Until recently, the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis (MS) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) had been made by the combination of evaluating a patient’s clinical presentation of symptoms and detecting positive findings on imaging studies such as MRI and PET scan. In many cases, a true confirmation would only occur upon post-mortem brain evaluation.1
Glial Cells, Neuronal Proteins & the Precursors of Neurodegeneration
There are approximately 86–100 billion neurons that reside in the human brain, with an almost equal number of the three glial cell types referred to as astrocytes, oligodendrocytes and microglia.2 While neurons provide the most basic functions in brain cell communication, such as specific signaling protein and neurotransmitter production, glial cells play a role in regulating blood supply to the neurons and myelin production; and also act as the nerve system’s resident immune cells.3-4
Normally, upon production of a neuronal protein, a folding process takes place which establishes a number of roles to be performed by that particular protein. In the presence of neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia and AD, there is a misfolding process that takes place, leading to failure of the neuron’s cellular and chemical integrity.5
The two most notable proteins are referred to as beta-amyloid and tau. These proteins, when altered, begin to aggregate intracellularly as well as in the extracellular spaces, leading to the phenomena described as neurofibrillary tangles and/or plaque formation.5-6
As these damaged proteins continue to aggregate over time, neuronal cell communication is lost, leading to symptoms such as memory loss, forgetfulness, mood swings, and/or motor dysfunction.
The Power of Blood Testing
The evidence is now present allowing clinicians to aid in the diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of their patients dealing with suspected neurodegenerative conditions by the use of routine blood testing. Once thought to be found only in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), beta-amyloid and tau proteins can now be detected in the bloodstream.
In addition to these specific protein markers being detected, some other more subtle markers can be used to evaluate the permeability of the blood-brain barrier (BBB). A faulty BBB can be caused by many factors including underlying pathologies from several different chronic inflammatory conditions.7 Other common causes may occur from oxidative stress and poor lifestyle choices, which often involves the overconsumption of alcohol, excessive tobacco use, poor diet, and lack of exercise.8
Key Lab Biomarkers
The following laboratory biomarkers are now available and have shown great promise in the early detection, diagnosis and management of neurodegenerative processes:
*Neurofilament Light Chain (NfL) – A neuron-specific intermediate filament protein that has recently emerged as a biomarker of neuronal injury with great clinical potential. NfL elevation was initially observed in the CSF of people with dementia, including AD, frontotemporal dementia (FTD), and ischemic vascular dementia (IVD). Now available as a blood biomarker, it can be used in cases related to traumatic brain injuries, as well as other progressive neurodegenerative diseases such as AD, ALS and MS.9
*Beta-Amyloid 42/40 Ratio – A plasma test now available to detect one of the hallmark proteins (amyloid) found in neurofibrillary tangles and plaque formation characteristic in the clinical diagnosis of AD.10
*Phosphorylated Tau 181 (pTau-181) – This plasma test is designed to measure the amount of phosphorylated tau proteins, another hallmark indicator related to the diagnosis of AD and other forms of dementia, in addition to PD.11
Apolipoprotein E4 Variant (Apo-E4) and Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) Early Alzheimer’s Detection Test – Two individual tests designed to detect the presence of a genetic predisposition to AD and amyloid protein precursors.12-13
Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) – An enzyme vital in the physiological and pathological role of the CNS. MMPs regulate inflammation, microglial activation, blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity, dopaminergic apoptosis, and alpha-synuclein modulation. MMP-9 prompts the rise in vascular wall permeability by targeting the extracellular matrix (ECM) and tight junctional properties.14
Interleukin 17A (IL-17A) – It is now generally accepted that IL-17A causes disease via the activation of microglial cells and can be used effectively in the diagnosis and treatment monitoring of human autoimmune diseases and neurodegenerative diseases such as AD, PD, MS, and ALS.15
*Indicates biotin elimination 72 hours prior to testing.
Treatment and Prevention – Including Supplementation
While no exact causes of neurodegeneration exist, practicing a healthy lifestyle, which includes a balanced diet, getting quality rest and regular exercise, is key in both treatment and prevention.
Just as important is the incorporation of nutritional supplementation designed specifically to target and lessen oxidative stress factors, reduce the inflammatory process, decrease permeability of the BBB, and slow the hyperphosphorylation and aggregation of tau and beta amyloid proteins.
The following nutrients are recognized as necessary in the management and potential prevention of neurodegenerative processes:
References
Chronic pain afflicts over 20% of the adult population. Sadly, most MDs have essentially no education in treating pain, beyond offering a few toxic medications. Then they tend to steer people with pain away from those health practitioners who are trained. This puts the acupuncture community on the front lines for addressing this epidemic.
When the body is going through a stressful event, the sympathetic system is activated. This activation will help the body with a life-threatening situation. If this state is activated for prolonged periods of time, it starts to consume energy. These traumatic events that generate stressors in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) will eventually become internalized.
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One of the things that makes acupuncture so difficult to measure is that the medicine actually does contain some esoteric aspects. There have been numerous studies that demonstrate the neurochemical reasoning behind why acupuncture points stimulate the autonomic nervous system to enact change However, not all the benefits of TCM can easily be measured by randomized, controlled trials. But does that make them fundamentally and definitively untrue?
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