, colorless liquid of life we bathe our brains in daily is 99% water!

IN CASE YOU DIDN’T KNOW

From a neuroanatomical perspective, having the brain and spinal cord suspended in watery medium makes good sense by buffering the brain from a sudden blow to the head.

As an added bonus,  the net weight of the brain is reduced from 1400 to 50 grams, increasing buoyancy and reducing pressure at the base of the brain.

It’s the neurophysiology however that makes it much more interesting.

CSF is what we bathe our brains in daily.

Just as spring water flows spontaneously from a deep granite aquifer, a vascular structure found deep within the ventricles of the brain produces the 150 ml of CSF needed each day to both transport helpful hormones and remove potential toxins from the brain.

But what if the source water is contaminated?

What if the water we drink daily is unsafe and we spend a lifetime consuming it—what then?

While the blood-brain barrier provides a measure of protection, it is NOT impenetrable.  Neurotoxins make their way to our brains daily, with little resistance.

When was the last time you enjoyed microwavable popcorn or had pizza delivered to your home?

Blood levels of perfluorinated chemicals (a known neurotoxicant) found in Teflon products, Stain-Resistant carpet, the inside lining of microwavable popcorn bags and yes even pizza box liners, are on the rise.

There is ample evidence identifying lead, methylmercury, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) as neurotoxic agents.  The “Great” Lakes are not so great anymore.

In a recent French study conducted over 8 years, high aluminum levels in drinking water (?0.1 mg/l) were associated with an elevated risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s Disease. This result was highly significant despite the low number of subjects exposed to such levels.  In contrast, high silica levels (? 11.25 mg/l) found in the same source water, were associated with a lower risk of dementia and AD.

World Water Day: Clean Water For A Healthy World

WHAT TO DO?

Only one percent of the water on earth is fresh water.

We continue to contaminate that 1% at an alarming rate.

For your brain’s sake, find a †reliable source of safe water.

Keep your exposure to other environmental toxins to a minimum.

Remember, in the world of neurotoxicology, exposure times a lifetime equals Parkinson’s  disease or Alzheimer’s or any one of numerous other neurodegenerative disorders.

† Nature’s Purest Spring Water comes from the deep granite aquifers of the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains.

† By coincidence Brain Awareness Weeks begins March 15-22!

This is a post from The Neuroprotective Lifestyle by Kerry Friesen, M.D.

March 22, 2010—World Water Day: What Are You Bathing Your Brain In?

photo credit: DeaPeaJay

There’s nothing you can know that isn’t known

There’s nothing you can see that isn’t  shown

There’s no where you can be that isn’t where you’re meant to be

It’s easy

All you need is love—love is all you need

—John Lennon

Written by John Lennon, performed by the Beatles and broadcast to the world via satellite on June 25th 1967,  ”All You Need Is Love” encapsulates the whole of the complexity of the neurochemistry of love with one simple saying—”love is all you need”.

From a more scientific standpoint, functional MRI has shown convincingly that dopaminergic reward pathways in the brain are responsible for romantic love.

In fact, just seeing the object of one’s love will make your right ventral tegmental area glow with pure adoration—and— in less than a nanosecond, immeasurable joy then radiates to the dorsal body of the caudate nucleus……you’re hooked, no escape, no return…….but what keeps your there?

OXYTOCIN: TRUST ME I’M A NEUROTRANSMITTER

What “keeps you there” are giant neurons—specifically magnocellular neurosecretory cells within the hypothalamus.  

These giant neurons synthesize the nine amino acid neuropeptide known as oxytocin.  

Any woman that has given birth will recognize oxytocin as the synthetic medication Pitocin.  Usually given during the third stage of labor, Pitocin is responsible for the powerful uterine contractions resulting in a timely and hopefully healthy childbirth.

That’s where reality recedes and science fiction enters the scene.  

This simple nine amino acid neuropeptide also doubles as a potent neurotransmitter. The power of  oxytocin is evident when couples cuddle, strangers are generous and when trust ensues in romantic relationships.

The ultimate paradox inherent in all human relationships is the fundamental fact that trust is dangerous.  

To “body fluid blend” with a genetically unrelated individual is the penultimate expression of human trust.  The profound pleasure of romantic attachment is the result of the energetic blending of neural substrates and the neural networks responsible for perpetuating the passion……..in other words—neural “love at first sight”.

The Magic Of MDMA 

Better known as “Ecstasy”— 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine is capable of generating a similar sense of love and closeness in both humans and rats.  In a recently published study oxytocin was considered the most likely neural correlate.  In other words, the magic of ecstasy is the simple nine amino acid neuropeptide oxytocin.

Pass The Pitocin Please

In a study published in the Journal Of Psychosomatic Medicine  a simple supportive “warm touch” among couples increased salivary oxytocin levels and decreased salivary cortisol levels, indicating improved social bonding and decreased stress.  

In a double-blind placebo-controlled study, intranasal oxytocin was able to diminish conflict and increase positive communication behavior in 47 heterosexual couples.  Salivary cortisol levels decreased significantly as in the previous study.

Give Peace A Chance: The Neurogenetics Of Sociality

Imagine this—the human hypothalamus and the neuropeptide that  it produces may ultimately hold the key to world peace.  

It is now clear that even  complex social behavior is under the influence of oxytocin.

Since trust is and will always be an indispensable component of friendship, family and by extrapolation international relations—a simple nine amino acid may hold the key to both world peace and love at first sight! 

Maybe—just maybe— all we really need is love…. and a nine amino acid neuropeptide.

This is a post from The Neuroprotective Lifestyle by Kerry Friesen, M.D.

The Neurobiology Of Bonding: All You Need Is Love…. And A Nine Amino Acid Neuropeptide

OZ: THE LAND OF INFINITE MEDICAL ANSWERS
(THAT DOESN’T EXIST)

What does it mean when Comedy Central becomes the voice of reason in all things medical?

Only that when you get to the Emerald City and pull back the curtain and discover the Wizard of Oz is really the Wizard of Biz and incapable of solving all of your problems (but more than willing to take your money), you have finally reached the realm of medical realism rather than some pharmaceutical fantasy land.

Despite all the media hype and medical experts claiming otherwise, the so-called pleiotropic effects of statins are not sufficient to cure cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, osteoporosis, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, aortic stenosis, cardiac myocyte hypertrophy or any other “trophy” for that matter.

Off-label applications excluded, all HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, in other words, “statins” are effective at lowering LDL cholesterol and raising HDL cholesterol (minimally)—but that’s it.

PHARMACEUTICAL FAIRY TALES

The AstraZeneca claims for Crestor however have to do with the inherent anti-inflammatory property of some statins.

Both vascular and neuro-inflammation are in fact critical risk-factors for cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disease. However, to suggest that everyone would benefit from taking Crestor is bad science and crass commerce.

There are better ways to reduce vascular inflammation. Taking a prescription medicine would be last on my list.

In a Wall Street Journal interview, AstraZeneca CEO David Brennan downplayed the commercial impact of the Jupiter study while simultaneously suggesting that analyst’s forecasts were “pretty bullish”.

Given our current economy, where will the estimated 10 billion additional health care dollars come from that it would take to implement the plan, enforce compliance and manage the inevitable adverse drug reactions?

And what if the expected health benefits are never realized?

OUR DIRECT-TO-CONSUMER ADVERTISING IDIOCRACY

Pharmaceutical companies spent an estimated $2.5 billion in 2000 on direct to consumer advertising and more than $4 billion in 2005.

In one year, prescriptions written for the 50 most heavily prescribed drugs increased by a whopping 25 percent compared to just 4 percent for all other drugs combined!

While direct-to-consumer advertising is illegal in Canada,it is nearly impossible to enforce.

Meanwhile here in America, pharmaceutical DTC advertising thrives in a virtually unregulated environment, emboldened by PhRMA, the lobbying group of the US drug industry.

THE PAL PROJECT AND THE “BITTER PILL” AWARDS

It has been left to watchdog groups (see PAL—the Prescription Access Litigation Project), to reign in the ridiculous.

For example, in 2006 both AstraZeneca’s Crestor and Pfizer’s Lipitor, received the coveted “Got Cholesterol?” award, given for “overpromoting expensive brand name statins,”.

A total of 5 of the country’s best selling drugs received “Bitter Pill” awards in 2006 for overly agressive and misleading DTC advertising.

That same year, AstraZeneca received a disciplinary letter from the FDA for a DTC advertising campaign claiming Crestor was more effective than other statins.

STEPHEN COLBERT AND THE COLBERT NATION: IS THE DOCTOR OF FINE ARTS IN?

Forget the Mayo brothers, if you need a sound dose of medical realism and a cheap second opinion, head straight to the office of Dr. Stephen T. Colbert DFA.

He may not have the bedside manner of a country doctor, but he at least has his medical facts right.

And except for Prescott Pharmaceuticals, Big Pharma doesn’t own him.

This is a post from The Neuroprotective Lifestyle by Kerry Friesen, M.D.

I’ll See You In Health! Stephen Colbert Rebuts Ridiculous Crestor Claim

“I have always been fascinated by the law of reversed effort.

Sometimes I call it the “backwards law.”

When you try to stay on the surface of the water you sink;
but when you try to sink you float.

When you hold your breath you lose it—”

Alan Watts—
The Wisdom Of Insecurity

Inside The Head Of An Iconoclastic Psychoneurocosmetologist

HOW TO MAKE A DECISION: SERVING SIZE 1—1,000

In a cranial-sized cake pan, combine one ounce of amygdala with 1/2 cup of limbic system, funnel through the ventromedial prefrontal cortex and bake at 37 degrees for a millisecond or so. Add a pinch of social intelligence, a hint of basal ganglia and voila’—one decent decision!

Or is it?

TO FEEL OR NOT TO FEEL:
TWO BIOLOGY OF BUSINESS SCHOOLS OF THOUGHT

No neuroscientist will deny that emotion is an inevitable aspect of real-life decision making. The question has always been whether an individual’s emotional response when faced with uncertainty will facilitate or decimate the process.

Now, contrary to the popular misconception that “cooler heads prevail”, recent studies seem to suggest a more emotionally intense intuitive model for financial decision making may be best.

This is the brave new world of neuroeconomics.

An eclectic blend of neuroscience, economics and experimental psychology, where being emotional is NOT the same as irrational.

THE CENTER FOR NEUROPOLICY

At the Center For Neuropolicy at Emory University, Dr. Greg Berns M.D., distinguished professor of neuroeconomics and psychiatry and author of the recently released, Iconoclast: A Neuroscientist Reveals How to Think Differently (Harvard Business School Press, 2008), uses a combination of computational and functional neuroimaging techniques to explore the neural basis for decision making and human interaction.

If that makes you nervous, remember while we sleep, experimental economists are busy rewriting the financial framework we have all been programmed to live within. Given the current economic crisis, can you really blame them?

Not to worry, here are 4 points to help recession proof your brain:

1. Go with your gut
Your emotional response to a cost-benefit analysis or any financial decision will constitute a “somatic marker“, a visceral measure of “body sensations” as it were to help guide you the next time you are faced with a similar decision.

2. Emotions are information too
Decision making involves assessing all types of information cognitive and otherwise.
Embracing a particular emotion rather than resisting it, places it squarely in the realm of information and assists in the discriminating process.

3. Few decisions are truly individual
Emotional and social intelligence shape the social context that decisions are made within.
Corporate decision making is a good example. The complexity of decision making in the corporate environment is mind-boggling—the best approach is to accept the fact that you are indeed being influenced by outside forces.

4. Failure is not to be feared
Remember our sense of “ownership” is really nothing more than a self-perpetuating delusion. Change is an inevitability—financial status included. Sometimes, “Losing Everything Can Finally Mean Beginning”.

This is a post from The Neuroprotective Lifestyle by Kerry Friesen, M.D.

How To Recession Proof Your Brain: The Emotional Side Of Money

photo credit: SOCIALisBETTER

Neuropsychiatric symptoms (impaired memory, irritability, depression and personality changes) are well known complications of vitamin B12 deficiency. Pernicious anemia caused by intrinsic factor deficiency, decreased stomach acid or gastric by-pass surgery is another classic presentation.

Now with better research tools, scientists have established a link between B12 deficiency and brain volume loss.

In this recent study published in Neurology,  one hundred and seven men and women without cognitive impairment underwent MRI scans to record brain volume and blood tests to determine B12 levels.

The study participants were followed for 5 years and underwent a neurological exam and repeat MRI scan annually.

Based on the results the subjects were divided into three groups according to brain volume.

Conclusion:  Subjects with the lowest levels of B12 lost twice as much brain volume regardless of age, gender or previous educational status.

Recommendations:   B12 is a safe, water-soluble B vitamin with multiple functions.

Supplementing with B12, while NOT proven to prevent loss of brain volume, certainly appears to be a safe neuroprotective strategy. 

I take it…..fais-tu?

This is a post from The Neuroprotective Lifestyle by Kerry Friesen, M.D.

B12 Deficiency And The Amazing Shrinking Brain: Don’t Let It Happen To You

For decades, neurons have gotten all the glory. They’re smart, sexy, sleek, sophisticated, lightning fast and extremely elitist since they make up only 10% of the brain.

Sandwiched between 100 billion neurons—more or less—you’ll find 10 times as many “glial” cells, (from the latin for glue). Astrocytes are the most abundant type of glial cell and for decades were thought to do little more than provide structural support for our massive neural network and clean-up cellular debris when necessary.

ASTROCYTES, NEUROGENESIS AND SYNAPTIC PLASTICITY

Astrocytes may in fact hold the neurochemical key to two fundamental areas of continued brain growth—neurogenesis (the creation of a new neuron) and synaptic plasticity (the strengthening of neuron to neuron connectivity).

Here’s how it works.

Neurons manufacture two different forms of the same growth factor known as BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor). Synaptic transmission and connectivity (read learning and memory) are influenced by the type of BDNF present. Previously it was thought that neurons were responsible for the entire process. It appears now that astrocytes are capable of fine-tuning synaptic plasticity and thus enhance learning and memory by regulating the amount of BDNF present in neuronal synapses.

REGENERATION AND REPAIR

In keeping with the sub-merged super-hero metaphor (hint: it’s the title of the post), astrocytes apparently possess free-radical scavenging and metal ion chelating properties.

When astrocytes detect neuronal injury, they respond by overproducing metallothionein (MT). MT as it turns out is a powerful neuroprotective agent that is capable of preventing the oxidative stress and subsequent neuroinflammation caused by free radicals and thought to be the causative factor for most neurodegenerative disorders.

ASTROCYTES HAVE AN EVIL SIDE

For all the good they do, astrocytes still can go bad. David Welch was diagnosed with a low-grade astrocytoma in December 2004. While low-grade astrocytomas represent only 6% of all brain tumor and ordinarily have an expected 90% 5 year survival—David’s medical course has taken a different turn.

Check out 38 LEMON, for an emotionally stirring and poignant look inside David’s mind as he chronicles* his experience with the evil side of an astrocyte that just won’t go away….

*WARNING: David’s brain surgery video is not for the squeamish.
Link to the National Cancer Institute: Brain Tumor Database

This is a post from The Neuroprotective Lifestyle by Kerry Friesen, M.D.

Your Astrocytes To The Rescue!

In 1966, Lew Welch created this incredibly tenacious tagline that continues to swirl within everyone’s subconscious!

RAID, KILLS BUGS DEAD!

A more liberal interpretation today might read:

“RAID, Kills Brain Cells Dead!”

That may be more macabre than you were counting on, but nevertheless consistent with a new paradigm emerging from basic research in a relatively new discipline—molecular neurotoxicology.

What am I saying?

CHEMICALLY INDUCED CHANGES IN GENE REGULATION

It appears that subtle gene-environment interactions have a far greater impact on neurochemical and neurobehavioral processes than originally thought.

Could it be that environmental toxins—the countless chemical cocktails, pesticides, plastics, industrial pollutants, heavy metals, brominated flame retardants, bisphenols and a whole host of antiandrogenic, thyroid disrupting and estrogenic chemicals are responsible for the explosion in neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s Disease seen today?  

Basic science research and epidemiological studies conducted over the last 10 years suggests that it is.  

The more sinister problem however, may be the mechanism responsible for the neurotoxicity.  

EPIGENETICS AND THE “NEW” YOU

Chemically induced changes in gene regulation are caused by methylation of DNA.  Adding methyl groups to your DNA  where it doesn’t belong leads to chromatin remodeling. Remodeling is great for houses—bad for DNA. Especially if it permanently changes your genetic blueprint in a way that predisposes you to everything from ALS to Parkinson’s Disease.

Stranger yet, these “epigenetic” changes do not alter the actual DNA but may still be “transgenerational”, in other words, capable of being passed on from one generation to the next!

THE BIRDS THE BEES AND BIOMAGNIFICATION

Biomagnification is a big, big problem—pun, intended.

The bioamplification of persistent organic pollutants, (POP’s) is a result of their fat soluble nature. Fat soluble substances, cannot be excreted in urine and currently mammals do not possess the enzymes systems required to degrade them. As a result, fatty tissue becomes a convenient place to isolate these highly toxic substances.

Do not be fooled by so-called “safe” pesticides. A recent study revealed that adverse reactions to “safe” pesticides increased by 300% over the last 10 years and now account for 26% of all serious reactions .

The following, “dirty-dozen” should be avoided at all cost:

aldrin, chlordane, DDT, dieldrin, endrin, heptachlor, mirex, toxaphene, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) group, dioxins and furans

Rotenone is great example of a fat soluble, relatively well known “safe” or botanical pesticide.

Rats given an intraperitoneal injection over a period of 2 months developed symptoms consistent with Parkinson’s Disease. When the animals were sacrificed, widespread degeneration of dopaminergic neurons resembling the brains of Parkinson’s patients was noted. The greater the dose and exposure, the greater the damage.

While this may not represent sufficient proof of causation for some–when combined with other epidemiologic studies, the tide is clearly turning.

Joni Mitchell couldn’t haven been more right!

Hey farmer farmer
Put away that DDT now,
Give me spots on my apples,
But leave me the birds and the bees….
Please!

Joni Mitchell “Big Yellow Taxi”

Next time, “Does Gray Matter Matter?”

References:

Can Endocrine Disruptors Influence Neuroplasticity In The Aging Brain?
Neurotoxicology. 2007 September; 28(5): 938–950.

Ann Neurol. 2005 Jul;58(1):31-40.
Possibility for neurogenesis in substantia nigra of parkinsonian brain.

Brain Res. 2008 Mar 27;1201:122-7.
Behavioral alterations in rotenone model of Parkinson’s disease: attenuation by co-treatment of centrophenoxine.

Neurochem Int. 2006 Jul;49(1):28-40.
L-deprenyl protects against rotenone-induced, oxidative stress-mediated dopaminergic neurodegeneration in rats.

This is a post from The Neuroprotective Lifestyle by Kerry Friesen, M.D.

Pesticides, Plastic And Permanent Neurotoxicity: The Path To Parkinson’s Disease

Can’t sleep? You’re not alone. Some 40 million other people with over 70 different sleep disorders are keeping you company every night. Not much consolation, I know.

Now with a global economic meltdown looming on the horizon, chronic persistent insomnia is on the rise. People are not sleeping in ever increasing numbers.

A recent survey by NetDoctor that appeared in the BBC news blamed stress related to financial woes and the “credit crunch” as the most common cause for insomnia.

In another study of 1,000 randomly-selected HMO patients, people with insomnia were four times more likely to be diagnosed with major depression and twice as likely to be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.

In fact, insomnia is known to precede virtually every major mental health disorder. By now you can see where this is going—-(if you’re not already sleep deprived that is).

We are facing an international fiscal, physical and metaphysical crisis! From a psychoneuroimmunology standpoint, sleep deprivation is a killer. No exaggeration.

In one study,the incidence of HIV infection, cancer and death increased after the death of a spouse.
(For the men reading this, replace spouse with 401K.) Yes poor taste I know.

Ok, what to do?

Here is what you need to know:

*Taking Bootzin To The Bedroom:

1. Go to bed only when you are sleepy
2. Use the bed for sleeping! No T.V., no reading.
3. If you can’t sleep, get out of bed!
4. Repeat steps #1, 2, 3 as necessary.
5. Get up at the same time every day, no exceptions.
6. No napping!

Enjoy Colin Hay’s lyrics and unique contribution to our clinical understanding of chronic insomnia.

For now, it’s “time to walk the street”…………

I can’t get to sleep, I think about the implications,
Of diving in too deep and possibly the complications,
Especially at night, I worry over situations, that,
I know will be alright, it’s just overkill……….

Day after day it reappears, night after night my heartbeat shows the fear,
Ghosts appear and fade away—-come back another day.

Overkill– Colin Hay

*Dr. Richard Bootzin applied stimulus-control therapy to counteract insomnia.

This is a post from The Neuroprotective Lifestyle by Kerry Friesen, M.D.

Insomnia, Insanity And A World-Wide Credit Crisis: What’s Keeping You Awake?

photo credit: Puppy Zwolle

Not to be confused with “music-induced tickle” where playing the piano triggers a sneeze or “blip syndrome” when relaxation brings on the sensation of an impending loss of consciousness–exploding head syndrome is all bark and no bite.

No headache in fact! Just the sensation that your head is going to explode and then just as your are slipping into the twilight stage of early sleep–a really, really, really loud bang (like a gun going off inside your head) and you’re awake, startled–head intact.

Although uncommon, I’ve had several worried but otherwise well patients ask about it. No worries though, Exploding Head Syndrome is not associated with any known neurological disease.

The current best guess scientific explanation goes something like this:

You collapse into bed and fall fast asleep before your built-in brain-alerting pathways have had the chance to fully finish “powering down”. As a result, that ever so slight delay grants you a “listen” into the inside workings of the “not-quite-asleep-not-quite-awake” brain.

Then KABOOM!

Or as the Boy Wonder would say to Batman: “holy metacognitive musings Batman!”, “is my head still intact?”

This is a post from The Neuroprotective Lifestyle by Kerry Friesen, M.D.

Exploding Head Syndrome: It’s Not What You Think