The blood-brain barrier in health and chronic neurodegenerative disorders
 

http://www.citeulike.org/group/5052/article/2298215
2008, bbb, neurodegeneration, wow
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

is there a clue here?
 

Ron and other chemistry fans-

I know some of us have problems with urinary function. Urge incontinence is one commonly cited and one which I have experienced from time to time and which I will refer to for a minute here. I encounter this typically when going "off". Not just that the meds are wearing off, but the sudden onset over a five minute period of non-functionality. This results in a urgent need to hit the john anywhere from two to four times in the following fifteen minutes. A particularly cruel problem when one can not walk without freezing.

I believe this is what is known as "osmotic diuresis" and is often a feature of diabetes. But it is also caused by certain medications and perhaps other things that affect the permeability of the membranes involved.

A similar effect sometimes occurs during the night.

Another problem sometimes encountered is edema, especially in the lower legs. Water pools in the tissue. Again a membrane permeability problem.

There is yet another membrane permeability issue other than the BBB. The olfactory bulb projects into the environment through the olfactory endothelium, a membrane similar to the BBB. It can be damaged by head trauma, such as a boxer might face.

It is interesting that folks with allergic rhinitis have double the risk of PD, too. I assume that trauma from sneezing is involved, but I see no reason to rule out permeability changes of that barrier either.

So, counting the BBB, we have at least four membrane permeability issues with PD and at least two of them might play a possible causal role.

Oh, let's make it five. The GI tract and "leaky gut" and the toxin load of the system.

Is it possible that PD results from this. Or that our meds cause it? Could sinemet open the BBB, for example?

Or does systemic inflammation affect all these? Stress?