Serotonin and Neurological Afflictions

Hi,

Last week we saw how eating a tryptophan-rich diet didn’ t necessarily translate into increased serotonin levels in the brain unless backed by adequate Vitamin B3, B6 and complex carbohydrates. It however, did place one a better chance at getting a serotonin boost.

Studies have established some links to a defecient state of brain serotonin with other neurological afflictions besides migraines, such as alcoholism, depression, suicidal tendencies, PTSD, obsessive compulsive disorders, generalised anxiety disorders and social phobia to name a few.

We may experience low brain serotonin levels due to a variety of reasons:

1. Low levels of production of brain serotonin.

2. Less number of serotonin receptors in our brain region

3. High reuptake rate of serotonin back from the synapse into the presynaptic neurons, and

4. Defeciency in tryptophan levels in our body.

There is a new and fifth interesting dimension that has cropped up – that of the serotonin transporter gene (SERT). To relay a message, a neuron releases serotonin into the synapse or the gap between two neurons from where their dendrites begin. Once the message is relayed to the next neuron, the released serotonin in the synapse is collected and transported back to the pre-synaptic neuron by the SERT. SERTS are monoamine proteins. It has been found that when there are changes in the SERT metabolism, neurological afflictions begin.

It is also now being thought that the gene (called SLC6A4 – Solute Carrier family 6, member 4) that encodes the SERT can be mutated and result in changing the functions of SERT.

The area (aka promotor) in the gene SLC6A4 which synthesises RNA under the instrucions from DNA, contains polymorphism – some long repeats (16 repeats of a sequence) and some short repeats (14 repeats of a sequence). Shorter repeats obviously enable lesser coding in them and thus when we have a pair of short repeats we get an increase in the risks of developing disorder states.

So though SSRIs and beta blockers may help migraineurs as well as those suffering from insomnia, depression, PTSD and other anxiety disorders, their efficacy will not be the same between 2 persons with the same condition. Those predisposed to neurological and psychological conditions due to the presence of 2 short versions of the gene will be less benefitted than those with other variations (2 long or 1 long and 1 short).

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De-mystifying Migraines In Women

I was struck by the statistics on migraineurs worldwide published by the WHO. Apparently, 303 million people the world over suffer migraines, out of which women account for 70% of the patients. India alone has 100 million sufferers and the US has 30 million patients. The report went on to add that it is estimated that 20 million migraine attacks happen everyday!!!! Staggering by any scale.

Though a lot of cutting edge research has been done, especially in the last decade to control this beast, scientific reports still grapple with unknowns, and are still clueless on issues such as why or how magnesium release regulates calcium ions in the neurons or why a certain chain of events takes place in the cranium that bring on migraines or even why they wind up.

With so much still in the grey, one wonders when and if help will come from drugs that will be safe to consume in the long run or if there are any strategies out there to shake this neurological disease.

In my book, ‘Migraines for the Informed Woman’, I have attempted to simplify the esoteric jargon of research papers and scientific material on migraines. After more than one decade of trying most therapies, I have come to the conclusion, that some work and others that are not as effective. More importantly, I have come to realise that certain mixes of therapies done simultaneously work wonders.

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Best Regards