In Part 1, we looked at how the MAO enzyme breaks down Dopamine in the brain and body, via what we termed the “MAO pathway”. In this part, we consider another pathway by which Dopamine is broken down, via another enzyme called Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT).
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Dopamine Breakdown and Parkinson's Disease: Part 1
In this follow up article, we will explore the various ways by which dopamine is chemically broken down, degraded, or metabolized. In doing so, we will provide yet another, more hopeful, story, that the reversible problem may be more to do with the breakdown of dopamine occurring too fast after it has been synthesized, rather than cells dying.
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Acetylcholine, Dopamine and Parkinson's Disease
In reality, the interactions between very many different neurotransmitters is super strong. It is not just the lack of one chemical that causes the problems in many cases, but actually it is the resulting lack of balance with other chemicals.
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Histamine, Allergies and Parkinson's Disease
I began following this line of research, and I discovered very many curious inter-relationships and joined up a number of seemingly disparate dots.... dots which would never have been connected by the specialist-centric nature of our healthcare systems!
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Constipation and Parkinson's Disease
I will cover below how I managed to resolve this for myself, and then we will look at the potential mechanisms of why constipation and PD symptoms are linked, I will first explain my self-observations which lead me to this conclusion.
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Thiamine and Parkinson's Disease
What was needed was for someone to gather and review all the research done on HDT for PD so far, collect all the anecdotes of what has and hasn’t worked for individuals with PD, and to resurrect as much of Dr C.'s knowledge, experiences and wisdom as possible. Then to pull it together and come up with a working plan or a guidebook for other people with PD to follow in order to try to optimize HDT the potential benefits of for themselves.
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Dopamine and Parkinson's Disease
The Huberman Lab podcast is a lecture series by Prof. Andrew Huberman, professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine, on practical and free tools for optimizing health based on the very latest neuroscience and human biology research. This podcast contains vital, actionable, and need-to-know information for people with Parkinson’s Disease, in particular of the latest pragmatic research into dopamine biochemistry. Dopamine is the major neuromodulator which is most problematic in PD, and the target for the mainstay medical interventions. So here I’ve extracted from the podcast episodes the timestamps of everything Prof. Huberman has to teach us on the subject of how to optimize our dopamine biochemistry. The format is the episode title, in order of release, followed by the corresponding timestamp links and descriptions whenever dopamine is referred to.
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The Eyes and Parkinson's Disease
Motivated by the launch of the Eye Guide MC wearable device for Parkinson’s Disease, I have updated this article, originally published September 2017, with some more information about the role of dopamine in the eye, and also about the emerging field of Neuro-optometrics.
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Sleep and Parkinson's Disease
In this article, we consider the role of sleep on PD symptoms. I believe that getting good sleep is absolutely foundational, on which all other progressive symptom reduction strategies rest. Indeed, Florencia Cerruti, author of Rebirth at 50: in the end it was not The End, points out that poor sleep, along with stress, is to people with PD like Kryptonite is to Superman. Unfortunately, sleep problems are extremely common with PD.
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Cell Danger Response and Parkinson's Disease
The Cell Danger Response (CDR) provides an explanation and framework of understanding for chronic illnesses, including Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease. According to this framework, the CDR occurs when a cell in the body detects a threat to its existence or that it is in some sort of mortal danger. When a cell thus loses its sense of safety, it moves via the CDR from contributing to the health and vitality of the body towards an “on guard” state of self-perseveration, and then alerts other cells to the danger by releasing chemicals, which can, in turn, set off their CDR, potentially leading to domino or cascade effect. If the threat is maintained long enough, eventually the CDR results in the cell going into a shut-down or hibernatory state, to wait it out until the danger has passed. When enough cells in the body get stuck in a Cell Danger Response, some from of chronic illness ensues.
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Eating Habits and Parkinson's Disease
This continues a series of posts which reframe major aspects of Parkinson’s Disease as habitual behaviours rather than symptoms. These are features of the condition which can be addressed and changed over time in order to assist with progressive symptom reduction. In this article, we consider eating and PD, but while there is a lot of literature on diets and supplements relevant to the condition, here we consider that the how and when we eat may be just as important or even more so than what we eat.
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The Gut, the Digestive System and Parkinson's Disease, Part 2
In this follow-up article, we continue the exploration of the role of the gut, the digestive system, and gut-brain communication via the Dorsal Vagus Nerve, in PD. We will consider more recent findings, and look at some other angles involving the gut which have practical importance.
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Phenylalanine, Tyrosine, L-Dopa, Dopamine and Parkinson's Disease
For those of us who spend a lot of time in the Dorsal Vagus Nerve activated freeze/immobilization/death feigning stress response, a number of otherwise vital biochemical reactions in our brains and bodies can go awry. We may stop producing healthy levels of particular enzymes, peptides, hormones and neurotransmitters, or make too much of these, or else stop being able to remove toxic by-products, that are necessarily created as part of the chemical steps in the creation and degradation of these substances, fast enough.
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Dopamine, Aldehyde Poisoning and Parkinson's Disease
It is likely that multi-factorial aldehyde "insults" or contributions are at work in any one case of onset of dopamine deficiency and its rate of progression. Each person will have a different combination of contributions to the aldehyde overwhelm which result in the dopamine deficiency, and everyone will have a different "final straw that broke the camels back". This is why so many difference potential "causes" of PD have been identified in the scientific literature, but why no single universal cause has been found true for everyone. It is also why there is no one universal supplement, drug, diet or therapy which is beneficial for all people with PD, and why every one of us has a very different response to these.
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Yoga and Parkinson's Disease
A consideration of what I’ve learned from my teachers (Achayras). So much I could talk about! Hope, purpose, a sense of letting go. An altogether holistic/total yoga approach. The overall learning message I've taken from my teachers is that it is this combination and integration of approaches which is most effective: nutrition, hydration, movement and emotional well being.
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The Nervous System and Parkinson's Disease
Now for the very good news. Since we now understand that PD is principally a problem with the Nervous System, it is entirely possible that we can pro-actively prevent further degeneration, and even regain what we've already lost, because Vagal Tone can always be improved, neurons regenerated, neural pathways re-written, and senses retrained
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The Gut, the Digestive System and Parkinson's Disease, Part 1
Once upon a time, Parkinson's Disease was believed to be a purely neurological problem, caused by dopamine producing cell death in a bean sized part of the brain called the Substantia Nigra. We now know that this neurodegeneration is not necessarily casual, but an effect resulting from more systemic issues, which become worse over a sustained period of years prior to diagnosis. Today, it is widely accepted that problems with the gut and digestive system, including nutritional deficits - due to resulting impaired absorption, are not only integral to PD, but are also likely to play major roles in the true causal factors.
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Leaky Blood Brain Barrier and Parkinson's Disease
When epithelial layers are compromised, and the protective functions of these cellular linings are damaged, this can have significant impact on people who already have compromised systems due to chronic illnesses such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and MS. In fact, damaged epithelial layers, especially the blood brain barrier (BBB) are becoming increasingly implicated in these diseases as contributing to the causal mechanisms.
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Anti-Inflammatory Herbal Infusions (Teas) and Parkinson's Disease
Here, I would like to cover one strategy I have been using for some time and have found significant and cumulative benefits from, especially in the reduction of my pain and rigidity. I drink lots of herbal infusions (teas) through each day. I choose the flavors based on the known anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-viral or adaptogenic properties of the ingredients and ensure I buy quality products. I then rotate the flavors through the day.
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A Person with Parkinson's Progress with Nutritional Supplements
By Penny Mitchell, Independent Knowledge Worker and Health Reseacher, diagnosed with Early Onset Parkinson's Disease.
"This article is based on a series of posts which I shared in the Parkinson's Disease Fighters United (PDFU) Facebook Group. Gary Sharpe asked me to contribute these as an article, and I am happy to share here too, in case other people with Parkinson's may benefit from my journey and experiences."
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