Is Niacin the New Folate?

In the 1990s, the discovery that folate (vitamin B9) deficiency causes many neural tube defects led to a dramatic fall in these conditions. Now, another B vitamin, known as B3 or niacin, has recently been shown to help prevent miscarriage and other types of birth defects such as heart conditions.

Source: Atigobina (CC: 4.0)

Niacin performs many functions in the body, often in a form called nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). Having low levels of this molecule can be incredibly damaging to tiny embryos when they are first forming organs, leading to birth defects or even death. However, supplementation of niacin increases the embryo's levels of NAD, which may significantly cut down the rate of miscarriages and birth defects. It is estimated that 3% of babies around the world have significant congenital defects, and one in four women will have a miscarriage at least once in their lives. While 3% doesn't look like much, for the families affected it means everything.

How did they find that a "simple" vitamin could do so much? First, they sequenced the genes of four families with a history of miscarriages and birth defects, such as heart, vertebral and kidney problems. They found two genetic mutations that affected the pathway which produces NAD. This is serious because some of NAD's functions are in gene development and repair. Next, they used CRISPR to mimic these mutations in mice. Just like the human families, the mice had offspring with all the same birth defects and NAD deficiency. When they put niacin in the drinking water of pregnant mice, they prevented the birth defects. Niacin is found in many meats and vegetables, as well as multivitamin, prenatal and energy supplements. However, a US study found that one third of women taking pregnancy multivitamins were still low in niacin. Some pharmaceuticals and medications, such as diabetes, coeliac disease, inflammatory bowel diseases and obesity can also impair NAD pathways, so these must be addressed or be answered with supplementation.

If niacin becomes the new folate in preventing birth defects, the benefits to our world will be significant. A review of 13 studies found that folic acid at 0.2mg/day could reduce neural tube defects by 20%, but a dose as high as 5mg could reduce their risk by 85%. With 0.2mg/day the US level of fortification, prevalence of spina bifida dropped by 31% with compulsory fortification, and anencephaly by 16%. Zinc deficiency, alcohol abuse and hallucinogen use are other factors behind neural tube defects. MTHFR mutation, which is now widely discussed in natural health circles, can also raise the risk of these defects. We take vitamins for granted too often - for our most vulnerable, a short-term deficiency can mean losing everything.

Brain Damage Reversed By Oxygen Therapy

Brain injuries are currently notoriously difficult to treat, and so usually result in death or permanent disability. Fortunately now, researchers and clinicians are looking into regenerative therapies, such as the BioQuark team who are soon to publish their initial results on reversing brain death with a stem cell-based treatment. Another essentially natural therapy that shows potential in reversing brain damage is oxygen therapy, which managed to save an American toddler from a life of severe disability.

Oxygen therapy could mean freedom for many with brain injury.
Source: Shahriar Sovon.

Eden Carlson, a two-year-old girl whose heart did not beat for two hours after drowning, showed deep injury to the grey matter of her brain, and cerebral atrophy involving both the grey and white matter. She could no longer speak, walk or respond to others talking, but would uncontrollably shake her head and squirm around. In what could be described as a miracle, a course of oxygen treatments was able to reverse the vast majority of this damage. While her very young age and early intervention played a role in her recovery, this may pave the way to a better life for so many others. The extent of her injuries inspired one of her doctors to give her hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT). HBOT delivers oxygen to a patient at a higher than atmospheric pressure, through a sealed and pressurised chamber. This is aimed at increasing tissue repair beyond what would occur normally. As HBOT was unavailable at the time, doctors gave her oxygen therapy at air pressure for 45 minutes, twice a day, starting at 55 days after her accident. After three weeks, Eden became more alert, squirmed less and had more movement in her arms and hands. She was able to laugh, speak short sequences and regained some ability to eat normally. Then, she relocated to New Orleans, where she could receive hyperbaric oxygen. After only ten treatments, her mother saw that she was back to "near normal, except gross motor function", so she began physical therapy alongside HBOT. After 39 treatments, her walking improved, her speech was even better than before the accident, and overall she showed near normal motor function, cognition and scan results. The team studying Eden say that they have never seen any therapy reverse brain damage in this manner before. They don't fully understand it either, but it is clear that oxygen therapy can fight inflammation and boost cellular survival and repair.

This, however, is not the first time that hyperbaric oxygen therapy has been shown to promote healing in brain injury. Multiple studies have found improved survival and clinical outcomes, with the earliest dating back to the 1960s. Unfortunately delayed treatment, subjective assessment and inappropriate paradigms are preventing oxygen from becoming a mainstream therapy, but hopefully the case of Eden will trigger more demand for it.

Don't Want Coffee? Try Cocoa Instead

In many countries, most people drink coffee on a regular basis, whether we like to pair the buzz with work or socialising. Some people, however, are addicted to caffeine or just can't tolerate it, and so are looking for an alternative that boosts brain function and energy without being so stimulating. One such alternative could be cocoa, especially when paired with spearmint.

Cocoa pods and seeds. Source: Lolay (CC: 2.0)

While coffee does contain polyphenols with a wide range of health benefits, even decaffeinated beverages can cause heartburn and overstimulation in some people. Too much coffee can deplete levels of noradrenaline, which helps us with energy and cognition. Other natural compounds, such as those in cocoa and spearmint, boost cognition by preserving neurotransmitters like noradrenaline, so they may be a better alternative. Cocoa also protects and improves the health of our blood vessels, right down to the capillaries, which ensures delivery of oxygen and nutrients both now and in the future. Many dementia cases are in fact caused by poor microvascular health.

Of course, it is the quality of the cocoa that makes all the difference. In a study of sixty older adults, with an average age of 73 and all with either hypertension or type II diabetes, volunteers had two cups every day of a cocoa beverage that was either rich or depleted in flavonols. Everyone had their cognitive function and neurovascular coupling measured before the study, on day 1 and on day 30, the last day. Neurovascular coupling is the ability of blood vessels to increase the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to areas of the brain that suddenly become more active while you're doing something. After 24 hours, volunteers with previously poor neurovascular coupling had this parameter improve by 10.6%, and at 30 days their scores on a test measuring attention significantly improved. Before the study, they took an average of 167 seconds (2 minutes and 47 seconds) to complete the test, but after 30 days this was shortened to 116 seconds (just under 2 minutes). Surprisingly, both flavonol-rich and poor drinks had the same effects. Another study on younger adults, with an average age of 33, found that it may be the small amount of caffeine in cocoa together with another phytochemical, theobromine, that is responsible for its cognition-boosting effects. It is most likely to be the result of all phytochemicals in cocoa working together.

As for spearmint, some of its phenolic compounds inhibit the acetylcholinesterase enzyme, thus increasing levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. This is critical for cognitive function and memory. One phenolic, rosmarinic acid, has been shown to protect neurons in the brain's memory centres against oxidative stress, which can kill cells if severe enough. To make things even better, rosmarinic acid and some other phenols in spearmint can even increase the growth factors required to make new brain cells! The old paradigm of "no new neurons" is gone. Overall, perhaps hot chocolate isn't so bad after all, but watch for quality and sugar content.

Horse and Music Therapy May Help Stroke Patients

Conventional wisdom would tell you that stroke patients only have a limited time and capacity to recover lost physical and mental functions. Now, a new study suggests that horseback riding and music and rhythm therapy, which are not typically used in stroke recovery, may improve outcomes even in people who are years post-event.

"Normal" methods in stroke recovery start as soon as the patient is awake and stable. What this involves depends on the damage: speech and language therapy if those centres of the brain were affected; physical therapy if limb function was damaged; or help in getting back to work, among other things. As stroke survivors usually do not continue rehab for too long, it isn't clear whether or not the same approaches will work for later stages of recovery. The "normal" opinion is that the potential for recovery is limited. Fortunately for too many, researchers are increasingly looking at "late-phase" recovery, as knowledge of neuroplasticity grows. Neuroplasticity gives us the ability to recover from injury by working around the damage and even growing new neurons (see: The Brain That Changes Itself).

Source: David Blaikie (CC 2.0)

For this study, conducted in Sweden, researchers randomly assigned 123 stroke survivors to horseback riding, music and rhythm therapy, or conventional care. Patients in both treatment groups met with their therapists twice a week for 12 weeks. Although it was only for three months, after six months, patients lucky enough to be in the horse riding or music therapy groups showed better balance and mobility than the control group. They were also more likely to rate their recovery as having progressed, with 56% and 43% noticing improvement respectively, compared to only 22%. Despite this being a small study, the results are promising, but music therapy was deemed more feasible because of the setting and cost required for horse riding. Both of them stimulate the body and mind in ways that can aid neuroplasticity. This form of music therapy requires participants to move their hands and feet in patterns based on cues in the music and visual instruction. Horse riding simulates normal human walking, without having to move yourself. While music therapy was seen as more widely available, regions such as Queensland in Australia already have programs such as Riding for the Disabled. Many people who join this program see improved physical function, including better reflexes, increased range of motion and stretching of spastic or overly tight muscles. And unlike traditional therapy, it's fun!

This is not the first study to show functional improvement with horse riding after stroke. A smaller one, published in 2015, assigned ten patients to 30 minutes of horse riding a day, 5 days a week, for six weeks (the other ten were the control group). The group who got to ride horses showed significant improvement in gait, balance and activities of daily living, both compared to their abilities before and to the control group. While these were relatively small gains, the trial was only for six weeks. Overall, research may be in its early stages, but horse riding could be a great new hobby and therapy for stroke survivors, as it can do more than just standard therapy alone.

How Music May Help People with Dementia

Natural therapies aren't just about nutritional and herbal medicine, usually with some lifestyle advice added in. There are also many psychological and energetic healing modalities, each with their own benefits that food, nutrients and herbs may not be able to achieve alone. Music is one of them, as there is something about it that can light up various areas of the brain, including the nucleus accumbens (which releases dopamine), the amygdala (which processes emotion) and the prefrontal cortex (which makes decision-making possible). Because of all of these effects, researchers have been looking into music as a way to give at least some relief to people suffering from dementia.

Some examples of how music can benefit people with dementia were documented in the 2014 documentary Alive Inside, but researchers wanted to evaluate this in a scientific manner. They then decided to implement a "Music and Memory" program in 98 nursing homes, and compare the results to 98 nursing homes used as a control group. The endpoints they compared included the discontinuation of antipsychotic and antianxiety medication (if used), reductions in disruptive behaviour and improvements in mood. Over six months, dementia patients who got to listen to music personalised to their tastes had a 20% chance of discontinuing antipsychotics, compared to 17.6%. 57% had reduced behavioural problems, compared to 51%. Music can also bring back lost memories, especially if it is tied to their past.

Singing bowls. Source

Other research has found healing effects of sound too, this time with singing bowl sound therapy. An observational study on 62 people found that, using the POMS scale (Profile of Mood States), sound therapy had significant effects on tension, anger, confusion, fatigue and vigour. Using the HADS (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), depression and anxiety levels also dropped considerably. Spiritual wellbeing also increased. In another study described by the authors, which was a randomised cross-over trial, use of a singing bowl was more effective than silence alone in reducing blood pressure and heart rate before a guided visualisation. Yet another trial examined the effects of a crystal singing bowl on the body's electrodermal responses. Forty acupuncture meridian points on the patients' left hands and right feet showed increases and decreases respectively in electrical impulses. That study showed this effect with both "toning", where a Marcel Vogel crystal was held to chakra points on the subject's back, and playing a crystal bowl tuned to the note "F", which corresponds to the heart chakra. Everyone acted as their own control; while some people would prefer a separate placebo group, this could have an advantage as we are all individuals.

While it may be too new of a concept to be published in high-quality journals, a more informal trial conducted in Western Australia suggests that sound therapy with singing bowls may specifically help patients with dementia. The main endpoint was reductions in "agitation", involving aggression, verbal agitation (such as screaming and repetitive sentences) and physical non-aggressive behaviour (such as taking clothes off and handling objects inappropriately). After some time with recorded sound therapy, residents were more likely to be classed as non-agitated across all three categories. Case studies described some residents as having improved appetite and sleep, being more active and alert, and better verbal ability. From the findings so far, sound therapy looks like something that should be far more recognised, and more research is needed to both quantify and refine its effects.

Dementia, Caffeine and Prevention

Dementia is a horrible set of neurodegenerative diseases, affecting not only our physical bodies and abilities, but also our mental health and abilities, to the point of destroying everything that we are. Fortunately, dementia rates among people over 60 years old are declining, at least in the USA. From 1986-1991, 3.6% of people over 60 had dementia. In 2004-2008, it was only 2% of over-60s. Overall, there has been a 20% drop in dementia rates per decade since 1977. Another found a drop in dementia rates among over-65s from 11.6% in 2000 to 8.8% in 2012, benefitting around one million people. But how can we join in with these benefits? Well, a common so-called "vice" may actually be another way to help prevent dementia.

This vice is coffee, not decaf, but the regular caffeinated variety. So how does it work? In a study on mice, which are biologically similar to humans, researchers found that mice genetically "destined" to produce the mis-folded tau proteins seen in Alzheimer's disease did not produce enough of an enzyme known as NMNAT2. Because of this, they tested over 1,280 compounds to see if they had any effects on NMNAT2 production in brain cells. Caffeine was one of the most active substances in increasing NMNAT2, and when they tested it on the mice, they began to produce normal levels of the enzyme. Of course, this is just an animal study; we need human research to confirm these effects.

Source: Julius Schorzman

There in fact have been population studies on the effects of caffeine and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. One of these is the CAIDE study. Previous research found inconsistent results, but 3 of the 5 studies were in agreement that coffee drinking can help prevent dementia and cognitive decline. Another two that combined coffee and tea consumption also found positive effects on cognition. In the CAIDE study, drinking 3-5 cups of coffee every day in "midlife" was linked with a 65% reduction in Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia later in life. Researchers thought that this may be because of the antioxidant, insulin-sensitising benefits of coffee, or the caffeine itself.

Caffeine is more than an intoxicant, in fact, there is a lot of science behind its effects against dementia - this is far from "wishful thinking" by busy doctors who want an excuse for their coffee habit. There is a strong inflammatory component of the development of Alzheimer's disease, and part of this is over-reactivity of the glial cells, which act as part of the brain's immune system. Caffeine's effects on the adenosine receptors in the central nervous system have been found to reduce this over-reaction, and so inhibit inflammation. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) has also been shown to play a role in Alzheimer's disease; if it is too "leaky", it can speed the buildup of harmful proteins. And yes, caffeine may protect BBB integrity, partly by calming the glial cells. Animal studies have shown that all of this reduction in inflammation may translate to the prevention of memory problems. Despite a lack of human clinical trials, all of this helps to validate the benefits of caffeine seen in population studies. In conclusion, it may not be best to completely give up coffee in order to improve your health, as moderate caffeine consumption could prevent you from nasty neurodegenerative diseases later.

Does Drumming Improve Parkinson's Disease Symptoms?

You probably only know of Parkinson's disease as a shambling, unstoppable monster slowly destroying the health of family or friends if you're unlucky, or celebrities like Michael J Fox if your fortunes are better. So it sounds unbelievable that something as...not-medical...as drumming could improve the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, right? Actually, that's what a new study is suggesting, as interest in natural alternatives continues to grow because of the frequent failures and toxicities of pharmaceutical drugs.

A djembe.

The study, published in mid-2016, involved 10 patients assigned to twice-weekly West African drumming classes, and 10 matched controls who also had Parkinson's disease. Both groups completed the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39), the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and motor and cognitive tests by someone who didn't know which patient was assigned to what group. After the first six weeks of the twelve-week study, drummers had significantly improved PDQ-39 scores, with an average improvement of 5.8 points. The drummers also improved their walking ability, but this was not seen as "significant". The "P-value", which measures the likelihood that the intervention had an effect on the patients' health, was 0.069; "statistically significant" improvements need a P-value of less than 0.05. However, a value of 0.069 still means that there was a 93.1% chance that the drumming was responsible for the improvements to their health! Considering that they have nothing to lose by drumming, it may be considered as good enough by many. The PDQ-39 test asks 39 questions to do with physical abilities such as walking and writing, as well as a few on mental state and social life. As drumming could easily reduce scores by 5-6 points by solely improving the mental state and social factors, it is also important to see the improvements in walking.

But...why drumming? It turns out that drumming has extremely ancient origins, for several reasons. Even certain species of insects, some of the first animals to live on land, use drumming for communication. In some cases, antennal drumming can even alter the development of larvae, determining whether they end up as workers or reproductive females! It is theorised that drumming, by its rhythmic vibration/sound, could affect epigenetic expression. Studies on humans have also found other health benefits. In one trial, both older and younger drummers showed a drop in stress and anxiety from taking djembe lessons, and in the older participants systolic blood pressure dropped. In another, active participation in music, whether it be singing, dancing or drumming, resulted in a higher pain tolerance through increased endorphin levels. Simply listening to music had no effect. Others have found some quite shocking improvements with drumming lessons. Huntington's disease is a genetic neurodegenerative disorder considered to be fatal and irreversible. However, two months of drumming lessons caused improvements in executive function and improvements to white matter structure, especially in the tissue that connects both hemispheres of the brain. Drumming could also boost immunity: a trial on 111 people found that it increased DHEA-cortisol ratios and improved immune cell activity. Despite being a fun hobby and not a medical intervention, drumming has actually been shown to improve multiple aspects of physical and mental health, though more research should be done to determine any specific benefits from specific styles, frequencies or rhythms.

Could Nutrition Affect Motor Neuron Disease?

You probably remember the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge from a couple of years ago, which aimed to raise awareness of ALS (or Motor Neuron Disease, or Lou Gehrig's Disease) as well as money to fund research into the disease. But can we already take control of our risk of developing the disease, and could natural medicine help to fight it?

ALS/MND (let's go with ALS) is a neurodegenerative disorder that causes paralysis and eventually respiratory failure. I remember, at 15, being forced to watch Tuesdays with Morrie in Christian Studies class and being absolutely terrified as well as thoroughly depressed (this was before I knew much about natural medicine and before it was really respected). Discovering Life Extension and others after typing in "what is the meaning of life" as instructed by the teacher on another day was the best possible outcome. The median survival time after diagnosis is between 20-48 months, although 10-20% of patients survive longer than 10 years. As prevention is far better than any cure for diseases like this, there is now interest in nutritional and environmental factors that can affect the development and progression of ALS. In this analysis, reposted by Life Extension, nutrient intake and respiratory function of 302 people with ALS were measured and compared. Fruit and vegetable intake, and intake of antioxidants, particularly carotenoids, were associated with better functioning.

Source: B. Navez

Don't just settle for slower progression or "better functioning", you can reduce your risk of ALS too! Like many diseases, quitting smoking, or to be specific, never touching one, has a protective effect. A case-control study found that ever having smoked increased the risk of developing ALS by 70%! Lead exposure may be another risk factor for ALS. Another case-control study, on 109 ALS patients and 256 controls set out to determine what risk there may be. They didn't just stop at interviews or questionnaires this time; they also looked at blood and bone levels of lead. For every mug/dL increase in blood levels of lead, ALS risk increased by 90%. For every doubling of bone levels, ALS risk was raised by 2.3-3.6 times. A gene that increases the risk of lead poisoning also raised ALS risk by 90%. Fortunately, both smoking and use of lead seem to be falling out of fashion. Vitamin E and unsaturated fatty acid consumption, however, may reduce your risk of ALS by 50-60% when you have a high intake of both. Other nutrients, such as calcium and vitamins C and B2, did not reduce ALS risk. This may be because vitamin E and (omega-3, at least) unsaturated fats are fat-soluble antioxidants and anti-inflammatories respectively, and therefore have a high affinity for nervous tissue, which is fat based. Vitamin C and the others which showed no real effect are water-soluble, so there is less affinity for the nervous system.

But what about people who already have ALS? A 1998 study of 24 people with the terrible disease assigned them to one of two groups: one where they were injected with half a milligram of vitamin B12 for 2 weeks, and another where they got 25mg. No significant improvements were found in the low-dose group, but the high-dose group saw an increase in their average compound muscle action potential amplitudes (CMAPs) after 4 weeks. An action potential is basically a fancy name for "nerve signal". Acupuncture may even be another natural treatment for ALS, as seen in a case study of two patients. After 4 weeks (5 days a week) of acupuncture injection point therapy, both improved; one who stopped the therapy and relapsed, and another who continued and saw more gains. Clinical trials will be necessary to see if these effects can be generalised, and to see how acupuncture therapy could be improved. While much more research into how to fight ALS is needed, whether it's best to go integrative or all-natural, there is hope!

Does Camel Milk Have Health Benefits?

Australia's Shonky Awards have recently named and shamed this year's worst commercial products, but while their criticism is usually rightfully deserved, could we say the same for camel milk? The alternative to cow's milk has received negative media attention for apparently claiming to be a treatment for autism and other conditions, but this may be a lesson in doing your own research instead of thinking as the media tells you to.

Autism is a neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs social and communication skills. It has also been associated with autoimmune disease, gastrointestinal issues such as dysbiosis and mental retardation. Sadly, the prevalence of autism in the USA has risen to 1 in 88 children; in comparison, Saudi Arabia only has a rate of 6 in 1000 children. It is understandable that parents often get emotional when any evidence emerges that something, usually inflammatory, could contribute to autism, but we have to find the root cause of these problems, no matter how guilt-inducing.

As there is a link between autism and immune dysfunction, there is also a link between camel milk and relief from autism. In this study, 60 autistic children were divided into three groups, where they received a different type of milk: raw camel milk, boiled camel milk or cow milk. Preference was given to children with known food allergies or intolerances. Parents were instructed to give 500mL of the assigned milk to their children every day for 2 weeks, and not add any other diet changes, supplements or drugs. Both the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) and the Wing Subgroups Questionnaire (WSQ) were used to measure symptom severity, and blood levels of antioxidants were also measured. After two weeks, the blood levels of glutathione, one of the three antioxidants, were significantly higher in the groups drinking camel milk. However, only those drinking boiled camel milk had significantly higher levels of superoxide dismutase, another key antioxidant. Myeloperoxidase, the third antioxidant enzyme, was also significantly higher in both camel milk groups. Low levels of antioxidant enzymes have been reported many times in autistic children, and the resulting oxidative stress has been linked to metabolic issues that affect neurodevelopment. The CARS scores were also, on average, significantly improved in both camel milk groups. In another Saudi study, this time on 65 children, consumption of camel milk for 2 weeks once again significantly improved CARS scores, as well as their scores on the Social Responsiveness Scale (SRS) and Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC).

So what is so special about camel milk? Camel milk has a unique composition compared to the milk of other ruminants. It is lower in fat, cholesterol and lactose than cows' milk; and higher in zinc, magnesium, calcium, potassium, copper, and vitamins A, B2, E and C. It has no beta-casein or beta-lactoglobulin, which are the main allergy triggers in cows' milk. Camel milk also contains immunoglobulins and enzymes that can help to rehabilitate the immune system and prevent further allergies. With scientific and anecdotal reports of autistic children improving after starting a gluten and casein-free diet, or after reducing inflammation, maybe camel milk is right for you or your child. However, with complex, chronic conditions such as autism, it is best to seek the advice of a naturopath in a clinical setting, where they can take a full case history.

Green Tea Extract May Help Those With Down Syndrome

Down Syndrome is a genetic condition caused by an extra copy of chromosome 21, and results in a range of mental and physical issues. Because it is genetic, most people do not see any hope of improving the health and abilities of the thousands who are affected by it. However, research is now suggesting that some natural medicines may help to improve the mental abilities of Down Syndrome sufferers, one of them being green tea extract.

Source: Wikimol

Conducted in Barcelona, 87 volunteers aged 16 to 34 with Down Syndrome signed up for this Phase II clinical trial. All participants were randomly assigned to receive either a decaffeinated green tea extract or a placebo for one year, and were given cognitive training alongside it. The main component of the green tea extract was epigallocatechin-3-gallate, or EGCG. After one year of treatment, functional brain scans (fMRI) showed that the volunteers who received the green tea extract had better neuronal connectivity in certain brain regions. They also scored better than the placebo group on tests measuring visual recognition memory, inhibitory control and adaptive behaviour. "Adaptive behaviour" means functional academics, so EGCG could help children with Down Syndrome perform better in school, and help adults with their jobs. Researchers suggested that these improvements could be due to EGCG's effects on an enzyme that is also active in Alzheimer's disease and other neurodegenerative conditions. EGCG may also help cognition by altering the expression of some genes, improving mitochondrial function and acting as an antioxidant. This study was the first well-powered trial to show improved academic functioning and brain changes in young adults with Down Syndrome, whether the relationship between EGCG and cognitive training was synergistic (multiplying) or additive. One can wonder, what would happen if EGCG was given to young children, or what would the effects of it be over a number of years?

The cognitive disability seen in Down Syndrome may also be partly inflammatory. Both Alzheimer's disease and Down Syndrome has been associated with much higher brain levels of interleukin-1 than in non-affected people. Compared with age-matched controls, interleukin-1 was present in up to 30 times as many glial cells, which are a type of supporting cell that offer immune protection. Life Extension Foundation has even reported that DMSO was once found to improve neurological function in people with Down Syndrome, but this seemed to be only one, old study and would need further research. It looks like, despite the genetic cause, that there is hope for those with Down Syndrome to improve their cognitive skills, so one day - or perhaps now - they do not have to miss out on many of the things that non-affected people take for granted.

Could Gluten Make You Go Crazy?

Despite much progression towards a free, individualistic society, a considerable amount of conformity unfortunately remains. This results in bullying and harassment towards people who simply make different choices, even when those different choices are simply what is best for their health. In this case, I am talking about people like me who need to stay on a gluten-free diet. Some of us (like me) cannot or should not be tested in order to get an "official diagnosis" because of often torturous neurological symptoms. I lose balance, co-ordination, memory and feel like I have been partially erased from existence; that is the main reason why I will not get tested. Others, such as a woman in a case study recounted by Dr Kelly Brogan, have it much worse - by "worse", I mean "psychosis". Gluten has been known for years, at least in limited circles, to trigger chronic and disabling psychiatric conditions.

Source: Panaderia La Colegiala

The woman in this case was 37 at the time and studying for a PhD. Partly because of stress related to studying, she began to believe that people were talking about her. Then, it progressed to paranoid accusations that her parents had assisted in a burglary targeting her home. She was initially hospitalised and given the label "psychotic disorder", and was prescribed risperidone and sertraline. Ultimately she was diagnosed with Hashimoto's and Coeliac disease, because of her nutrient deficiencies, weight loss and inability to absorb thyroid medication. Unfortunately, she refused to stick to a gluten-free diet, believing that her doctors were lying to her. She lost her job, became homeless and attempted suicide before being put back into hospital where she was made to stay on a gluten-free diet. Her delusions resolved in three months, but she later relapsed after accidentally eating gluten. In other unfortunate events, Dr Alessio Fasano repeats conventional warnings to not start a gluten-free diet until after intestinal biopsy, in order to avoid a false-negative result. But as Kelly Brogan writes, simply trialling a gluten-free diet could be a path of less harm, as it doesn't result in further damage and more symptoms. Then there is the question of a negative biopsy result, despite the growing acknowledgement of non-coeliac gluten sensitivity and its potential psychiatric manifestations. As Dr Hadjivassiliou states, gluten intolerance can be totally neurological, with no intestinal damage. One paper states:
"If gluten is the putative harmful agent, then there is no requirement to invoke gut damage and nutritional deficiency to explain the myriad of the symptoms experienced by sufferers of celiac disease and gluten-sensitivity". 

Want to know how long gluten has been suspected as a cause of neurological disorders? About 60 years...and it still hasn't been recognised in the mainstream! The oldest reports of emotional disturbances being resolved after the removal of gluten date back to 1951. In 1966, a study was published showing an association between schizophrenia rates and wheat consumption. Less wheat consumption, which required a world war to happen, was linked to significantly lower first-time admissions for schizophrenia. More recent research has found a drastically higher incidence of anti-gluten antibodies among schizophrenics, and a 2006 review found at least significant reductions in schizophrenic symptoms after initiating a gluten-free diet. In a study published in 1984, only 2 people out of over 65,000 Pacific Islanders eating a traditional, grain-free diet had chronic schizophrenia. Westernisation of their diets resulted in a Western-level prevalence of the disease. In a 1996 study (why is this not common knowledge?), anti-gluten (gliadin) antibodies were found in 27% of the population, and in up to 57% of people with neurological problems of unknown cause. There is no excuse for bullying or harassing people who do not eat gluten, whether or not they have the medical records to satisfy your questions.

Paraplegics Learn to Walk With Technology

Even today, most people would tell you that once someone suffers a spinal cord injury, they won't walk again. Thankfully, the Walk Again Project has proven otherwise, with a new study published in Scientific Reports on the 11th of August. All eight patients, all with injuries over three years old, participating in the trial experienced neurological improvements.

How did they do it? Patients underwent a multi-phase rehabilitation program over 12 months, with total training time reaching 1,958 hours over all eight patients. The first stage took 178.5 hours on average, where they had to make a virtual reality set of legs walk and sleeves on their arms provided sensory feedback. This was repeated for another 30 hours while standing. Participants "passed" these stages when EEG readings could pick up that their brains remembered how to walk. Then the real walking began: first with a robotic exoskeleton and body weight support (BWS) on a treadmill (109 hours); then BWS on the ground (51 hours); then just the exoskeleton and a treadmill (143 hours); and finally just the exoskeleton (70 hours). A total of 581.5 hours.

VR headsets have improved too. Source: Minecraftpsyco

After months of training, sensory and motor improvements were found in all patients. On average, the Zone of Partial Preservation (ZPP), which is the spinal levels retaining some sensory function, improved by 5 levels. Some improvements, such as the ability to sense where their legs were and what they were doing, only began to appear after several months. Clinical improvement of motor function also took months to appear. All patients also improved in the Walking Index (WISCI). One went from a score of 0 to 6; another went from 1 to 5; another three improved from 1 to 6; two went from 6 to 9 and the last patient went from a score of 6 to 12. What does this mean? A score of 0 means no ability to walk; 1 means able to walk with parallel bars, braces and two people for under 10 metres; a score of 6 means the patient can walk a walker, braces and the help of one person for 10 metres; 9 means walking with a walker and braces for 10 metres and a score of 12 means the ability to walk with two crutches and braces. The reductions in improvements that most patients saw after taking a break for 30 days were quickly reversed.

Taking long breaks reversed some of the improvements, but could they ever be permanent? Other research on people learning to read Braille on weekdays showed that their brains' "maps" for the Braille-reading fingers initially grew during the week, but shrunk back to "normal" by Mondays. The "map" sizes on Monday didn't start to keep growth until six months, and then slowly improved over the next four months. In terms of hours of practice, it was 600 hours - two to three hours a day, five days a week for 10 months. This is similar to the paraplegic patients' training time, but walking may take longer to be permanently re-learned. Maybe home-based programs, so people with spinal injuries could train every day, would be best to prevent the setbacks caused by breaks. There are already exoskeletons available for purchase, with variety of products going up and costs going down; however suitability comes down to the individual's needs. In conclusion, there is hope, practical hope, for people suffering from spinal cord injuries, and it's happening now.