GDNF: 50+ Ways to Increase It

[Kia17]

When it comes to brains, neurons get all the love. But what if there were other brain cell types that are more common than neurons? It turns out that there are: glial cells!

selfhacked.com/blog/gdnf/

[Hidden]

Melatonin is also a GDNF/BDNF promoter.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

Melatonin is an impressive molecule and is naturally produced in multiple areas of the body, but production declines significantly as we age. The potential health benefits of melatonin are many as it is a well established protector of major organs such as the brain eyes, heart, kidneys, lungs and liver and a significant anti-carcinogen. Oh, and it may have life extending qualities! Also an effective sleep aid when used properly!

Art

[WinnieThePoo in reply to Hidden]

A good reason to drink more beer. I have had to call on that justification a few times this weekend... 😄

[Hidden in reply to WinnieThePoo]

I'll drink to that! 😉

Art

[Trixiedee in reply to WinnieThePoo]

Why drink more beer? Alcohol isn’t good for neurological conditions. It creates inflammation.

[WinnieThePoo in reply to Trixiedee]

Beer is a good food source of Melatonin - as are grains generally.

[enjoysalud]

Very good

[WinnieThePoo]

Hmm. Lots of interesting stuff, but a presentation which implies more than is real. A lot of broadly accurate and interesting stuff but a lot of wildly exaggerated conclusions or misinterpretations.

To take just one example, vitamin D is listed as increasing gdnf production. Follow the link and tell me where the research says that. It links vitamin D to dopamine neuron growth, possibly, which is of interest,but not the same as linking it to gdnf production.

Incidentally, vitamin D IS associated with brain health and development and is frequently low in PWP. It's a simple blood test. Try to keep your blood vitamin D at the upper end of the recommended range.

[Dap1948]

Also read Brant Cortright's book "Neurogenisis". Full of diet and lifestyle changes to improve GDNF and BDNFo

[WinnieThePoo]

The report is a voluminous coverage of GDNA and its benefits generically. Most of us are interested in its potential to help PD. The key section is in No6 of "GDNF - the Good"

It says

"GDNF May Help Parkinson’s Disease

Parkinson’s disease is primarily caused by the death of dopamine neurons in brain regions that control movement. GDNF can help slow this loss and perhaps even reverse it by protecting and regenerating these neurons [R, R].

However, the ability of GDNF to improve symptoms of Parkinson’s disease in rodents depends on the disease model used. For example, GDNF is not able to help in models where alpha-synuclein is overproduced [R].

In Parkinson’s disease, alpha-synuclein decreases the GDNF receptor RET, disrupting GDNF activity in dopamine-responsive neurons [R].

These considerations leave the potential of increasing GDNF for treating Parkinson’s disease uncertain, though much research is currently underway."

So GDNF is neuroprotective, and tropic, in animal models and lab dishes. It cannot cross the blood brain barrier, and has to be produced in, or directly injected to, the brain to provide those potential benefits on the neurons we are most concerned with. Even if you can get it where you want it in a PD brain, it's action is severely impaired by alpha synuclein overproduction, probably due to a relative lack of a micro RNA strand, known as MIR7. Lack of MIR7 allows excessive levels of A syn, and that A syn blocks the GDNF from doing its stuff in neurons of PWP. Maybe.

It's interesting stuff. There is huge potential, theoretically, for it as a PD treatment. But it isn't as simple as following GDNF booster tips on web sites. Much research is needed to unlock the potential. The Bristol trial, in the BBC2 documentary, is at the forefront of this.

This is a good video I have posted before

youtube.com/watch?time_cont...

[Kia17 in reply to WinnieThePoo]

👍👍 Poo

As you highlighted ,GDNF only helped rodents which their PD was Alpha-synuclein related. But its uknown if it helps other causes of PD as well.

Since we didn’t see another side of the coin and increasing GDNF is almost risk free we can stick to it for the time being.GDNF needs to be in the right amount, right time and right place and like you said itsnot that simple.

What do you think?

[WinnieThePoo in reply to Kia17]

I agree. There's no harm in trying to increase GDNF. However, it needs to be increased in the brain, at the very least, as it doesn't cross the BBB, and it is thought not to travel around the brain well either, so it needs to be produced in the right bit of the brain.

Also, it isn't quite true "it only affects rodents where their PD was A-syn related". GDNF worked its magic in normal rodents. It didn't work its magic in rodents which overexpressed A-syn (in that linked 2012 trial)

Other studies have confirmed A-syn interferes with GDNF uptake, and that's maybe why PWP don't respond as well as lab mice and petri-dish PSC. The Bristol research has further confirmed the A-syn problem.

[ConnieD]

Is it a concern that it increases cancer growth? the article mentions pancreatic cancer which is what my dad died from. Terrible cancer, definitely a death sentence.

[Kia17 in reply to ConnieD]

Connie,Sorry to hear about your dad.

We should understand that we are taking about one of the most complicated, sophisticated organ , the brain. Scientists still have very limited information about its fuction Plus its been located in a place gaurded by a very strict wall, the BBB which make it even more hard to access. We are speculating in a pure darkness.

[ConnieD in reply to Kia17]

Thanks Kia for clarifying that, I always find your posts very informative!😊

[Kia17]

❌The following decrease GDNF:

Amphetamines (including methamphetamines)

Arsenic

BPA

Caffeic Acid

Chronic morphine or cocaine exposure (increases GDNF then decreases)

Dopamine (as a negative feedback loop)

Dysbiosis

Indole-3-carbinol

Melatonin (conflicting if decreases GDNF, but does increase NGF and BDNF)

Lithium

Spaceflight

Stress

Yohimbine

Zinc

[Kia17]

Ibogaine and Neurotrophic Factors: GDNF, BDNF and NGF Releasing Properties of Ibogaine and Activity of Novel Ibogaine Analogues

youtu.be/0WHmSu-MUFI(Not working as expected?)

psychedelicscience.org/conf...

[JohnPepper]

You are quite right. GDNF is the glial cell's natural way of looking after itself. All we need to do is find out how to produce more GDNF and most of our problems are solved. But who wants that?

The answer to that is WE DO! The drug companies probably don't!