Optimising Brain Chemistry and Function

Our brain contains over 10 billion nerve cells (neurons) which control every bodily function from regulating the metabolism of all 30 trillion cells to enabling you to think, feel and behave as a human being. The transmission of electrical impulses, or signals, from one neuron to another depends on the action of certain chemicals found in the brain known as neurotransmitters. There are many different neurotransmitters found in the human brain each having its own specific effect on brain function and mood. Nowhere else in nature exsists another class of molecules with such biological influence. Several of the major neurotransmitters and there effects are briefly listed below:

• Acetylcholine – appears to play an important roll in cognitive function, especially memory.
• Dopamine – is the brains natural energizer and used for mental focus.
• Norepinephrine – is also a stimulating neurotransmitter providing mental and physical energy and can also create anxiety.
• Epinephrine – is a excitatory neurotransmitter involved with allertness and mental focus.
• Serotonin – relaxes the mind and instills a sense of emotional well being, it is our natural mood stabilizer and sleep promoter, our natural Prozac. It also helps with anxiety migraines and insomnia.
• Gamma amino butyric acid (GABA) – is our major inhibitory neurotransmitter. Deficiencies can cause anxiety and tremours to name a few.
• Endorphins – are the bodies natural pain killers.
• Glutamate – is the most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain. Glutamate malfunction is involved with parkinson’s disease, alzheimer’s disease, tourette’s syndrome and vascular dementia.
• Phenylethylamine (PEA) – is involved with energy and mood elevation. Low levels are involved with ADD and ADHD while elevated levels are associated with schizophrenia.

Neurotransmitters are divided into two major groups. The first being excitatory which includes epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine, glutamate, phenylethylamine (PEA) and aspartic acid, while the inhibitory ones include GABA and serotonin. A balance of all neurotransmitters as well as between the excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters is necessary for optimal health.

If the balance of these chemicals is altered then certain disorders may manifest. For example deficiencies in norepinephrine and serotonin may cause depression, brain fog and a lack of mental focus. Deficiencies in GABA may cause anxiety and nervousness while deficiencies in acetylcholine may cause memory loss and confusion. Deficiencies in dopamine may cause mental fatigue, depression and poor attention.

In addition there are other commonly occurring neurotransmitter related symptoms which include: fatigue, chronic pain, inappropriate food cravings, depression, agitation, excessive body fat, sleep disturbances, ADD/ADHD, autism, bipolar, headaches and compulsive behaviour.

The balance of neurotransmitters in the brain is influenced: hormones including sex, adrenal and thyroid hormones, gut function, the immune system, heavy metals, allergies, inflammation, insulin resistance, stress, poor nutrition, etc. Unfortunately orthodox medicine does not address any of these issues  and never questions why these imbalances occur and thus only treats the symptoms using a variety of drugs. The problem with this approach is that it does not deal with the cause of these imbalances.

A holistic approach to mental health is very important in order to identify the cause of any neuroendocrine imbalances. The critical interplay of various hormones, the digestive, immune and nervous systems, certain metabolic reactions, histamine, amino acids, etc all contribute significantly to the overall balance of neurotransmitters and therefore mental health conditions. Therefore the treatment of these conditions should involve investigating the possibility that hormone imbalances, digestive disorders, food allergies, heavy metals, biochemical imbalances, etc may be present. If found to be so it should be treated in order to achieve a normal balanced neuroendocrine system. This approach addresses the cause of any imbalance rather than simply treating the symptoms.

Many tests are available to access all these functions and help determine a more holistic approach to treating mental illness.

TREATING VARIOUS MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS

Depression

Depression is the result of low serotonin and/or norepinephrine levels in the brain  and has been linked to a variety of conditions such as metabolic syndrome,  low thyroid function, low progesterone in women, low testosterone in men, high cortisol levels present in stage 1 adrenal exhaustion which depletes dopamine levels causing depression. It can also be the result of excessive copper or heavy metal overload, food allergies, histadelia and gastrointestinal problems such as leaky gut syndrome, to name a few. Therefore it a good idea to have a series of laboratory tests to elimininate the possibility of these conditions being present and if found to be present treat it accordingly which will then eliminate the depression. This approach will treat any physiological cause of the depression and not just the symptoms which is all antidepressants will do.

Finally from an energetic point of view depression is due to a lack of kidney energy or Chi. A lack of kidney energy usually manifests itself as adrenal fatigue. There are various modalities that can strengthen your kidney energy and thus aid depression however a good start is to stop giving your power away to others which is a major source for kidney energy leakage for most suffers.

All to often most depressives are simply given a class of drugs known as Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRI’s) (eg. Prozac, Efexor and Zoloft). These drugs act by only maintaining whatever serotonin is in the brain for longer by preventing their uptake. Unfortunately the use of these drugs are often associated with many unwanted side effects and not to mention do not address the cause of why serotonin is low.

For more in depth information on the diagnosis and treatment of depression you are required to log into the free members section.

Anxiety

Anxiety conditions such as panic disorder, post-tramatic stress disorder, social phobias, etc can result from an imbalance of neurotransmitters, either an excess of excitatory neurotransmitters (glutamate, epinephrine, norepinephrine, PEA) or a lack of inhibitory ones (GABA, glycine).

Gama Amino Butyric Acid (GABA) is an amino acid which is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the CNS which can also cause many other symptoms when deficient and may include: anxiety, nervousness, jumpy, feelling stressed and overrwhelmed, cannot relax, low stress tolerance, stiff/uptight body, butterflies in stomach, lump in throat, trembling/twitching/shaking, cold or clammy hands, crave carbohydrates, heart palpitations and fast pulse. GABA levels may be low due to a combination of genetic and acquired reasons which can include: glutamine deficiency, B1, B6, zinc, manganese & iron deficiency, chronic stress, chronic pain, progesterone deficiency, mercury and lead exposure, alcohol withdrawal or caffeine excess.

The influence of hormones can also play a role in anxiety conditions. Anxiety in women can be caused by a estrogen/progesterone imbalance. High DHEA and/or cortisol levels in stress conditions may also cause anxiety due to their ability to upregulate monoamine oxidase and therefore speed the breakdown of neurotransitters and thus reduce neurotransmission. It is therefore a good idea to have all hormone levels tested to see if they may be contributing to the neurochemical imbalance and therefore are the cause of this condition and if so treated accordingly so the cause of the problem is treated and not just the symptoms.

Energetically anxiety is the results of an over stimulated nervous system. In addtion to physiological support we also recommend esoteric healing to address the emotional/energetic aspects of this condition – see Universal Medicine.

For more in depth information on the diagnosis and treatment of anxiety you are required to log into the free members section.

Bipolar Disorder & Schizophrenia

A range of tests are available to help identify the presence of certain metabolic imbalances which ultimately create neuroendocrine imbalances. The results of these tests can then be used as a guide to individualise an orthomolecular treatment programe.

For more in depth information on the treatment of these conditions you are required to log into the free members section.

Memory Loss – Smart Drugs

For the past decade there has been considerable interest in taking “smart drugs”, a term used for pharmaceutical’s that prevent and treat degenerative disorders of the brain, such as senility, Alzhiemer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, and also to enhance cognitive function and memory as part of an anti-aging programme. As progressive brain damage accumulates, from poor nutrition, bodily pollution and over use of drugs, intelligence begins to decline, memories fade, muscles atrophy, bones weaken, immunity disappears, and you become aged and more susceptible to disease. The ultimate solution in preventing disease and senility lies in preventing brain degeneration. Most of the damage to brain cells is the result of oxidation. Therefore the use of antioxidants is essential in maintaining proper brain function.

Energetically dementia and related conditions are the result of a “checking out mentality”. Many people simply do not want to feel and thus check out in order to avoid it.

Smart drugs work by:

(1) Increasing Acetylcholine

The body manufactures an important neurotransmitter called acetylcholine from the B vitamin choline. Acetylcholine is needed to convey motor and sensory signals from one nerve cell to the next along the nerve path. It also regulates the flow of nerve signals and is essential for all brain functions, especially memory. When there isn’t enough acetylcholine in the brain and nerve cells, a person experiences symptoms ranging from depression, sluggish behaviour, fatigue, slowed reflexes, muddled thinking, and poor memory to nervousness, anxiety and hyperkinetic behaviour. When acetylcholine is adequately supplied, these disappear as brain and nerve functions are normalized. But when acetylcholine levels are further increased by supplementation, energy, reflexes, mental alertness, mood, memory, and learning ability often improve beyond the normal.

(2) Increasing Dopamine

Parkinson’s disease is the first documented example of a neurological disease which is consistently correlated with a deficiency in dopamine. Increasing dopamine levels has shown to benefit patients with Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and help improve cognitive function.

Our laboratory produces a range of so called prescription smart drugs. For more in depth information on the diagnosis and treatment of this condition you are required to log in to the free practitioners advice section.

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