Any person who studies
human beings from a physical view point is likely to consider the living
body, it’s components, and the complexity of how the system brings
itself forth and maintains itself.
As well we contemplate
and value the domains of the living
The marvellous complexity
of the body and the inter-relationships of its components require exquisite
and amazing signalling and control systems.
Gregory Bateson
among others drew our attention to the cybernetic nature of living systems,
and Humberto Maturana and Francesco Varela added crucial descriptions
about the autopoiesis and the necessary structure –function relationships
of a system that runs itself in a “closed way”.
The system evidently
has a phenomenal potential to develop all of the functions that we call
perception, cognition and recognition, memory and the phenomena that
we call thinking and associated languaging.
The body is a biological
system. The body, including the brain, is the physical dwelling place
for the three other aspects of the self. Through the body we act out
and manifest the feelings of the emotional self, the thoughts of the
intellect, and the presence of the spiritual self.
The following are
characteristics of the PHYSICAL SELF:
* Composed of
the elements of the physical universe and subject to its physical
laws and conditions
* Carrier of genetic
information
* Interconnected
with the mind through neurological and biochemical feedback
(Wilber would describe
the mind as emergent) He would also describe the neural complexity as
the “exterior of a system, and consciousness is what the system
is from within (i.e. its interior)”
* Functions in
the domains of sensing, action, and multi-level communication.
* Behaviourally
expresses thoughts, language and feelings
* Repository for
the memories of all experiences, including thoughts and feelings (that
which is conserved in the living neural system)
* At times manifests
physical symptoms of unresolved conflicts between intellect and emotions
I want to spend
a little time considering the neural system, existing as it must in
a body that supports it, and possessing connections beyond any dreamed
of until fairly recently.
Ideas and constructs
that arose in endocrinology, electrophysiology, neural transmission,
molecular biology, the nature of transmitters and their specific receptors,
nutrition, genetics (now covering gene function, regulation and gene
product consequences as a dynamic changing system) growth and cell death,
as well as neurology and wide-ranging neurosciences enter our conceptual
fields.
We have some 100
billion nerve cells in our brains and perhaps almost all of them arose
by the time we were born.
We now know that
there are growth factors that influence the growth of these cells, and
that some stem neural cells do exist in our brains.
For a longer time
we have known that under situations of adequate nutritional factors,
neural growth is protected, but stimuli in each type of neural circuitry
increase dendritic proliferation, extending connections to more and
more other neurones.
This is associated
with enhanced and superior function in the cells and the human abilities
seem to be extending, such that we can measure the area of the brain
subserving the finger control of violinists as exhibiting increased
size and function associated with this accomplishment.
Recently several
psychologists have measured increased intelligence quotients in children
of this generation when compared with their parents.
This is being picked
up as children achieve milestones earlier than did their parents.
Another consideration
is the discovery that there are some nine times as many glial cells
in the brain as there are nerve cells.
These cells certainly
possess crucial functions in terms of a two-way communication with nerve
cells, as well as functions such as regulation of nutrient entry, immunological
functions and even effects on synapse development.
Glial cells are
of mesenchymal origin, but do exhibit voltage sensitive ion channels.
Much of their function
however is using chemical type signalling.
Normally there is
a concentration of calcium outside cells that is some 10,000 times greater
than that inside the cells. Schwann cells do respond to synaptic firing
and this involves some influx of calcium ions into the cells.
Calcium concentration
in astrocytes rises when glutamate (an excitatory neuro-transmitter)
is added to cell cultures.
The main storage
form of cell energy is adenosine triphosphate (ATP), but this seems
to be released at synaptic sites along with neurotransmitters.
When astrocytes
are excited, they release ATP into their surroundings, and it binds
to receptors on nearby astrocytes. This allows ion channels to open
and sets of a chain reaction of responses across a population of astrocytes.
Fields and his colleagues
at U of Maryland’s Neurosciences group, show that this is associated
with gene activation in glial cells and the functional consequences
of this.
Field went on to
show that when immature Schwann cells were cultured, they proliferated
more slowly when axones were more active, and myelination of fibres
was blocked.
Gallo and colleagues
in an adjacent laboratory found that adenosine, (which is left when
the phosphate of ATP is removed) does stimulate cells to mature and
form myelin.
We then have the
hope that stimulating neural circuits to fire and using adenosine or
related compounds might help in healing after attacks of multiple sclerosis.
It should be noted
that neurotransmitters do not drift out of their synaptic sites.
Glial cells such
astrocytes may serve to amplify neural signals locally. This might well
reinforce local memory circuits.
A protein called
thrombospondin also spurs synapse formation.
Comparisons of brains
reveals that the proportion of glial cells to neurons increases greatly
as animals move up the evolutionary ladder.
I am strongly in
favour of people providing optimum nutrition for their neural and glial
cells, coupled with life interests and novel stimuli, which invite increased
synaptic connections.
As well one is trying
to counter free radical injury to cells such as has been demonstrated
in many neuro-degenerative disorders.
Mitochondrial DNA
is 10 times as susceptible to free radical injury as is nuclear DNA.
Coenzyme Q10
It is well known
that coenzyme Q10 (ubiquinol-10) acts as an electron carrier of the
mitochondrial respiratory chain. Moreover, the mitochondria-protecting
action of ubiquinol-10 was confirmed by the finding that ubiquinone
reduced to ubiquinol in the electron transport chain strongly inhibits
lipid peroxidation in isolated organelles. As summarized by Frei et
al., "The data of this study and all the evidence for antioxidant
function of ubiquinol published over the last three decades strongly
suggest that ubiquinol-10 contributes significantly to antioxidant defences
in biology, complementing the antioxidant activities of -tocopherol
by scavenging free lipid radicals and, possibly, by recycling -tocopherol."
More recently, Bliznakov
comments that since the mitochondrial theory of aging has gained considerable
acceptance, attention should be paid by gerontologists to the
importance of coenzyme
Q10 in both its roles, that is, support of ATP biosynthesis in the mitochondrial
inner membrane (thus preserving cellular integrity and function) and
very effective scavenging of ROS.
Alpha-Lipoic
Acid
This is a very interesting
compound, because it is a normal component of mitochondria, where it
forms the prosthetic group of coenzyme-A (CoA). Alpha-lipoic acid (ALA)
is a relatively small molecule (MW 206), very hydrophobic, and with
an -S-S- group, the antioxidant action of which was shown by the finding
that ALA prevents the pathological results of vitamin C deficiency in
guinea pigs and of vitamin E in rats.
As recently reviewed
by Packer et al., several studies in various model systems have shown
that ALA is a powerful neutralizer of ROS such as the OH• free
radical, hypochlorous acid, and singlet oxygen.
Moreover, ALA has
preventive effects on diabetic microangiopathy and protects against
skin senescence and age-related cognitive deficits. In view of the above,
we feel that the probable protective effects of ALA on intramitochondrial
thiol-redox homeostasis (and related mitochondrial biogenesis and bioenergetic
function) deserve further in-depth investigation.
Alpha lipoic acid
200 mgm twice a day can be used to quench peroxynitrite anions (ONOO-)
and gamma tocopherol 300 mgm a day does the same thing. Alpha lipoic
acid (ALA) converts into dihydrolipoic acid (DHLA) but both are capable
of quenching free radicals covering antioxidant effects in both water
and fat-soluble domains.
Glutathione,
Thiazolidine Carboxylic Acid, and N-Acetylcysteine
The use of these
three antioxidants in aging research derives from the finding reviewed
elsewhere and confirmed by recent studies that aging is accompanied
by a progressive oxidation of glutathione and other thiolic compounds
in the tissues of both vertebrates and invertebrates. This results in
changes of the redox (GSSG/GSH) ratio that are much more striking in
the mitochondria than in the extra mitochondrial compartment and lead
to oxidative damage of the mtDNA.
In our opinion,
the above justifies the attempts to modulate the mitochondrial rate
of aging, thus increasing maximum life span, by dietary administration
of glutathione and related thiol containing compounds syndromes.
TP is a cyclic sulphur
amino acid similar in structure to proline that acts as an antioxidant
and free radical scavenger and, according to our above-mentioned work,
has favourable effects on both longevity and physiological functions
in Drosophila and mice. This early thiol-antioxidant work has been expanded
by the finding that dietary administration of sulphur-containing antioxidants,
such as GSH or a TP derivative (ATCM) to mice prevents the age-related
loss of performance in a tightrope test, as well as two effects of aging
on brain mitochondria, that is, increase in the GSSG/GSH ratio and oxidative
damage to mtDNA.
Another mitochondria
protecting effect of the thiolic antioxidants is a significant preservation
of the activity of the liver respiratory enzymes of aging mice fed a
NAC-supplemented diet.
I return to a plan
which is neuroprotective.
A possible plan
1. D alpha
tocopherol succinate, 500IU orally daily (needs another substance
to deal with the generated vitamin E free radicals. (E.g. mixed tocopherols,
gamma tocopherol, tocotrienols, vitamin C, alpha lipoic acid, and
co Q10 could each carry out this function.) (See below)
2. Co enzyme
Q10 100-300 mgm daily (paper in coenzymeQ10 conference, Boston1998)
(enhances mitochondrial energetics and mitochondrial DNA repair, and
mops up oxidized vitamin E)
A good buy in
Australia is now Pharmafoods CoE Q10 with 150mg/caps (also fish and
flaxseed oil and Vitamin E are in this product)
3. Plant
flavonoids from many coloured vegetables, salads and fruits (especially
beneficial)
e.g. B carotenes
(carrots),
lycopenes (tomatoes)
quercetin (onions,
ginkgo biloba)
anthocyanosides
(bilberry)
proanthocyanidins
(grape seed and pine bark)
I pick out bilberry
as more likely to protect the eye, and as the product Thiocondria
from Eagle has bilberry and 200mg of alpha lipoic acid it is a good
choice.
I always recommend
Vitamin C to make up for what we destroy in cooking.
4. Magnesium
supplements.
Any leaking of
calcium from its extracellular location into cells could increase
injury, and I use magnesium supplements to help protect this,
(I distinguish
a protective function of magnesium from the above physiological actions
of calcium influx in glial cells)
5. Glutathione,
The glutathione
comes from whey protein. I use Pharmafoods Isowhey.
6.Adenosine.
There may be some
diseases where adenosine supplements make sense.
7 .Methyl
donors are needed in MTHFR disorders where homocysteine is elevated.
These are folic
or folinic acid, methyl cobalamin and trimethylglycine.
If the evidence
supports exercise, listening to appropriate music such as Mozart’s
music, and taking up mind-body exercises, which we enjoy then why not,
go for it?
A recent program
on “happiness” showed that a scientist who moved to a Buddhist
community and spent 6 hours per day meditating, was demonstrated by
a MRI SPECT type study to show instant ability to turn on a so called
happiness (bliss) area in his brain.
Maybe there really
is a balance between spending time in learning and creating and other
times of utter simplicity such as the “one taste’ described
by Ken Wilber.
medicine