I had not intended to post my view of PD until I had more evidence
to support it . But in discussing evidence it is necessary to have a
framework of theory in which to rationalize it . This is my framework
PD is not as conventional theory maintains a lack of dopamine in
the brain but a brain neurological firing pattern spasm . That means
that the normal firing pattern of the neurons has changed and this
change in the pattern can be caused by many things . Dopamine
defficiency is by far the most common cause . Other causes are
tumors, hydrocephalus,chemicals and disease . The nature of the brains neu=
ron
firng pattern is determined to large extent by the shape of the
brains struicture . The brain is predoninantely in two halves . Thus
the spasm is often confined to one half of the brain producing PD
symptoms only on the opposite side of the body ( this is my condition
) . A good analogy of what I mean by spasm is to consider the pattern
of flow of water in the ocean currents . The currents are to a large
extent determined by the position of the continents . A spasm is the
" EL Ninio" effect . This sort of spasm occurs often in the human
body such as asthma .
STOPPING THE SPASM
CURE
The best way of stooping a spasm is to remove the cause . This is
often
relatively easy in the cases where PD is caused by hydrocephelus or a
tumor . With any luck dopamine deficiency due to dying off of the
dopamine producing cells will soon be mastered . Sonic Hedgehog and
GDNF, technologies seem to hold the most promise of this . PD.caused
by disease or chemicals may not be so easy .to cure .
INTERFERING WITH THE SPASM
One of the best ways of interfering with the spasm os to increase
the neurtransmitter dopamine even in cases where the PD is not caused
by a dopamine shortage . Dopamine dampens the spasm a bit like a
shock absorber danpens a badly balanced car wheel . Just like with a
car wheel at certain range of speeds this dampening effect actually
makes things worse ( the wheel and damper are in sync ) so dopamine
increase at certain concentrations makes things worse ( dyskinesia ).
DOPAMINE LEVEL IN BRAIN AFTER TAKING DOPAMINE
BOOSTING DRUG ( L-DOPA )
l
l
l ++++
l + Zone A +++
l ____+_________________+_________
l + Zone B +
l _+____________________________+___________
l + Zone C +
l+________________________________________________+__
Time =AC > =
( I apologise for the diagram but could not do much better with my
offline mailreader )
Zone C
In this zone the boost of dopamine is least so the effects are
minimal . All the PD symptoms are there . ( In my case I am dragging
my left leg when I walk )
Zone A
In this zone the boost of dopamine is maximum and the PD symtoms
are lessened or gone I often feel a bit strange .( In my case I walk nor=
maly without trying )
Zone B
This is the danger zone where the dampening effect of the increase
dopamin eis in sync with the PD spasm and makes the condition worse .
( IN my case my left leg becomes uncontrolable . The only way I can
describe it to a person who has not experienced it . It is like trying
to stand aand young child who is trying to attract your attention is
pulling and pushing at your leg . ) BUT and this is a BIG BUT
unlike driving a car with an unbalanced wheel that vibrates at only
certain fixed speeds the range of zone B is not fixed . With the
brain any strong pattern gets emphasised and expanded . Zone B is an
extremely strong pattern and so the more it occurs, the larger its
range . The expansion of zone B often completely destroys the advantage of=
taking
dopamine boosting drugs .
I nearly always experience dyskinesia 4 - 6 hours after taking my
last L-dopa pill of the day . I have sometimes experienced it 3/4 hour aft=
er the
first pill for a few minutes . I sometimes get it on and off during
the day . I put this down to the dopamine level being about the
zoneA/zoneB boundary .
If one stops going into zone B by not taking dopamine boosting
drugs then zone B range will shrink . Unfortunately this from what I
read this is not very fast . It is therefore important to avoid dyskinesia=
not just for temporary discomfort .
Brain Surgery ( Pallidotomy/Thalamotomy )
It was reading the report on palidotomy that made me realize PD was
a brain neuron firing pattern spasm . After destroying a few brain
cells the blood flow pattern in the brain completely changes . Not
only is there a loss of tremor but often a restoration of muscular
control and other PD symptoms disappear . The explanation of PD as a
lack of dopamine does not even begin to explain pallidotomies success
. Going back to the ocean current analogy,it is like going to a place
in the ocean where the current normally runs very slowly but during
the " El Ninio " it runs very fast and then if one was able, dump
a large land mass at this spot . The only pattern likely to be set up
by the oceans would be one where no water flowed at this spot . This
would effectively stop the " El Ninio " effect .
Pallidotomy has to be very precise so as to destroy as little of
the brain as possible and at the same time stopping the spasm . It
would seeem to be especialy effective at stopping dyskinesia .This is
the agravated spasm of zone B .
Electrical and Magnetic Stimulation of the Brain
The most obvious way of way of stopping a spasm in the neuron firng
pattern is to introduce another pattern to overlay the pattern that
has got the spasm . The combination of the two patterns will dampen
the spasm . This can be done by stimulating the brains electrical
rythms by a pulsating current or magnetic field . Deep Brain
Stimulation does this directly by implanting a pacemaker like devise
in the brain. I an trying to research the possibility of doing this
from outside the body . The purpose of the research is to restore
the motor functions and get rid of the tremor in my body . I
criticise the conventional view because they have been unable to do
this . Proof of the cake is in the eating . Proof of a theory is does
it explain the phenomenon competely and can it be put to use .
I had not originally inended to post my PD explantion until I
had collected more evidence to confirm it . But in asking for
evidence from other list members such discussion seems inevitable to
explain what evidence I want .
The human body is not just a collection of cells with the same
DNA . But has a overall structure and integraty , which brain /nerve
rythms play an essential job in maintaining . PD sufferers have lost
some of this intergrating force because of the spasm in the neuron
firing pattern . This leads to a reduced life expectacy . Everyone is
different so the spasm will vary in cause and nature but it must be
stopped in all cases if damage to that unique individual is to be
avoided .
peace
Alastair ( [log in to unmask] )
