TBI
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Dr. Rhonda Patrick discusses saturated fats and LDL, luteolin's benefits, glyphosate risks, natural vs. artificial flavors, and black cumin seed effects.
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Cancer Hormones Diabetes Cholesterol Omega-3 Inflammation Polyunsaturated Fat COVID-19 TBI SupplementsDr. Rhonda Patrick discusses saturated fats and LDL, luteolin's benefits, glyphosate risks, natural vs. artificial flavors, and black cumin seed effects.
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News & Publications
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Each year, millions of people sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI), often resulting in serious, long-term consequences. Research indicates that even one head injury is linked to a higher risk of developing dementia, with the risk increasing further after two or more. A recent study found that TBIs can reactivate dormant herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), driving neuroinflammation and contributing to the development of Alzheimer’s.
Researchers created a three-dimensional model of the human brain. Then, they subjected HSV-1-infected and non-infected brain tissue to multiple blows, emulating TBIs and their ensuing pro-inflammatory effects.
They found that repeated mild blows to HSV-1-infected tissues reactivated the virus, triggering inflammatory processes in the brain and driving the buildup of amyloid-beta and phosphorylated tau—proteins linked to brain damage and memory loss. These harmful effects worsened with additional injuries but didn’t occur in uninfected tissue.
These findings demonstrate that viral reactivation in the brain may contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s. HSV-1 is the virus responsible for causing cold sores and genital herpes. It infects approximately 80% of people by age 60 and is commonly found in the brains of older adults. In people with the APOE4 gene, HSV-1 markedly increases the risk of Alzheimer’s.
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Psychedelic drugs show potential in easing PTSD and TBI symptoms in military veterans. www.sciencedaily.com
Military veterans, especially those engaging in special operations, are at greater risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI). A recent study found that psychedelic drugs reduce the symptoms associated with PTSD and TBI and improve cognition in special operations veterans.
The study involved 86 male special operations veterans who had reported experiencing various mental and physical health disorders, including memory/concentration problems, TBI, depression, anxiety, PTSD, sleep problems, anger/rage, and fatigue. Each participant received a single oral dose of ibogaine hydrochloride. On a separate occasion, they received at least three incrementally increasing amounts (totaling 50 milligrams) of 5-MeO-DMT. Before and after each treatment session, they documented their emotional well-being and any other symptoms they experienced.
The participants reported marked improvements in their PTSD, depression, anxiety, insomnia, and anger symptoms, along with increased life satisfaction, even at six months post-treatment. In addition, their psychological flexibility and cognitive functioning increased, while post-concussion symptoms notably decreased, remaining improved at all follow-ups.
Participants reported positive changes in attitudes, behaviors, and relationships, and many considered the experience highly meaningful, spiritually significant, and psychologically insightful.
Ibogaine hydrochloride is a psychedelic drug found in the bark of the Tabernanthe iboga, a shrub native to Central and West Africa. It elicits prolonged effects (beginning 30 minutes to three hours after intake and peaking between 18 and 36 hours), often described as a “waking dream.”
5-MeO-DMT (5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine) is a psychedelic drug obtained from various plants and the glands of the _ Incilius alvarius_ toad. It is a fast-acting, short-duration psychoactive, inducing feelings of awe, visual and auditory hallucinations, and other sensations common with classic psychedelics.
These findings suggest that psychedelic drugs improve symptoms associated with PTSD and TBI in military special operations veterans. These improvements were still evident at the six-month follow-up when the study ended. It is possible the effects endured even longer. Learn more about the effects of psilocybin and other psychedelic drugs in this episode featuring Dr. Roland Griffiths.
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Playing American football linked to a 61 percent higher risk of parkinsonism and Parkinson's disease. neurosciencenews.com
The relationship between repetitive blows to the head (as in boxing) and parkinsonism and Parkinson’s disease is well established. However, scientists don’t fully understand the relationship between American football and these conditions. A recent study found that playing American football increases a person’s risk of parkinsonism and Parkinson’s disease by 61 percent.
Researchers conducted a cross-sectional study using data from 1,875 men enrolled in the Fox Insight study, in which participants completed online questionnaires regarding their health status. They collected data on aspects of football participation, including duration of play, highest level played, and age at first exposure. The analysis accounted for various factors, including age, education, medical history, body mass index, concussions, and family history of Parkinson’s disease.
They found that those who had played football were 61 percent more likely to report having parkinsonism or Parkinson’s disease than those who did not. Those who experienced higher levels of play (such as college or professional level) were nearly three times more likely to report being diagnosed with these conditions.
Parkinsonism is an umbrella term that describes a group of neurological disorders that share similar symptoms with Parkinson’s disease, including tremors, muscle stiffness, slow movement, and difficulties with balance and coordination. Parkinson’s disease is the primary cause of parkinsonism, driving approximately 80 percent of all cases.
These findings suggest that playing American football markedly increases the risk of parkinsonism and Parkinson’s disease. However, this study does not prove causation but highlights a potential link between sports-related head injuries and long-term neurological consequences. Learn more about Parkinson’s disease in this episode featuring Dr. Giselle Petzinger.
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TNF-alpha blocker administration clinically improved patients with chronic neurological dysfunction following stroke and traumatic brain injury (2012) www.sciencedaily.com
From the article:
The observational study¹ of 629 patients, conducted over the course of nearly two years, documents a diverse range of positive effects, including statistically significant rapid clinical improvement in motor impairment, spasticity, cognition, etc. in the stroke group, with a similar pattern of improvement seen in the traumatic brain injury (TBI) group. The study involved 617 patients treated an average of 42 months after stroke and 12 patients treated an average of 115 months after TBI, long after further spontaneous meaningful recovery would be expected.
The study was conducted at the Institute of Neurological Recovery (INR) in the USA.
The drug utilized was etanercept [a TNF blocker], a therapeutic that selectively binds and neutralizes an inflammatory immune molecule that may remain elevated for years following stroke. Etanercept was administered utilizing a novel delivery method, invented by Edward Tobinick M.D., lead author of the study.
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Children who experience TBI are at greater risk for emotional and behavioral problems. www.sciencedaily.com
Approximately 812,000 children living in the United States experience a traumatic brain injury (TBI) – a disruption in normal brain function caused by an external mechanical force – each year. TBI is a serious injury, eliciting both acute and chronic damage to the brain. Findings from a recent study suggest that children who experience a TBI, even a mild one, are more likely to experience emotional and behavioral problems.
The study involved nearly 12,000 children enrolled in the Adolescence Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study. The children underwent magnetic resonance imaging studies of their brains and completed questionnaires about their emotional and behavioral health.
The investigators found that children that experienced a mild TBI were 15 percent more likely to display emotional or behavioral problems compared to their non-injured peers. Children who experienced a significant hit to the head that didn’t meet the criteria of a TBI diagnosis were 7 percent more likely to develop behavioral and emotional problems. The age at which the TBI occurred influenced risk, with children around the age of 10 years at greatest risk.
These findings suggest that even mild TBI carries considerable risk to the developing brain, placing children at risk for emotional and behavioral problems. Oxidative stress is a key driver in the pathological processes associated with TBI. Sulforaphane, a bioactive compound derived from broccoli, promotes the production of glutathione, a potent endogenous antioxidant that reduces oxidative stress. Learn more in this clip featuring sulforaphane expert Dr. Jed Fahey.
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Aerobic exercise following concussion reduces risk of persistent symptoms by 48 percent in adolescents. www.sciencedaily.com
“Sport-related concussion is a public health problem, particularly in adolescents.
Male and female adolescent athletes (aged 13–18 years) presenting within 10 days of sport-related concussion were randomly assigned to individualized sub-symptom threshold aerobic or stretching exercise at least 20 min daily, for up to 4 weeks after injury.
On survival analysis, controlling for sex, site, and mean daily exercise time, patients assigned to aerobic exercise were more likely to recover within 4 weeks after injury compared with those assigned to stretching exercise, with a 48% reduced risk of persistent post-concussive symptoms (hazard ratio for stretching vs aerobic exercise of 0·52 [95% CI 0·28–0·97], p=0·039).
This multicenter study found that early treatment with sub-symptom threshold aerobic exercise safely speeds recovery from sport-related concussion and reduces the risk for persistent post-concussive symptoms, an important result given the impact of delayed recovery on adolescent quality of life."
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Fish oil omega-3 normalizes BDNF levels in the hippocampus and improves cognitive function in animal model of traumatic brain injury www.liebertpub.com
From the publication:
Our finding that supplementation of omega-3 fatty acids normalizes the protein levels of BDNF after TBI suggests that BDNF mediates the beneficial effects of omega-3 fatty acids on cognitive function.
[…]
It is notable that fish oil supplementation increased BDNF but did not affect cognitive function in intact rats. It is possible that slight changes in BDNF may not significantly affect cognition under normal conditions. It seems likely, however, that under pathological weakness small decreases in BDNF can be a factor to further deteriorate cognitive function. This eventual possibility emphasizes the necessity to use therapeutic means, such as dietary supplementation of fish oil, to maintain normal levels of BDNF under challenging conditions.
Mitigation of oxidative stress as a mechanism of increased BDNF:
It has been shown that TBI can result in cumulative ROS, which may be associated with reduction of BDNF. Thus, DHA may help to counteract elevated levels of ROS with subsequent effects on the action of BDNF on synaptic plasticity and cognition after TBI.