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.
Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation relieves depression by reducing brain inflammation
Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) relieves depression by reducing inflammation in the brain. It is safe and easy to do. This study adds to the growing body of knowledge in the functional/integrative treatment of depression using interventions that promote healthy brain biology and adds to the expanding resources used in the FM model for calming brain inflammation, and taVNS in particular.
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.
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.
Depression, inflammation and light therapy
Research shows relief from depression by combining management of inflammation with bright light and chronotherapy to correct circadian dysregulation.
Pain chronic after injury, surgery due to neuroinflammation
"...the transition from acute physiological pain to persistent pain involves low-grade inflammation in the central nervous system (CNS), glial dysfunction and subsequently an imbalance in the neuron–glial interaction that causes enhanced and prolonged pain transmission."
Migraine, depression, Alzheimer's and lipid metabolism
"Taken together, our findings suggest it is possible that migraine is a neurologic disorder of 'minor' sphingolipid dysmetabolism..."
Stunning discovery links brain and immune system
Investigators report in the prestigious journal Nature the stunning discovery of a central nervous system lymphatic system connecting the brain and immune system.
Fatigue: inflammation and autoimmunity
Severe fatigue, associated with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) or another disorder, has as a core underlying cause chronic inflammation...there are sufficient robust multiple lines of evidence to support the proposition that the severe fatigue and profound disability experienced by people with the neurodegenerative, neuro-immune and autoimmune diseases discussed here is largely driven by peripheral immune activation and systemic inflammation either directly or indirectly by inducing mitochondrial damage.
Magnesium protects against preeclampsia seizures
...magnesium raises the threshold for seizures in preeclampsia by reducing neuroinflammation...and prevents hypertension in the last weeks of pregnancy.
ALS treatment: start long before clinical symptoms
ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) has a long presymptomatic period during which neuroprotective interventions can be applied.
Traumatic brain injury and chronic neuroinflammation
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) even in it's milder forms can initiate a process of chronic neuroinflammation that causes a range of chronic neurodegenerative disorders. ..Judicious application of natural anti-inflammatory agents to minimize side-effects along with other measures guided by objective measurements is a standard for treating traumatic brain injury that can be applied to other neurodegenerative disorders as well.
Nigella sativa, a true 'wonder medicine'?
Nigella sativa, also known as black cumin, produces seeds with a mind-boggling wealth of medicinal virtues. For colleagues and others who may not be familiar with the abundance of scientific evidence for the use of Nigella sativa seed extract in clinical practice, this selection of citations serves as an introduction to its wide range of indications.
Depression and brain inflammation
Evidence for the role of brain inflammation in depression is proliferating as noted in a report published recently in JAMA. Certain biomarkers including the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and TNF, and CRP are standing out...
Neuropsychiatric illness in non-celiac gluten sensitivity
Neuropsychiatric illness can result from neuroinflammation due to a variety of causes. Recent studies offer more evidence that depression and other neuropsychiatric disorders can be a manifestation of non-celiac gluten sensitivity. A paper published in Gastroenterology Research and Practice explores the pathophysiologic mechanisms by which gluten sensitivity can present as a variety of neuropsychiatric conditions in the absence of celiac disease.
Bipolar disorder and neuroinflammation
There is a massive amount of evidence supporting the importance of assessing and treating neuroinflammation in bipolar disorder and other neuropsychiatric illnesses. This makes necessarily the comprehensive examination of autoimmunity and its numerous underlying contributory causes.
Cognitive decline: major overlooked causes
Cognitive decline is fueled by that have not received adequate attention but have great practical, clinical significance.
Hyperexcitable brain syndrome and gluten
Hyperexcitable brain, with potentially severe consequences, is recognized as among the gluten-related autoiimmune neurological disorders... Practitioners should not underestimate the potential severity of gluten-associated neuroinflammation.