Hey folks,

I'm looking for some input to supplement my self-guided research.

I've come across some information related to increased calcium concentrations to toxic levels in brain cells following concussions (Weber, 2012). Areas of the brain where this occurs can become inflammed and can experience reduced blood flow. These 'dead zones' are what manifest into disfunctions observed throughout the body and could explain why concussion/PCS victims experience a variety of different symptoms, it all depends on the brain structure that been affected by the injury (eg. the brain stem and balance disorders). My research suggests that SPECT scans can reveal areas of the brain that experience decreased blood flow and neuron activity. Inferences could be made from the results of a SPECT scan to identify the exact area(s) of the brain that are affected. If "dead zones" are identified in the SPECT scan, the recovery objective would be to direct blood flow and oxygen to that area to re-activate it, and re-establish neuron activity in the brain structure that has been affected. One suggestion that doesn't isolate individual brain structures, but rather addresses the entire brain in mild hyperbaric chamber oxygen therapy (hbot.com/hbot-spect-imaging). The idea here is to go into a controlled atmosphere of greater pressure to which decreases the size of oxygen molecules in the blood, allowing them to penetrate into the "dead zones". Then, breathing 100% oxygen saturates the blood with a large volume of smaller than normal oxygen molecules. Two resulting mechanism that I can think of are 1) increased oxygen to the brain, and 2) calcium oxidation of brain cells, or removal of calcium from brain cells. Now, there's still a lot of questions to be asked about this, such as 1) will oxygen still penetrate the "dead zones" with this treatment? Because the requirement is increased blood flow to deliver the oxygen to the "dead zones". 2) Is it possible to oxidize too much calcium of the the brain cells? How do you quantify this? 3) How do you replace the potassium that has been expelled from brain cells as a result of the initial calcium intake following the injury.

Feedback and theories are welcomed, however scientifically backed explanations are preferred.

Thanks,

Hains

Hains,

Welcome to NeuroTalk. HBOT has been discussed at length in this forum. There is a clinical study currently taking place for PCS patients and HBOT. A few have been able to enroll in it. I see you have found Dr Harch's web site.

Dr Harch claims to use 100% oxygen but that is only possible with a mask. Most HBOT patients do not tolerate masks very well. The studies published to date show little difference between 100% oxygen and normal oxygen levels (21%) and little difference between 1.25 or 1.5 atmospheres and higher pressures except higher pressure can cause latent side effects.

Your points : First HBOT does not decrease the size of oxygen molecules. The molecules are closer together (crowded) but each molecule is always the same size.

BHOT works on a few principles. Gas pressure (partial pressure) across a membrane and the breaking of the binding of some gaseous molecules that displace other gaseous molecules. HBOT is needed to displace CO (carbon monoxide) molecules with O2 molecules.

Henry's Law states that “a gas is dissolved by a liquid in direct proportion to its partial pressure.” For example, at sea level, atmospheric pressure is 760 mm Hg, the oxygen concentration is 21% and the body's oxygen content or partial pressure, pO2, in blood and plasma is ~ 40 mm Hg.
hbot | hyperbaric medicine| hyperbaric oxygen treatments
HBOT | HYPERBARIC MEDICINE| HYPERBARIC OXYGEN TREATMENTS

Research suggest that HBOT increases capillary growth. It does not increase oxygen saturation in the blood by any substantial level ( spO2 is usually 97 to 98% at one atmosphere)

From what I know, chelation might be a way to remove calcium. But, forcefully removing calcium would risk calcium that is important like in bones. Or, better balancing of the calcium interacting elements might do the job better. Anti-oxidants help the tissues maintain balance better.

Could this calcium buildup be due to ineffective glymph functions ? Improving glymph function would help.

Many with PCS get stuck on a single narrow concept as their primary issue. That is rarely the case.

Have you suffered a concussion ?

Are you still struggling with some symptoms that defy your understanding ?

What have you done to try to help you brain heal ?

Thanks for the informative response Mark. I've heard a few medical professionals promote HBOT used for correcting intracellular calcium toxicity following concussion. I'm slightly informed on intra- and extracellular calcium interactions following concussions (Weber, 2012: Altered calcium signaling following TBI), but I'm not well educated on the matter, nor have I heard much detail with addressing calcium re-equalibration. There seems to be a connection with intracellular calcium influx and decreased cerebral blood flow. My questions are: 1) How efficient is the bodies ability to correct this calcium imbalance, or does calcium just bio-accumulate in brain cells 2) Can neuroimaging (FMRI or SPECT scan) capture these regions of calcium acculuation or inflamation 3) What reasonable processes can be used to correct intra-/extracellular calcium imbalance 4) If oxygen is the key to remediating calcium imbalance and imflamation, can rigorous breathing excercises like the Wim Hof method or kundalini yoga be as effective and much more economical than HBOT, or chelation?

I'm interested in calcium deposition and accumulation as i've had numerous concussions growing up. Each increasing in duration and severity. I have had PCS+whiplash symptoms for 1.5 years now. I've recovered most of my life, and have committed my focus to recover the remaining bits. My primary symptoms are dizzyness, neck soreness and disrupted sleep. The dizzyness has been diagnosed as visual-vestibular mismatch, the neck suffers from physical damage from whiplash, while sleep has been affected by hormone production (or lack thereof), and automomic nervous system imbalance (sympathetic stress). In my research, i've discovered a trend that links all of these issues back to the brain stem. I wonder, if the brain stem is the epicenter of my damage, is there still a regional issue that I haven't addressed yet (ie. calcium toxicity, chronic inflammation). I'm trying to get my family doctor on board to refer me for a SPECT scan that I don't have to pay for (I'm Canadian), and I'm using this form to proactively seek a remedy if I do find cerebral blood flow holes in the results of a neuroimage.

As I have said before, I think you are obsessing about calcium. I don't know anything more about calcium other than to use vitamin supplementation to help the body maintain a balance.

Good luck finding somebody to do the SPECT and then find somebody who even has a clue about the results. The same goes for fMRI.

In the US, if you have $10,000 or so, you can go to an Amen Clinic and get the whole protocol.

If your neck is a problem, it can cause brain stem inflammation that can disrupt many functions, including sleep, vestibular and more. Poor sleep can reduce oxygen use in the brain.

The research you are reading is likely focused on finding an issue that appears to be out of the norm and then develop an expensive drug to correct that issue while causing side-effects than require more drugs.......wash, rinse, repeat.

Or, it is just somebody who needs to write a thesis or other research report to get published.

Hi Hains

Trying to answer your questions:

(1) How efficient is the bodies ability to correct this calcium imbalance, or does calcium just bio-accumulate in brain cells?

Ca2+ is accessible to all body compartments, including the brain. Insoluble Ca2+ rich deposits can form in in the brains of people with Fahr disease, which is extremely rare. More commonly elevated levels of Ca2+ are often a sign of hyperparathyroidism, which usually arises from benign tumours in the parathyroid glands, leading to excess PTH production. Your health care team should be able to arrange for measurements of your blood Ca2+ and PTH levels.

(2) Can neuroimaging (FMRI or SPECT scan) capture these regions of calcium accumulation [...]?

No. This is well-understood physics. A CT scan can be diagnostic of Fahr disease, which is autosomal-dominant.

(3) What reasonable processes can be used to correct intra-/extracellular calcium imbalance?

Do you have any evidence (eg, interpretation of clinical signs by your health care team) that you have an "intra-/extracellular calcium imbalance" - I don't know what you mean by this phrase?

(4) If oxygen is the key to remediating calcium imbalance and inflammation, can rigorous breathing exercises like the Wim Hof method or kundalini yoga be as effective and much more economical than HBOT, or chelation?

Do you have any evidence to suggest that body oxygen levels are "the key" to your hypothetical "calcium imbalance"?

Thanks for your reply Mark. I think you're right about not obsessing over calcium toxicity. I believe intra/extra-cellular calcium exchange after a head injury is significant in triggering secondary affects, but the research i've come across suggests no risk of deleterious accumulation over time as the equilibrium is reached within a months time.

Thank you for leading me back to inflammation. It's something that I may have addressed to quickly, reason be, after a 4 day spell of insomnia, putting an icepack on my neck at bedtime temporarily solved the issue and i was able to recover my sleep.

As for SPECT scan, I've managed to get enlisted for a scan at a public hospital and it's covered by my health care. It won't be for a while, but i'll pick up some conversation about it on this forum as the time approaches.

Cheers,

Hains