FUNCTIONAL MEDICINE BLOG
Includes over 800 monographs reporting on emerging studies in the medical and scientific literature of practical clinical importance, easily searched for content.
Maternal autoimmunity associated with ADHD in children
The biology of autoimmunity during pregnancy can have numerous consequences for the health of both mother and offspring; these include such conditions as childhood tics and OCD, autism, congenital heart block; infertility, miscarriage and preterm birth; placental abruption, numerous consequences of antithyroid antibodies, etc.
MS risk nearly double 15 years after concussion for teens
Multiple sclerosis risk almost doubles for teens 15 years after a concussion.
Adolescent oral contraceptive use predicts lasting risk for adulthood depression
In this study, the authors found that women who had used oral contraceptives during adolescence show an increased risk for depression in adulthood, even years after that exposure.
Antigliadin antibodies harmful for brain at low levels
Antigliadin antibodies (AGA), a subset of anti-gluten antibodies, have been shown to be harmful to the brain at levels below the standard reference range in an important study on gluten ataxia (GA) published in the journal Nutrients. Gluten ataxia is a condition characterized by loss of balance due to cerebellar damage due to neuroinflammation provoked by gluten. Non-celiac gluten sensitivity (NCGS) can cause inflammation in the brian and central nervous with antibodies at lower levels than in celiac disease and in the absence of abdominal symptoms.
Systemic thyroid hormone effects with levothyroxine can fall short
Systemic thyroid hormone status—the systemic effects of thyroid hormone activity—has been further confirmed to be insufficient with levothyroxine therapy in a significant percentage of cases, even though laboratory levels of TSH and T4 are normalized...
Gut microbiome, SCFAs, mood disorders, ketogenic diet and seizures
SCFA (short-chain fatty acid) production by the gut microbiome has a large effect on autoimmunity, brain inflammation, neuropsychiatric disorders and seizures by Immune system modulation; and this positive effect can be damaged by antibiotics.
Leaky gut: inflammation, chronic fatigue and depression
Leaky gut permits bacterial LPS translocation into the gut lymphoid tissue where it triggers inflammation causing chronic fatigue and depression.
Alzheimer's disease and blood-brain barrier leakage
Patients with early Alzheimer's disease have significantly more tissue characterized by blood-brain barrier leakage than do healthy control subjects...BBB leakage may help to provide a biomarker for early diagnosis, or at least a marker indicating vulnerability for the development of dementia.
Mood disorders and thyroid autoimmunity
Mood disorders and thyroid autoimmunity are linked by aberrant levels of hematopoietic/neuronal growth factors...even before hypothyroidism has developed, and also in relatives of thyroid autoimmunity subjects, growth factors necessary for healthy brain function are at levels associated with a range of mood disorders including bipolar, depression and psychosis. They also include an important reminder that antibodies can predict clinical disease years in advance.
Circadian rhythms of inflammation
Treatment of chronic inflammation can be enhanced and adrenal suppression minimized by circadian dosing of anti-inflammatory medication.
Evidence lacking for most common ADHD drug
Evidence is lacking for the most common ADHD drug, and very little is known about long-term effects.
Depression, inflammation and light therapy
Research shows relief from depression by combining management of inflammation with bright light and chronotherapy to correct circadian dysregulation.
Saliva cortisol associated with brain volume, cognitive function
A study recently published in the journal Neurology shows that measurements of salivary cortisol can be an indicator for cognitive impairment and loss of brain volume.