The brain, like all other body systems, is susceptible to disease as a result of imbalances. The brain is a vastly complex organ that regulates all body functions from the most simple, like breathing, to the most complex, like higher order thinking processes. After recognizing the vast importance and variety of the brain’s functions it should come as no surprise that countless issues can arise when the organ is not in a state of balance.
Diseases of the brain can be categorized as neurological disorders, storage disorders, mood and personality disorders, developmental, or prion diseases. Neurological disorders include some of the most commonly discussed diseases of the brain including Alzheimer’s disease, dementia, Huntington’s disease, and epilepsy. These disorders can vary greatly in severity, even in individuals diagnosed with the same condition, but even in less severe cases motor/cognitive impairment can occur and in turn harm patient’s emotional wellbeing. There are still many questions surrounding neurological disorders. Some of the largest unanswered questions are the exact causes, or initial unbalances, and the possibility of cures.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is one chronic neurological disorder that has no known cause or cure at this point in time but is suspected to be an autoimmune disorder. Nearly 1 million people in the United States have been diagnosed with this disease. MS is classified as an inflammatory neurodegenerative disease of the Central Nervous System. The mechanism behind this disease is demyelination, or the breakdown of insulating myelin sheaths that surround the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. This breakdown results in lesions of scar tissue forming throughout the nervous system. The symptoms, presentation, and course of this disease varies greatly between individuals depending on where in the nervous system is being attacked. Common early symptoms include vision issues, trouble walking, and abnormal sensations such as numbness and tingling. Over time periods of remission and recovery are followed by streaks of worsening symptoms. In the advanced stage this disease can cause severe mobility issues, blindness, debilitating neuropathic pain, and cognitive/emotional issues. Treatment through corticosteroids and β-interferon drugs can help reduce symptoms and increase periods of remission which gives patients a greater possibility of maintaining normal quality of life.
Not all diseases of the brain begin internally. Traumatic brain injuries can result in physical and cognitive impairments that can drastically reduce quality of life. One particular aspect of traumatic brain injuries that has become more apparent to the general public in recent years is personality changes associated with brain injury. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated head traumas like concussions. For players involved in contact sports and military personnel who are regularly exposed to brain trauma this has become a large concern.The physiology behind this disease involves an abnormal buildup of tau proteins in the brain. These proteins are also implicated in Alzheimer’s disease though the protein pattern, typical age of onset, and symptoms differ significantly. CTE generally presents when an individual is in their 40’s and early symptoms commonly include issues with judgment, impulsivity, aggression, and reasoning. Football specifically has evolved significantly since the discovery of CTE in an effort to make the sport more safe for players in the long term, including longer resting periods after concussions and more protective helmets. One of the most significant studies that spurred this change involved a CTE researcher examining 202 brains post mortem. 111 of these brains came from former professional football players, and of these 111 brains 110 showed signs of CTE. This research revealed the pervasive nature of CTE in football, but two case studies exhibit exactly how drastic this disorder can be. Phillip Adams and Aaron Hernandez are two former NFL players who killed others and then themselves in highly-publicized cases. Post mortem studies of the two players' brains revealed abnormally severe CTE which may have contributed to these acts. This research into brains and the associated case studies emphasize the importance of protecting the brain from trauma, especially in professions where trauma is likely to occur on a consistent basis.
Personality disorders are not necessarily caused by internal or external imbalances, but some combination of both. We often separate the mind and brain as psychological and biological concepts respectively, but in the case of these disorders they are interwoven beyond the point of separation. This is due to genetic predispositions towards personality disorders being triggered by traumatic life experiences, such as abuse, at a young age which in turn causes physical changes to the brain. Development of these disorders can have drastic negative effects later in life. Exact statistics regarding how many people in the general population suffer from suicidal thoughts and tendencies varies significantly, but in 2018 the National Survey of Drug Use and Mental Health estimated that 0.5% of the population above 18 had attempted suicide at least one. This contrasts sharply with statistic involving suicide attempts in those with Borderline Personality Disorder. Researchers have determined that approximately 70% of those diagnosed with this disorder will attempt suicide at some point in their life, and 10% will succeed. These statistics make it clear that disorders of the brain are no less dangerous because they do not manifest with physical symptoms.
The human brain only makes up roughly 2% of an individual's weight, but in this case size is not indicative of significance. The brain is a marvel of biology and human evolution when working effectively. But, when the brain suffers from imbalance and disease the results can be horrific. These diseases can result from numerous genetic, physiological, and environmental influences and impact the brain, mind, and body in turn.
Imbalances in the brain can be both treated and introduced through the addition of chemicals that resemble those produced naturally in the body, more simply known as drugs. There are several different types of drugs including prescription drugs, over the counter drugs, recreational drugs, illicit drugs, and herbal drugs. All of these work through binding to receptor sites in the body, but the impacts can vary dramatically - especially in the brain. For the main part, prescription, over the counter, and herbal drugs are perceived positively, while illicit and recreational drugs are stigmatized and a major point of concern for society.
Psychoactive drugs are those that impact mental processes such as cognition and perception through acting on neurotransmitters in the brain. Depressants, opioids, stimulants, hallucinogens, marijuana, and designer drugs all fall under this category. It is important to note that not all psychoactive drugs are explicitly negative. Under close supervision by licensed medical professionals depressants, opioids, and stimulants are prescribed and dispensed every day, and treatment of various mental disorders through marijuana and hallucinogens is currently being researched with many studies showing great promise. But, the line between these drugs being beneficial or life ruining is often quite thin.
Stimulants increase overall activity of the central nervous system primarily through creating an overbalance of dopamine and norepinephrine transmitters. These drugs are often prescribed to help combat ADHD, narcolepsy, and obesity. In these cases the overbalance of neurotransmitters can help bring balance to symptoms of these disorders like an ineffective dopamine processing system or an excessive appetite. Adderall, Ritalin, and even FDA-approved methamphetamine under the name Desoxyn in severe cases are prescribed with great benefit to many. But, due to these substances working on the reward pathway of the brain a great risk for abuse is present. On an annual basis 16 million Americans use prescription stimulants, and of those 16 million individuals 5 million misused these drugs at least once and 0.4 million suffered from prescription stimulant abuse disorders. Misuse of these drugs can cause catastrophic imbalances in the brain and other body systems in turn with symptoms like anxiety, irregular heart beat, psychosis, and insomnia commonly occurring at high doses. These symptoms can be even more dangerous for unregulated street stimulants such as methamphetamine and cocaine.
Addiction is one of the most major points of concern for all psychoactive drugs whether they be prescription, illicit, or even legally sold in gas stations. Long term administration of drugs creates imbalances that physically alter the brain and its neuronal circuits through changes to receptors/transporters and even the overall structure of the organ. These effects are especially significant when the brain is still in development, which is an ongoing process for the first 25 years of life on average. For children and teens in particular, drug abuse can result in neuroadaptivity (an insensitivity to pleasurable stimuli), hypofrontality (impacted decision-making abilities), and memory loss. Hypofrontality is highly concerning for this age group in regards to the gateway drug theory which essentially states that drugs commonly abused by minors such as alcohol and nicotine may potentially alter the brain in a manner that makes the use of other more addictive drugs such as cocaine and heroin more likely.
Overall, drug use varies greatly in terms of creating or treating imbalances in the brain and body. Some research suggests that a more holistic/botanical approach to pharmaceuticals may be beneficial for patients and communities. These ideas are largely based on the concept of Ayurveda and treating natural imbalances with natural balancers. But, regardless of drug origins being synthetic or natural there is no question that brain imbalance is now and likely will forever be a major point of concern for human societies as we try to improve our approaches to neurological diseases, mental health issues, brain injuries, and drugs.
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