testing

-----Original Message-----
From: Alastair Wyse <[log in to unmask]>
To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Sunday, April 12, 1998 5:15 AM
Subject: Re: "dormant ????brain cells?"/Dr. Iacono


> From:          KMCRAE <[log in to unmask]>
>

> Alastair;  Your theory sounds good, but if it is valid, why has Aricept
made
> such an amazing improvement in my husband's dementia?  His memory is
almost
> completely returned, and he can now speak clearly so we can understand
him. I
> thought it was because the neurotransmiter , acetylcholine, is increased,
> therefore accessing cells that are still there but previously
inaccessable. He
> also suffers from Shy-drager  syndrome and his blood pressure can fall
> suddenly, precipitating syncopy and complete passing out. His Neuro thinks
> that part of his improved cognition is that we try to keep his BP above
> 160/100 when he might stand up. This would go along with the improved
blood
> flow theory. The only thing I am sure of is that brain cells we thought
were
> long dead are now functioning again so they couldn't have been dead.
Barbara
> Smith,CG/Ken/70/17

Hi  Barbara
I believe you are pointing out rightly the deficiency in the
following statement made in my last posting to this list .

"   Many different things cause this spasm ( tumor , hydrocephalus ,
low dopamine etc. )  This spasm also causes underactivity in certain
brain cells leading to atrophy and death of those cells . This causes
dementia ."
  Let me explain more fully . A muscle which is not/under used will
slowly waste away. Cells will die off and the general loss of muscle
strength results . If the muscle is restored to its proper use this
trend will be reversed and more cells produced producing a stronger
muscle .If part of the brain is not/under used the a neuron's connections to
other brain cells ( neurons ) weakens and eventually dies. If this
condition persists then there will be an increase in the death of
these neurons . The more and stronger the neural pathways the better
the brain functions . If PD is a change in the firing pattern of the
neurons in the brain then certain neurons that were used in the
normal pattern will be not/under used in the PD pattern. Other
neurons will become hyperactive in this new pattern . The PD neuron
firing pattern results in a loss of neural pathways and progressively
a loss of neurons and decreased mental function . A restoration of
the normal firing pattern results in the restoration of use of neural
pathways and their strengthening resulting in improved mental
functioning . This improved mental fuctioning will take place even
without new brain cells to replace the old ones that were loss because
of this atrophy . ( Leaving aside a recent posting suggesting the
possibility of the brain producing new brain cells ) . The longer the
PD pattern persists the stronger it gets and the harder is is to
return to the normal pattern . The switching from normal to PD
pattern has multiple causes and the restoration of a more normal
pattern can be in various ways (drugs ,DBS or pallidotomy ) .Janet
orginally raised the possibility that allergies cause PD . As one of
many causes this is perfectly reasonable . In view of the major
effect allergies can have on the body it might be a very important
one . It is also possible that changing the blood flow to the brain
can influence PD .A complex thing like the neural firing pattern of
the brain can be put into a spasm by a lot different changes
affecting the brain .
   I have been writing  rather generally up till now . I must say that
I know little about Shy-dragger syndrome . I believe it is a PD like
condition that does not respond to L-dopa . Your husband responds
well to Aricept which I just looked up and found it to be drug that
is approved ( FDA ) to treat Alzheimers disease because it helps the
brain retain and make better use of the neurotransmiter acetylcholine
. What you seem to be saying is that your husband suffers the normal
dysfunctions of PD but his condition is alleviated by increasing the
acetylcholine rather than the dopamine levels in the brain . I am
intrigued, but before I could even hazard a guess at a theory I need
more time and data .

     peace
          Alastair     ( [log in to unmask] )