Movement Disorders, Tourettes, Tics, CMS & Stimming
Johns Hopkins Video on CMS This is not a comprehensive list, and these are simply some information I have found along the way. Getting a bit vulnerable tonight, but I wanted to give an example of what physically happens to our son when he consumes free glutamate and/or sources of MSG. This video shows a mild form of the intense “shakes” he was experiencing nearly 40 times a day. While movements like these (hand flapping, wringing of wrists, aka stimming, etc.) are [...]
Mitochondrial Dysfunction & Low Muscle Tone
Our little guy once struggled with extremely low muscle tone. In fact, his physical therapist once suggested she suspected cerebral palsy. While working to reduce his glutamate load with diet helped, it wasn't until we started homeopathy to get at some of his underlying imbalances and intrinsic glutamate produced by the body, that we really started to see improvements. Our little guy is now one of the most physically fit kids I know. This is not a comprehensive list, simply [...]
Headaches & Migraines
” The authors propose that this central neuronal hyperexcitability involves overactivity of the excitatory amino acids, glutamate, and possibly asparate. Stimuli that activate the migraine attack evoke neuronal depolarization, slow deplorization shifts, and spreading suppression of spontaneous neuronal activity possible by glutamate and K+dependent mechanisms. A low brain Mg2+ and consequent reduced gating of glutamatergic receptors may provide the link between the physiologic threshold for a migraine attack and the mechanisms of the attack itself by promoting glutamate hyperactivity, neuronal hyperexcitability, [...]
Microbial Imbalances
This is not a comprehensive list, simply some articles I have found along the way. “High levels of glutamate may increase the survival of unfriendly microbes in the gut and contribute to problems like excess acid and heartburn.” (http://www.holistichelp.net/blog/how-to-increase-gaba-and-balance-glutamate/) “Additionally, Candida produces a toxin called beta alanine that competes with taurine for reabsorption in the kidney, and causes taurine to be wasted in the kidneys and excreted through the urine and beta alanine is absorbed instead. Therefore, taurine levels may [...]
Methylation
This is not a comprehensive list, simply some articles I have found along the way. “Methylation also plays a role in the GABA and glutamate balance in a variety of ways. For one, if there is impairment in the methylation pathway, then folate doesn’t get utilized and it can break down into glutamate. Additionally, if you are not methylating properly you may not be able to suppress microbes like viruses or make enough T cells to fight them off, which [...]
Heavy Metals
This is not a comprehensive list, simply some articles I have found along the way. “Our review suggests that most autism spectrum disorder (ASD) risk factors are connected, either directly or indirectly, to immunoexcitotoxicity. Chronic brain inflammation is known to enhance the sensitivity of glutamate receptors and interfere with glutamate removal from the extraneuronal space, where it can trigger excitotoxicity over a prolonged period. Neuroscience studies have clearly shown that sequential systemic immune stimulation can activate the brain’s immune system, [...]
Fragile X
“Reducing glutamate signaling pays off in fragile X” https://www.nature.com/nm/journal/v14/n3/full/nm0308-249.html “This has become a long-standing unanswered question in the fragile X field, which is also relevant to autism pathogenesis. Our current study generated astrocyte-specific Fmr1 conditional knock-out and restoration mice, and provided compelling evidence that the selective loss of astroglial FMRP contributes to cortical synaptic deficits in FXS, likely through the dysregulated astroglial glutamate transporter GLT1 expression and impaired glutamate uptake. These results demonstrate previously undescribed astrocyte-mediated mechanisms in the pathogenesis of [...]
Looking at Glutamate in Underlying Infections & Immune Dysfunction (PANS, PANDAS, AE, Lyme, etc)
PANS & PANDAS Pediatric Acute-onset Neuropsychiatric Syndrome (PANS), Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections (PANDAS) diagnosis has jumped to 1 in 200 hundred and is becoming more and more common. These disorders are distinguishing by an often striking onset of neuropsychiatric symptoms in response to immune activation and possibly misdirected immune response. While PANS can be triggered by numerous infections, PANDAS is just associated with the strep infection. Symptoms of PANS & PANDAS Tics Obsessions/Compulsions/OCD Anxiety Headaches/Migraines ADHD [...]
Dyslexia
This is not a comprehensive list, simply some articles I have found along the way. There seems to be growing evidence that excess glutamate is also involved with dyslexia. " The first theory suggests that dyslexia might be a consequence of neuronal hyperexcitability, which contributes to learning deficits by heightened noise and instability in information processing3. This theory emphasizes the importance of balanced levels of excitation and inhibition within cortical pyramidal-interneuron networks, which support tuning to sensory input, neural timing, [...]
Cancer
This is not a comprehensive list, simply some articles I have found along the way. Not only does excess glutamate (dietary sources, immune activation, inflammation, etc) contribute to cancer development, but it is a primary cause of cancer growth and metastasis. Glutamate is utilized by cancer cells as a sort of “food/energy source” to allow cancer growth. Additionally, cancer cells secrete high levels of glutamate (excitotoxic), which excites nearby cells until they die off, allowing room for cancer cells to [...]