By: Austin Perlmutter, M.D. Depression is a global epidemic, a leading cause of disability that affects over 300 million people worldwide. Unfortunately, rates of diagnosed depression are continuing to rise in the United States, especially in our youth. When these disheartening statistics are combined with the relatively poor efficacy of our antidepressant medications, it becomes increasingly important to ask whether there may be non-pharmaceutical methods of treating this crippling condition. In recent years, scientific research has increasingly answered “yes.” In the past (and even today), depression has been explained as a simple neurotransmitter deficiency. This is why and how the conventional treatment for depression, drugs called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (commonly known as SSRIs), is thought to work. The putative mechanism of these drugs is that they increase the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain, resolving deficiency, improving mood, and alleviating depression. However, if it were this straightforward, we’d expect a Read More
Articles tagged with "Science"
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An Anti-Aging Medicine?
I recently had the unique opportunity to serve as an advisor for the development of the next XPRIZE. Many of you may have heard of the XPRIZE for space, and this new prize is, to a degree, similar. The new XPRIZE is being developed to help spur research in the field of longevity. As such, unlike the space prize, in which a finite goal could be easily established, developing a goal that would serve as a surrogate for longevity is more of a challenge. Nonetheless, it is a work in progress. Over the several days during which we worked on the project, one thing I was struck by was the discovery that a significant number of the scientists had begun taking a specific medication with the hope that it could stymie the aging process. The medication, metformin, is commonly used to control blood sugar in diabetics. Its mechanisms of action Read More
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Can Our Brain Activity Affect the Gene Expression of Future Generations?
David Perlmutter M.D. – Empowering Neurologist: The food, the facts, the science to control your genetic destiny. Well, this title offers a compelling question doesn’t it? From the outset, it’s important that I make it very clear that the science for today’s update is an animal study. That said, let’s explore. Researchers in Israel recently published a study in which they endeavored to determine if cells in the nervous systems of nematodes (worms) were able to communicate with the animal’s germ cells, the cells that are involved with transmitting genetic information to future generations. Previous research demonstrated that specific molecules called “small RNAs”, which are produced in nematodes, are able to affect future generations by communicating and influencing the genetic material in germ cells. This leads to genetic changes that persist in future generations. The new information demonstrates that cells in the nervous system of nematodes also produce these small Read More
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Diabetes Risk and Impulsivity
Understanding the relationship between less healthful dietary and lifestyle choices and developing type-2 diabetes, a recent study linking the brain’s center for impulsive behavior and diabetes risk was really interesting. The research was performed at the Massachusetts General Hospital and involved 232 non-diabetic subjects. These individuals underwent brain-imaging studies that measured the metabolic activity of their amygdalas, an area of the brain that is involved with fear, stress, and impulsivity. Researchers demonstrated that individuals with an amygdala that showed higher activity were much more likely to later develop diabetes. This risk seemed to be independent of obesity. Even the risk for insulin resistance, the harbinger for diabetes, also correlated with increased activity in the amygdala. There are a lot of interesting ideas that this relationship brings to mind. First, the amygdala is activated by stress. Stress also increases the level of cortisol hormone in the blood, which may then go Read More
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Diabetes Risk and Impulsivity
Understanding the relationship between less healthful dietary and lifestyle choices and developing type-2 diabetes, a recent study linking the brain’s center for impulsive behavior and diabetes risk was really interesting. The research was performed at the Massachusetts General Hospital and involved 232 non-diabetic subjects. These individuals underwent brain-imaging studies that measured the metabolic activity of their amygdalas, an area of the brain that is involved with fear, stress, and impulsivity. Researchers demonstrated that individuals with an amygdala that showed higher activity were much more likely to later develop diabetes. This risk seemed to be independent of obesity. Even the risk for insulin resistance, the harbinger for diabetes, also correlated with increased activity in the amygdala. There are a lot of interesting ideas that this relationship brings to mind. First, the amygdala is activated by stress. Stress also increases the level of cortisol hormone in the blood, which may then go Read More
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CBD – Offering Hope for Anxiety
Anxiety has become exceedingly widespread in adult Americans. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, over 18% of American adults – 40 million people – suffer from anxiety at any given moment while nearly a third of us will experience symptoms of anxiety disorder at some point in our lifetimes. Incredibly, the average age of onset is 11 years. Women are 60% more likely to experience anxiety disorder during the course of their lifetime in comparison to men. These numbers are impressive and clearly support our understanding as to why people are seeking out approaches, aside from pharmaceuticals, that can be helpful. This commentary explains the growing interest in cannabidiol, CBD, as a more natural approach to dealing with anxiety, and with good reason. Well-conducted clinical trials have already demonstrated the effectiveness of CBD in anxiety. As an example, in a 2019 study, researchers at the University of Colorado Read More
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Ketosis Increases Antioxidant Activity
The science surrounding the ketogenic diet expands day by day. In today’s video I will explore some of the science that shows a relationship between the ketogenic diet and increased brain glutathione levels, and explain why that matters for brain health. The full study can be found here. Want to learn more about the ketogenic diet? Then consider checking out my e-guide to this incredibly powerful dietary and lifestyle choice. Source