[Ronhutton]

The BBB keeps popping up as a cause of PD.
Ron
http://citeulike.com/user/sternshein/article/2298215

The blood-brain barrier in health and chronic neurodegenerative disorders.
by: BV Zlokovic
Neuron, Vol. 57, No. 2. (24 January 2008), pp. 178-201.

Abstract
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a highly specialized brain endothelial structure of the fully differentiated neurovascular system. In concert with pericytes, astrocytes, and microglia, the BBB separates components of the circulating blood from neurons. Moreover, the BBB maintains the chemical composition of the neuronal "milieu," which is required for proper functioning of neuronal circuits, synaptic transmission, synaptic remodeling, angiogenesis, and neurogenesis in the adult brain. BBB breakdown, due to disruption of the tight junctions, altered transport of molecules between blood and brain and brain and blood, aberrant angiogenesis, vessel regression, brain hypoperfusion, and inflammatory responses, may initiate and/or contribute to a "vicious circle" of the disease process, resulting in progressive synaptic and neuronal dysfunction and loss in disorders such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and others. These findings support developments of new therapeutic approaches for chronic neurodegenerative disorders directed at the BBB and other nonneuronal cells of the neurovascular unit

[reverett123]

1: Cell Transplant. 2008;17(4):363-72.

Neuroinflammation and peripheral immune infiltration in Parkinson's disease: an
autoimmune hypothesis.

Monahan AJ, Warren M, Carvey PM.

Department of Pharmacology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612,
USA. Angela_Monahan@rush.edu

Despite decades of research and the development of a large group of animal
models, our understanding of the mechanisms responsible for the progressive loss
of dopamine neurons in Parkinson's disease (PD) is unknown. So-called
neuroprotective studies demonstrate that a vast group of molecules readily
attenuate the dopamine (DA) neuron loss produced by DA neurotoxin insult. Despite
these successes, these neuroprotective strategies have been surprisingly
ineffective in patients. This may reflect the fact that the initial pathogenic
event and the subsequent disease progression is a consequence of different
mechanisms. As we began to think about this disconnect, we discovered that
animals exposed to DA neurotoxins exhibited blood-brain barrier (BBB)
dysfunction. If the BBB in PD patients is disrupted, then the barrier that
normally segregates peripheral vascular factors from brain parenchyma is no
longer present. Immune cells could then enter brain and produce a
self-perpetuating (progressive) degenerative process. In this review, we propose
that peripheral immunity contributes to the degenerative process of PD and may be
responsible for the progressive nature of the disease. This hypothesis is
supported by a broad and diverse literature that is just beginning to come
together to suggest that PD is, in part, an autoimmune disease. In order to
understand this hypothesis, the reader must question the conventional wisdom that
the BBB is intact in PD, the brain is an immune privileged area, and that
pathogenic insult and disease progression may reflect different mechanisms.


PMID: 18522239 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

[paula_w]

Ron,

Can you possibly think of a study we could do on the blood brain barrier here at neurotalk that wouldn't involve pictures, just information? We have other illness forums here to include in a database.

Here is a post from Doc John on social science research.

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archive...arch-any-good/

just wondering,
paula

[lurkingforacure]

Anyone interested in the BBB should read one or more of Russell Blaylock's (neurologist) books. I am currently reading a book called The Vaccine Safety Manual which has a forward by Dr. Blaylock. It is fascinating. Halfway through, I am convinced, that none of the vaccines we have today actually confer the immunity they are supposed to, and also cause or at least enormously contribute to major neurological problems seen with the young brain, some of which do not materialize until decades later. It is scary, how this whole vaccine concept came into being, and horrifying how the FDA keeps recommending vaccines, and adding new vaccines to the list. The book is incredibly well-researched, there are footnotes for almost every statement, and it should be read by every person who is even considering getting a shot for themselves or a loved one. I'd be interested in hearing from others who have read it, and what they think of it.

[Ronhutton]

Rick,
Sorry, I was not trying to post refs you have sent me, but I don't understand your post. You say the 2 papers are by the same author, but yours is by Monahan AJ, Warren M, Carvey PM. whilst mine is by BV Zlokovic
Paula, Hi,
Yes, I think you could carry out several trials to obtain evidence on the role of the BBB in PD. I understand the permeability of the human BBB can be measured in vivo, ie when the patient is living.!!
So why not measure the permeabilities of a range of PD patients from just diagnosed to advanced sufferers, ie say from 1 year to 20 years since diagnosis
Graph the results and see if you get a steady decline in the efficiency (increase in permeability) of the BBB as PD progresses.
Hi Lurkingforacure
Yes, I really must read Blaycock's book, I have read and heard a lot about it, He sounds to be on the ball
Ron

[reverett123]

Ron-
I was referring to P.M. Carvey who heads the team in Chicago that generated both reports. He has turned out some interesting work as far back as 1976.

One problem with assessing BBB function is that it is a dynamic rather than static phenomenon and changes constantly, although I don't know how much or on what time scale. Your tooth, for example, probably shot it full of holes for a day or two. Stress, blood sugar, etc... all fluctuate with it.
-Rick

Originally Posted by Ronhutton

Rick,
Sorry, I was not trying to post refs you have sent me, but I don't understand your post. You say the 2 papers are by the same author, but yours is by Monahan AJ, Warren M, Carvey PM. whilst mine is by BV Zlokovic
Paula, Hi,
Yes, I think you could carry out several trials to obtain evidence on the role of the BBB in PD. I understand the permeability of the human BBB can be measured in vivo, ie when the patient is living.!!
So why not measure the permeabilities of a range of PD patients from just diagnosed to advanced sufferers, ie say from 1 year to 20 years since diagnosis
Graph the results and see if you get a steady decline in the efficiency (increase in permeability) of the BBB as PD progresses.
Hi Lurkingforacure
Yes, I really must read Blaycock's book, I have read and heard a lot about it, He sounds to be on the ball
Ron

[Ronhutton]

[
An article by Robert O. Young
http://articlesofhealth.blogspot.com...on-part-2.html
in which he says,

"The blood brain barrier (BBB), which normally protects the brain from excess glutamate and aspartate as well as toxins, 1) is not fully developed during childhood, 2) does not fully protect all areas of the brain, 3) is damaged by numerous chronic and acute conditions, and 4) allows seepage of excess glutamate and aspartate into the brain even when intact.

The excess glutamate and aspartate slowly begin to destroy neurons. The large majority (75 percent or more) of neural cells in a particular area of the brain are killed before any clinical symptoms of a chronic illness are noticed. A few of the many chronic illnesses that have been shown to be contributed to by long-term exposure to excitatory amino acid damage include:

* Multiple sclerosis (MS)
* ALS
* Memory loss
* Hormonal problems
* Hearing loss
* Epilepsy
* Alzheimer's disease
* Parkinson's disease
* Hypoglycemia
* AIDS
* Dementia
* Brain lesions
* Neuroendocrine disorders"

Ron

[paula_w]

Does anyone know when vaccines began? We didn't always have them. There would be fewer cases of these illnesses before the cause of them came along....naturally. Perhaps if we compared our vaccine records in a database here at neruotalk [easier said then done - or already been done elsewhere? ] Just thinking out loud. Also indicate whether we are the first generation to have the illness and include all of the above illnesses that have active forums here.

Would something like that yield anything with validity? Our school system might be able to tell us the requirements for when we started school, then we would know what we were given if we have no records or parents are deceased. IF we weren't vaccinated, I would assume we might know that about ourselves?

Adding that control group would be those who were not vaccinated?

paula

[Curious]

1796. the first vaccine was for smallpox.

the weird things we remember from college.

i'll do a search on modern medicne. good question paula.

good info and links:

http://www.halexandria.org/dward050.htm

[reverett123]

http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/welco..._timeline.html


A good reference-at-a-glance of when various vaccines were introduced. It is interesting to note 1945 as the first flu vaccine and the introduction of the polio vaccine in 1955. I believe these were the first ones against viruses and they do bracket our generation rather well.

Another reason they are of interest is the surge in PD following the flu epidemic in the late teens. Still another, you may remember the German scientist Braak (sp?) has shown a well-defined sequence of places that Lewy bodies show up in PD. Something goes marching along our nerve fibers like General Sherman heading for the beach. One thing that follows a similar path is the polio virus. Polio vaccines were the first to use a weakened but still living virus.