Curated paper 2 - Ryder Vance

 

Changes in biology can be brought through a variety of ways and can consequently produce a variety of effects. The intentional or unintentional altering of brain chemistry, metabolic pathways, or genetic makeup can produce short-term and long-term changes to individuals with potentially negative or positive effects. This basic principle is the process through which modern medications function to treat illnesses and conditions as well as how pathogens cause illness in a host. The body’s natural state is not a state of inactivity, or in other words, no biological changes or functions; but it is rather a state of homeostatic response, a balance between changes on the spectrum of reactions. When this spectrum sways too far to one side we often see adverse or unfavorable responses. In examining various areas of our biology, we can see how imbalances from biological changes can result in countless different outcomes.

The brain is an extremely complex organ in the human body responsible for countless functions which we rely on day to day for our survival. It is one of, if not the most complex organs in our body. With over 100 billion nerve cells that communicate between each other along with other specialized structures and lobes, the brain is responsible for functions like higher cognition, recognition, speech, and much more. It is hard to begin to process the value of our brain as far as its role in making us who we are in terms of individuality and thought processing. Of course, this itself is a paradoxical view to consider using our brain to think about the value of our brain. Nonetheless, it is extremely interesting to think of how our brain relates to the concepts of interconnectedness and ayurveda in our body and its functions.

              When examining this idea of interconnectedness, it is pertinent to look at neurological disorders and their effects on the body and the consciousness of the individual. Neurological disorders like Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, Alzheimer’s, and more can impact other areas like motor functions, cognitive and emotional behavior, and psychological processing. Personality can also be affected by mood disorders like Schizophrenia, paranoia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and more. Multiple Sclerosis is a neurological condition in which the brain and spinal cord axons demyelinate in patches resulting in symptoms of weakness in extremities, vertigo, gait disturbances, visual complications, and more. Recovery is often lengthy for many individuals, and it has no known cause. It is treated by corticosteroids prescription during active periods while beta-interferon shows signs of preventing relapse and slowing disease progression. Huntington’s disease is a progressive condition which leads to dementia in the patient. It typically presents itself as changes in mood and character along with defects in memory and attention eventually resulting in involuntary rapid movements of the body. Dementia is used to generally describe a deterioration of cognitive abilities as a result of diseases like strokes, Huntington’s, Parkinson’s, and Alzheimer’s.

              Injuries can also affect the brain and as a result personality and cognitive functions. Injuries to the brain from a physical force are known as traumatic brain injuries and are recognized as a risk factor for psychiatric disorders. These injuries can impair cognition, physical functions, along with mood and personality. These injuries are caused by severe impacts from car accidents, firearms, falls, concussions, explosions, infections, toxins and more. Brain injuries are complex and challenging to understand for several reasons. One is that we are still learning to understand the complexities and interconnectedness of each aspect of the brain. Additionally, the way the brain heals from injuries is still somewhat unknown and different from other organs in the body. This subsequently makes it hard to treat these injuries. Major personality changes associated with traumatic brain injury are generally grouped into five major subtypes: affective liability, aggression, disinhibition, apathetic, and paranoid. Traumatic brain injuries to me are extremely fascinating and personal. I played football for many years and saw firsthand the effects of mild traumatic brain injuries from concussions. In one instance I took a severe hit to the head during football that caused me to have headaches, visual sensitivity, and even a minor stutter for a few days following. These instances were one of the driving factors that interested me in biology, disease, and medicine.   

              Injuries and disorders of the brain are an interesting example of interconnectedness. We can see how conditions affecting relatively small areas of the nervous system can subsequently affect virtually every other area of the body to some extent. By continuing to understand the connection within the brain and between the brain and the body, we can perhaps find better ways to assist in treating some of these conditions, many of which have no clear cure or treatment plan. With improved knowledge on the brain and the causes of its many potential disorders, we can likewise restore better balance to the system and hopefully improve the quality of life for the countless individuals who are affected by them.

Drugs are a big part of the modern medical landscape and are another example of how changes in biological reactions can occur. Be it preventing and treating illegal drug use and abuse or use of prescription drugs to treat medical conditions, it is a massive aspect of medical care for most practitioners. Drugs work by altering or inhibiting the neurological and metabolic pathways causing physiological, psychological, and behavioral changes including desired effects and side effects. Most drugs resemble naturally present chemicals of the body and thus can interact with specific receptors in the body to produce their effects. Drugs literally change the chemistry of body, both for the better or the worse. Additionally, many drugs can be highly addictive and create problems for individuals when they contain impurities which alter their function and cause problems in the body. Drugs can also interact with each other and other substances in the body to produce amplified or inhibitory effects, changing brain chemistry and function both temporarily and long-term. Additionally, the body can also become less receptive to its natural chemical messengers due to frequent use of drugs. This can result in cravings, dependence, and addiction. 

              Drug usage has an interesting impact on our class discussions of imbalance. Drugs are often used to treat imbalances, or when used incorrectly they can create them. Cocaine and similar drugs increase the presence of chemical messengers in our system creating powerful effects from the amount present. Even when used properly, drugs can create imbalances and adverse effects on the body. For example, use of strong anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve inflammation for injuries can cause the body to “rebound” with severe inflammation when treatment stops. This is because the body begins to rely on the presence of the drug to respond to the inflammation and thus doesn’t produce its own anti-inflammatory responses. This is just a couple of examples on how drug usage impacts our bodily system’s imbalances.
              There’s a great need for changes in our use of drugs in the world. Both illegal/recreational and prescription drug usage come with risks and problems. The opioid epidemic is one of the leading causes of death in America currently with tens of thousands of people dying from opioids annually. Countless families are impacted by drug addiction and drug-related effects. Potential changes lie in changing the care model for patients. As it stands, patients are most often treated for their symptoms rather than the underlying issue, particularly when the cause isn’t clear. When this is the case, drug therapy and usage may create additional problems rather than improving the true issue. By improving diagnosis and alternative care methods, our societal dependance on drugs will be lowered and subsequently the negative problems associated with them will be lowered.

Pathogenicity describes the disease-causing capacity of a microbe in its host. This capacity is a result of a variety of factors along with the ability of a host to resist the pathogen. Pathogens can rapidly (or slowly) spread among hosts resulting in a variety of short- and long-term changes. Looking at plant diseases, not only can these destroy crops, but they can also impact the health of animals who rely on the crop for food or shelter. This shows a small example of how disease can cause imbalance not only in terms of health but also on a broader scale. 

              Parasite interactions are another interesting example in the discussion of pathogenicity. Host-parasite interactions and relationships describe a relationship in which a parasite invades a host organism while commandeering its resources and providing nothing, or harm, in return. These types of interactions have played a large role in evolution, shaping how organisms and species have developed over time. While we generally think of parasites as negative and harmful, there are many instances of non-health threatening parasites which are commensal with their host. Infectious agents including bacteria, viruses, fungi, algae and more can be ingested, inhaled, or acquired through direct contact and penetration of tissue. There are countless examples and types of infectious agents with an equally endless list of symptoms and outcomes. 

              Diseases can be transmitted in a variety of ways. Common transmission methods include openings to the body. Diseases can also be carried by vectors, which are living organisms that can transmit the pathogen to another organism from the reservoir or host. Inanimate objects called fomites can also transmit pathogens from one host to another. Factors that control growth of all organisms including pathogens are availability of nutrients, parameters of the environment, and competition with other organisms. When discussing parasites and pathogens specifically, we also have to consider the host immune system. Parasites cause damage to hosts by damaging tissues and causing imbalance. Tissue damage can be caused by toxins, enzymes, and more causing organ necrosis. Metabolic function can also be disrupted in a plethora of the body's systems. Excessive and unbalanced immune responses may also cause indirect damage to the host. 

              Interaction between hosts and their parasites can also stretch beyond the general disease complications and actually alter the genomes of the organisms. Genetic variation can be generated by mutations in the DNA along with duplication of genes or chromosomes, shuffling exons to produce new genes, or horizontal transfer of genes between cells. In the case of agricultural diseases, there is somewhat of a loss of genetic diversity due to selection of specific types of agricultural crops. This can be problematic when diseases come because there is a lack of genetic diversity to resist the disease. 

              When examining changing genomes, it is important to also analyze gene therapy. Gene therapy has often been the source of healthcare debates due to the complexity of the ethics surrounding it. Vague statements from committees like the HUGO Ethics Committee have avoided controversy surrounding things like germ-line cell therapy and lacked descriptive language to be clear on the issues. Proponents of gene therapy have suggested that life and what makes it up can be broken down into simpler characteristics like cells, molecules, atoms, and so on. This perspective can be used to show that certain kinds of therapy are really only making small adjustments to these building blocks. As with all medical intervention, gene therapy comes with risks and consequences both for good and bad. These all play a role in determining the ethical boundaries and how to ensure the ethical pillars of nonmaleficence, beneficence, autonomy and justice are respected with each patient.

              Pathogenicity to me is an extremely interesting subject. I have always been interested, and simultaneously frightened, by how disease is spread and pathogens exhibit their effects on a host. As with most things, I’ve found education to be a great tool in combating what frightens me about disease. We often fear what we do not understand well, and to me pathogenicity is no exception. Seeing the subject broken down into its most basic components gives me greater perspective into the balance of how life works. It seems impossible to totally eliminate disease and genetic disorders, but with greater education and research going into them there is hope for improvement in treating and managing conditions. This unit has really increased my appreciation for the idea of ayurveda or balance; seeing how disease and immune response are greatly tied to this concept. If an ailment becomes too strong, the body suffers and can even die. Likewise, if an immune response is too strong and overpowers the body, it can also cause suffering and damage to the individual. This critical balance is something that has really caught my attention and helped me to appreciate the need for an appropriate equilibrium in order to maintain a healthy life.