In ALZ targeting amyloid plaques has resulted in nothing as far as I know. It is being considered that the plaques are a byproduct and not the root cause. Which leads me to question the validity of the quest to reduce alpha synuclein. Perhaps that is an oversimplification that may result in only minor or no benefit.
If our symptoms are a result of neurons that have died than why is it possible to improve?
I have read many accounts of people regaining abilities they had lost years prior. If the neurons are dead, they are dead. So what is the biological or neurological process enabling this improvement if the symptoms are caused by dead neurons? This leads me to hypothesize that not all the neurons that are presumed to be dead are dead and it could be possible to rescue them. Which leads me to further hypothesize that they need to be rescued , nurtured , not forced in to performance.
All I know for sure is that I do not know much of anything but I’m starting to doubt that “those who know the most” don’t know either.
Off to go exercise to diminish the symptoms caused by neurons that are dead and gone, or so they say. Or, am I really off to go exercise to nurture neurons that are struggling and my improvement is evidence of their improvement?
We have many reasons to have hope. For me, questioning long held assumptions is a source of hope.
The concept is not new. Because lost neurons on autopsy is THE diagnosis for PD , and because there is not really any current effective neuroprotective, neurorestorative , or neurogenerative therapy available to them, the Ferrari mechanics may be a bit short-hand in their description of Parkinsons. But unlikely to be unaware of the possibility and research projects.
The concept was behind the Bristol GDNF trials - this is from 2013 (1st 40 seconds - Alan Whone) youtube.com/watch?v=XDawNrR...
And Hidden is correct in referring to the possibility of neurogenesis - the brain has the genetically encoded ability to grow brand new fully functional neurons even in old age.
This is monkey stuff at the moment, but currently a human trial in Mexico is underway (allegedly - I have failed to confirm it). And whilst monkeys are not mice, they're not PWP either, but this is not a therapy that seeks primarily to affect the disease process (it does have a secondary effect of clearing waste mis-folded a-syn). So the fact that monkey brains were damaged artificially instead of naturally developping PD doesn't necessarily undermine the principle that new or regrown neurons result
The proteins (alpha synuclein) are seen more like traffic police, keeping the traffic flowing in an orderly manner. Whereas the microglia maybe seen more as the "paramedics" arriving to assist in the clearing of the accident; (misfolded alpha synuclein) causing the blockages in the brain.
I agree with you. My theory is it is just the garbage from the cell that gets deposited when the waste disposal system is blocked or inefficient.
Lots of things that seem to work to improve symptoms seem to confirm this. Like ambroxol thins mucus, mannitol is supposed to dissolve the deposits and remove them, exercise stimulates lymphatic system, yoga and qigong stretch out kinks and work on fascia which might restrict motion causing fluid retention and restricting drainage. Being overweight pushes organs into incorrect positions again affecting lymphatic drainage.
It’s not the only cause obviously but it can’t help the function of cells if their communications are cut off by lumps of waste products. And possibly eventually they do just shrivel up and die if the waste crowds them out and their nutrients can’t get in (maybe?)
That’s why I think taking a wide range of supplements, each with different purposes might help. Depending on what each persons individual problem is, these may vary from person to person. That’s why I think it’s a mistake to pin all hope on one supplement or treatment. Even if waste has been removed you still need to get to the bottom of original problem too.
Mannitol , ambroxol dissolve waste and prevent more forming
Vitamins , minerals , oils provide nutrients to feed cells, get body’s enzyme processes all ticking along
Diet remove foods that might increase rate waste forming including providing the right environment for good bacteria and add natural foods for maximum nutrition
Red light and other supplements to stimulate mitochondria to repair damage
Exercise and stretching to keep waste disposal system flushing out the system
Herbals to kill off bad bacteria and balance gut bacteria
clinoptilolite zeolite Or other herbal agents to adsorb other toxins, heavy metals, bacteria etc which might damage mitochondria
Other herbals which have specific purpose eg to help various enzyme processes, or to boost mood etc.
Digestion aids like enzymes, bile acids to improve digestion to maximise nutrition from food.
Are there other categories of supplements I’ve missed?
I think vitamins you can put under nutrition, and supporting an enzyme pathway where you have a sub par gene snp. Is matcha tea for helping levodopa get through blood brain barrier?
Cinnamon protects neurones (“administration of cinnamon powder and sodium benzoate may protect against dopaminergic cell death, striatal neurotransmitter dysregulation, and motor deficits in 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine mouse models of PD. The underlying mechanisms of its action include autophagy regulation, antioxidant effects, upregulation of Parkin, DJ-1, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor, as well as modulation of the Toll-like receptors/nuclear factor-κB pathway and inhibition of the excessive proinflammatory responses. In addition, in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that cinnamon extracts may affect the oligomerization process and aggregation of α-synuclein.”pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/335...
I think this is why it is good to put things into purpose categories. Then you can see you have all bases covered but you aren’t taking too many things that do the same job, and you have systematically eliminated toxins, repaired gut, provided nutrition , continue to clear away waste…
“…even neurons in adult higher vertebrates are capable of neurogenesis”
“This study is proof of principle, showing that it is possible to regenerate retinal neurons. We now believe the process for regenerating neurons in the brain will be similar,”
“…the team discovered that inhibiting or deleting just a single gene, the gene that encodes PTB, transforms several types of mouse cells directly into neurons.”
“This study is proof of principle, showing that it is possible to regenerate retinal neurons. We now believe the process for regenerating neurons in the brain will be similar,”
In zebra fish, not necessarily in the human species, let alone mice or rats.
1. I do believe that at least some dopamine producing neurons are merely impaired instead of dead, which makes relatively rapid improvement possible.
2. Mice genetically engineered to produce defective human alpha synuclein get Parkinson's just like humans do. One of many pieces of evidence supporting the alpha synuclein hypothesis.
According to some research, PD would not be caused by a lack of dopamine but of dopaminergic neurons. Dopamine would still be released quite normally in the clefts of the corresponding receptors. Because survivors (1 out of 4) are not adequately modulated by the pineal gland hormones (day/night cycle), they would not be able to make up for the lost activity of the dead ones.
PD is unlikely to be caused by one factor. To believe so is far too simplistic given the nature of the progression.
The sun may not go around the earth, but you sure can bring it to your head! Those of us with PD may want to consider adding one of these babies to our holiday gift list this year:
Near Infared Therapy
"Light therapy is safe and has measurable effects in the brain, according to a pioneering study by researchers from the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)."
"The only clinical report of PBM for Parkinson's disease in humans was an abstract presented in 2010. Eight patients between 18 and 80 years with late stage PD participated in a non-controlled, non-randomized study. Participants received tPBM treatments of the head designed to deliver light to the brain stem, bilateral occipital, parietal, temporal and frontal lobes, and treatment along the sagittal suture. A Visual Analog Scale (VAS), was used to record the severity of their symptoms of balance, gait, freezing, cognitive function, rolling in bed, and difficulties with speech pre-procedure and at study endpoint with 10 being most severe and 0 as no symptom. Compared with baseline, all participants demonstrated a numerical improvement in the VAS from baseline to study endpoint. A statistically significant reduction in VAS rating for gait and cognitive function was observed with average mean change of —1.87 (p < 0.05) for gait and a mean reduction of —2.22 (p < 0.05) for cognitive function. Further, freezing and difficulty with speech ratings were significantly lower (mean reduction of 1.28 (p < 0.05) for freezing and 2.22 (p < 0.05) for difficulty with speech)."
Skull cap or whole body sauna? apparently both work:
"In a study of PBM for Parkinson's disease in a mouse model, Mitrofanis and colleagues compared delivering light to the mouse head, and also covered up the head with aluminum foil so that they delivered light to the remainder of the mouse body. They found that there was a highly beneficial effect on neurocognitive behavior with irradiation to the head, but nevertheless there was also a statistically significant (although less pronounced benefit, referred to by these authors as an ‘abscopal effect”) when the head was shielded from light."
"The bulk of clinical literature suggests that light in the mid-600 nm range and low- to mid-800 nm range is extremely effective. That is because these wavelengths have the greatest effect on the cellular respiration process. The most beneficial of these peaks are in the range of 660-670 nm and 830-850 nm. These wavelengths have been proven to produce substantial improvements in cellular function…."
Author notes: not all helmets are created equal, many are tuned with wavelengths to grow hair, which may or may not be an objective for you (I use Minoxidol, lol), but that wavelength is not the best for PD nor the only one needed.
I think the reality is that the experts have no idea what the cause is. The alpha syncleuin is the best they have currently so until its definitively proven wrong, it'll be the number 1 target.
Personally I think parkinson is not 1 disease. I think alpha syncleuin is probably a cause or at least a compounding factor in a subset of patients but the fact that biopsys of parkinson patients have been done and shown no clumping implies were wasting our time on it as a 1 fits all cure.
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What were you told when you were first diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease?
Is it possible to measure levels of GDNF in a specific part of the brain of a living Pd patient?
Neurogenesis occurs within the adult striatum. Is it the right kind to help people with Parkinson's?
Digging Deeper into Neuron Valley
Movements and tactile stimulation to counter tremors. 
