Our Insane Brains

             There is an old saying that goes something like this: “You never know what’s going on in someone else’s head.” Although this phrase is meant as a moral suggestion to not judge others because you don’t know their experiences, I believe it ties in brilliantly to our topics of research as of late and our prompt. While investigating the brain and the effect drugs can have on it (therapeutic or illicit) has been eye opening to the incredible sensitivity of our brain chemistry.

            Our brain is made of more than 100 billion interconnected nerve cells. These cells have developed the ability to communicate with one another via synapses. These systems enable neurotransmitters to be released from a pre-synaptic neuron and signal the post-synaptic neuron. The remaining neurotransmitter is then re-uptaken by the pre-synaptic neuron to be used later. Needless to say, the balances of these neurotransmitter chemicals are imperative to a properly functioning brain. 

            There it is again, that buzz word of the semester: balance. Yes, the investigation of the brain’s chemistry and its interactions with drugs continued to give us an application for the Ayurveda concepts. Drugs have one purpose: to alter the balance in your body. When drugs are used safely and therapeutically, they strive to establish or re-establish the proper chemical balance of a specific molecule in your body. When drugs are abused or misused, they will alter these balances as well, but likely for the worse as they aren’t being dosed in a controlled manner to treat an existing issue. 

            Before I go on, I would like to clarify a key point: drug us is not bad. When people hear “drugs” they immediately picture illicit chemical compounds which can land someone in jail for even having it. Drugs are actually just chemical compounds which mimic internal molecules in order to illicit a physical response. Illicit drug use is commonly misrepresented as “drug use” but is actually a classification of drug misuse. 

            That being said, the rise of drug misuse in the United States is becoming a massive issue. Opioid abuse is still prevalent throughout our society, and the age of first exposure to drug misuse culture is dropping every year. Children are starting to use illicit drugs at a young age. For obvious reasons, this is not a good idea. One of the major issues of this situation may also be one of the major causes. Our brains are masters of compartmentalization. They have developed a spatial division of labor in the brain. We have studied these areas (called lobes) and learned how each function. One of these areas is called the frontal lobe. The frontal lobe is basically our elevated thinking center of the brain. This is the core of our problem solving, intellectual activities, and, more importantly, our judgement. Our frontal lobes don’t fully develop until well into adulthood, around our mid-30’s. This means that, until our mid-30’s, we will be more likely to make irrational and impulsive decisions. There’s nothing wrong with that, it’s the way our brain develops: trial and error. Unfortunately, unlike deciding to jump off a swing and learning that you can break your arm if you do that, if you decide impulsively to try illicit drugs, there can be much worse consequences.

            There are plenty of drugs out there that do everything from knocking you out for surgery to helping clear your bowels. That being said, it is very clear why the specific drugs sold illegally are wanted. Unlike something like a laxative that has no real mental effects, every one of the “bad drugs” people use are active in altering balances of neurotransmitters. Although the mechanisms of action vary, they mostly target the same few neurotransmitters, usually dopamine. Dopamine is our “feel-good chemical.” It has evolved as a signal to the brain that it has made a good decision for survival. Natural events that produce dopamine are: eating, drinking water, having sex, and even nurturing. These make sense. They are all evolutionarily advantageous behaviors that the brain is positively reinforcing. However, this balance is the target for our evil drugs. Illicit drugs increase dopamine concentrations in our brains. This signals the brain that it has done a good thing. The brain associates the feeling of euphoria with the drug, creating a desire to do it again. Repeated use can bring up some serious issues, though.

Imagine you’re the owner of a logging company. Random, I know, but just go with it. You produce a steady flow of lumber to send off to your customers. Suddenly, a friend begins to drop off large loads of lumber for free at your site. You’re overflowing with stock, and don’t need to be producing as much labor. So, you fire some of your employees due to the lack of need for them. Out of the blue, after an extended period of time, your friend stops bringing you lumber. You’re now behind on production and unable to keep up with demand. This is what we call dependence. Dependence is when your brain has associated a compound as necessary for survival. In our analogy, the friend is the drug. It produces more of the neurotransmitter dopamine (lumber) and floods the brain with it. The brain in turn produces less dopamine in an effort to return these levels to normal. This is why drug abusers must continue to increase their dosage to maintain the same high. When a dependent user tries to stop misusing the drug(s), the brain goes into survival mode. Suddenly it’s not getting the signals that it’s doing the right thing. The brain perceives this lack of stimulation to the reward center as a sign that it is no longer surviving. This is why symptoms of withdrawal can be so brutal, the person’s brain literally thinks it is dying. Until the brain can re-establish the proper balance, the person will suffer from effects of low dopamine.

So why are these drugs even available? Why were they discovered? Well, doctors weren’t looking for a way to get people high, they were seeking to treat disease and stumbled upon these. The whole point of drugs is to treat imbalances of chemicals in the brain. But how bad can these imbalances actually be? Well mutations to nerve cells can lead to imbalances in neurotransmitter balances that can cause numerous brain diseases from Multiple Sclerosis to Tay-Sachs, there are a wide variety. These diseases can alter motor function, psychological and cognitive activities like MS. They can affect storage in the brain like Tay-Sachs. They can affect a person’s personality and/or mood like schizophrenia. They can cause detrimental development issues like autism or Down Syndrome. They could even be rare prion diseases like Creutzfeldt-Jakob’s disease. As impressive as the brain’s abilities are, it is still a fragile system. I’ve been able to see this first-hand.

My junior year of high school, my father suffered a massive stroke that, by all accounts, should have killed him. A cryptogenic ischemic stroke causing full blockage of his middle cerebral artery (MCA) deprived his entire right hemisphere of oxygenated blood. Fifteen minutes after onset, he was given a clot-busting drug, TPA. It had no effect, so he was flown to a different hospital which had an interventional radiologist. He underwent a procedure called an embolectomy in which a device was run through his femoral artery and retrieved the clot to end the stroke. Conscious the whole time and undermedicated, it was a daunting experience for him. After it was all said and done, his right hemisphere was deprived of oxygen for over 5 hours. None of the doctors who operated on him or saw him that night expected him to survive. 4.5 years later, he has made a miraculous recovery and still practices as a part time anesthesiologist today. His recovery has been a long and arduous task and is still ongoing. Damage to the brain can be long-lasting and stubborn. 

I’ve been present for some scary brain injuries in sports. Heck, I’ve been part of some scary brain injuries in sports. I’ve had friends life-flighted off the football field, take ambulances home from games, and even received a number of concussions on the field and, surprisingly, in the pool. But what I have learned through all these experiences, including my dad’s stroke, is to respect the robustness of the brain. Our brains are certainly sensitive and precise instruments, but their ability to heal and recover is unbelievable. The brain may have imbalances and issues, but its natural impulse to restore chemical balances, along with our pharmaceutical aid, allow it to recover from even the most dire of circumstances. 

Imbalances of the Brain

    Understanding the structure and complexity of the brain enables us to interpret environmental and physical signals on a regular basis. Each hemisphere and lobe of the brain contributes significantly to how the body systems function as a whole. The important thing to remember is that these all work together to interpret language, perception, memory, and reasoning. Our brain can adjust to our needs if we are in almost any environment. When exposed to extreme heat, the body sends a signal to regulate temperature by excreting sodium salts and nitrogenous waste (sweat), thus cooling the body. When we shiver (rhythmic muscle contractions) or get goosebumps, the brain raises the body's core temperature to achieve homeostasis. Because of its tremendous capabilities, our brain is frequently compared to a computer. The brain's over 100 billion nerve connections are what make it so complicated. The nerves communicate with one another via synapses that connect each cell. The mid brain, fore brain, and hind brain are the three main sections of the brain. It also comprises specific regions throughout the three divisions of the brain, such as the brain stem, basal ganglia, and cerebellum. Without the brain, we would be unable to do the numerous functions that allow individuals to be human. When studying the brain, it is critical and fascinating to focus on the impact of medications, accidents, diseases, and mental disabilities on it. If something within the brain fails, as it does with any complex organ in our body, it can cause significant changes in the person's personality and conduct.

    One way that the brain can malfunction is through mental disorders. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), A mental disorder is a condition that affects a person's thoughts, feelings, behavior, or mood. These diseases have a significant influence on day-to-day life and may impair one's capacity to relate to others. There are several mental illnesses, each with its own set of symptoms. They are typically distinguished by a mix of aberrant beliefs, perceptions, emotions, behavior, and interpersonal connections. Depression, bipolar illness, schizophrenia and other psychoses, dementia, and developmental disorders such as autism are all prevalent mental diseases. Personality and mood disorders are the most prevalent types of mental illnesses. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), depression is one of the most common mental illnesses and the main cause of disability worldwide. It affects an estimated 264 million individuals worldwide. Women typically are more impacted than males. A mental health issue is not the outcome of a single occurrence. According to the research, there are many, interconnected reasons. Genetics, environment, and lifestyle all have an impact on whether or not someone develops a mental health issue (NAMI 2017). In the last couple of decades there have been medical advances/strategies for preventing mental disorders.The impact of mental illnesses continues to rise, with serious repercussions for health, human rights, and economic consequences in every country.

    Another way that the brain can be affected is through traumatic brain injuries (TBI). A TBI is a brain injury that was induced by an external physical impact. It may result in a reduced level of consciousness. It usually causes impairments in cognitive ability or physical functioning, as well as mood, personality, impulsive aggressiveness, and impaired self-regulation. They are frequently regarded as a risk factor for mental illnesses. TBI’s are not the typical injury where they can be fully healed. The individual and how their body reacts greatly impact the level of healing after a brain damage. Even minor concussions can have long-term consequences, but moderate to severe brain damage can sometimes lead to near-complete recovery. Predictions are difficult because of the numerous variable elements that change across individuals, such as the part of the brain damaged, quality of rehabilitation and support, and the severity of injury (Helliwell 2019). No injury is the same and the consequence of similar injuries can be very different. Causes of TBIs include car accidents, firearms, and falls, open/closed head injuries, hypoxia, concussion, tumors, infections, strokes, and chemical/toxins. I've been working at Cedar City Chrysalis for the past year now, and I've assisted a number of people who have suffered from TBIs. While dealing with their emotional changes might be challenging at times, it is also satisfying to be able to assist people in need. 

There are several examples, both legal and illegal, of how these medicines influence the body's homeostasis. Because their chemical structure is similar to that of a natural neurotransmitter in the body, marijuana and heroin can stimulate neurons. This enables the medicines to bind to and stimulate neurons. Although these medicines resemble the brain's own chemicals, they do not stimulate neurons in the same manner that a natural neurotransmitter does, resulting in aberrant messages being transmitted across the network.Other drugs, such as cocaine or amphetamine, can stimulate neurons to release unusually high amounts of endogenous neurotransmitters or interfere with transporters, preventing the regular recycling of these brain chemicals. This, also, increases or disturbs normal neuron interaction.

    While illegal drugs have the scary ability to negatively affect the normal pathways that occur in neurons, we also need to recognize legal drugs and their abilities as well. Prescription drugs can be and are as scary as illegal drugs. Just like illicit drugs, prescription medications can change moods, emotions, physiological processes, and behaviors through interacting with the brain. When I had all four of my wisdom teeth taken out at the end of my 8th grade year I was prescribed hydrocodone acetaminophen. My dad has never been a big fan of taking major drugs and was wary of me after the doctor prescribed me the generic version of Vicodin. If I wanted to take painkillers during that time, I would have to use regular acetaminophen (Tylenol). If, and only if, the pain was unbearable I would be allowed to take ½ the hydrocodone acetaminophen. When I was younger, I never realized the side effects and the consequences of drugs and how they affected the body. I knew that addiction was common, but I did not realize that I could become addicted to prescription drugs. 

    When Ayurveda is brought into the discussion, it is clear that everything is interconnected. If the brain is undergoing stress or has a chemical imbalance, it can be mirrored in other organs throughout the body. Small difficulties might then compound, leading to a more serious or disastrous outcome. The Ayurveda idea was highlighted because of chemical imbalances in the brain produced by mental illnesses or drug usage. The body will then generate a sense of homeostasis as a result of the imbalances.

Gabbard G. O. (2005). Mind, brain, and personality disorders. The American journal of psychiatry, 162(4), 648–655. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.162.4.648

Helliwell, S. (2019, September 16). Can the brain heal itself after brain damage? Ison Harrison Solicitors. https://www.isonharrison.co.uk/blog/can-the-brain-heal-itself-after-brain-damage/. 

Mental health conditions. NAMI. (2017). https://www.nami.org/About-Mental-Illness/Mental-Health-Conditions. 

Patwardhan, B., Vaidya, A., & Chorghade, M. (2004). Ayurveda and natural products drug discovery. Current Science, 86(6), 789-799. Retrieved July 16, 2021, from http://www.jstor.org/stable/24109136

Pfaller, A. Y., Nelson, L. D., Apps, J. N., Walter, K. D., & McCrea, M. A. (2016). Frequency and Outcomes of a Symptom-Free Waiting Period After Sport-Related Concussion. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 44(11), 2941–2946. https://doi.org/10.1177/0363546516651821

World Health Organization. (2019, November 28). Mental disorders. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-disorders. 

Natural Approach to Mental Health

Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease: a Multifaceted View

    From an early age, I was taught that physical ailments took precedence over any emotional/ mental issues that could be occurring. For example, my parents always took us to our doctor’s appointments whenever we were sick and whenever we needed checkups. If there was a physical symptom present (coughing, runny nose, body aches, etc), it was an immediate onset of questions and concerns. Emotionally, stress was acknowledged and was taken care of by giving space or sustenance to help us cope with it. However, things that couldn’t necessarily be pinpointed were depression, anxiety, ADD/ ADHD, bipolar disorder, etc, which all run prevalently in my family. These were issues that were not in any way degraded: they were simply issues that were presented as “American” beliefs, or things that did not exist when my mom lived in Mexico on her little ranch or when my dad lived in the city a couple of hours away from her. My understanding of the brain was very limited until high school, when I was exposed to several different ideas about how the brain works and how it functions to monitor other parts of the body. The brain was and continues to be a fascinating entity that encompasses all aspects of who we are as people, what biological elements influence our stability, why we think the way we do and how all of these things come together to aid us in staying alive. In an ayurvedic perspective, the brain would be the root that spans into every crack and crevice of the human body. To better comprehend the fullest picture that we possibly can, we have to go past the biological and dive into the social and psychological scopes.

    Brain disorders/diseases in particular are typically categorized in 5 different groups. Neurological disorders, storage disorders, personality/ mood disorders, developmental disorders and prion diseases. The classification of these conditions dates back to Ancient Greece, where it is believed that Hippocrates had the first official ranking for mental illnesses, including melancholia, mania and phobias. Since then, the groupings and types of ailments linked to them have changed, and they continue to be updated periodically as more information and data are collected. Neurological disorders include, but are not limited to, Myasthenia, Gravis, Multiple Sclerosis, ALS, AD, Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and Dementia. These disorders often affect motor function, the psychological and/ or cognitive mind as well as the emotions. Storage disorders include Tay-Sachs or Gaucher. They are considered to be metabolic disorders that result in degradation of certain lysosomal enzymes meant to digest the larger and more harmful molecules inside cells. Personality/ mood disorders are disorders that include the more common ones we typically hear about, such as schizophrenia, paranoia, obsessive compulsive disorder, depression and bipolar disorder. These are mental disorders that are characteristic of unhealthy patterns of thinking, functioning and behaving. Developmental disorders are disorders like autism, spectrum disorders and Prader-Willi. In psychiatry, this category of disorders is defined as appearing in childhood and is characterized by delay in development of one or more psychological functions (i.e. language). Finally, prion diseases include Creutz-feldt-Jakob, otherwise known as spongiform encephalopathy. These diseases are rare, neurodegenerative disorders that can lead to death. 

    A neurocognitive disorder we will deconstruct is dementia, along with a specific type of it: Alzheimer's disease. Dementia is generally defined as the deterioration of intellectual abilities due to disease. Memory is affected along with judgement and concentration. Dementia also comes with personality changes and emotional instability and can be caused by strokes, diabetes, Huntington’s and Parkinson’s disease, and Korsakoff’s syndrome (severe amnesia). Biologically, there is damage to brain cells in dementia, which interferes with their ability to communicate with one another. As the brain cells get damaged, they become less able to reproduce and multiply to replenish the cells that have already died off. Due to this loss, parts of the brain begin to shrink and more issues begin to arise as a result. The brain as an entity has specific deficits in neurotransmitters like norepinephrine, serotonin, and acetylcholine, that also obstruct its ability to fully function. In psychology, there is a distinction between that scientific aspect, being the brain itself, and the emotional/ cognitive aspect: the mind. The brain is the tangible part, the one that is divided into the forebrain, the midbrain and the hindbrain. The mind is the intangible aspect that has three components to it as well: the conscious, the subconscious and the unconscious. Psychologically, people who have dementia are progressively experiencing changes in function such as memory, language, attention, visual perception, problem solving and concentration. These difficulties affect their sense of identity, how they behave, their mood, their overall well being and alter their social relationships. Once diagnosed, the “people centered” ideal to help individuals with dementia cope with their disorder can either amplify their symptoms or make their condition more manageable. It all depends on their conscious awareness of the disease, how they address their emotional distresses and what support system they have in place to aid them in their stages. The psychological view intertwines with humanism, the social theory that emphasizes common human needs and aims to seek rational ways to solve these human problems. In contrast, the biological view focuses on what can be measured, observed or seen inside the matrix of cells, tissues, organs, etc. Both are needed in order to fully understand the extent of dementia and its components. 

    A type of dementia we mentioned briefly is Alzheimer’s disease. We don’t know what the exact cause is (as is apparent in most brain disorders) but what we do know is that the risk of developing it is linked with genetics. Some patients with AD have a specific genetic problem that can cause an early onset of it as early as 45 years old. Most patients with AD, however, follow other irregular patterns that make it difficult to spot. In neuroimaging, it has been observed that AD patients have plaques (made up of proteins called beta-amyloid) in parts of the brain that show cell loss. The protein that makes up plaques comes from a protein called Amyloid Precursor Protein, or APP, and is needed for neurons to function normally. APP is unfortunately cut up by enzymes into abnormal amounts of beta amyloid. Neurons can get rid of beta amyloid, but only in small amounts. If there is too much, beta amyloid clumps together to form plaques inside of neurons. As a result, the neurons do not function normally and they die off. In addition to that, patients with AD also have “tangles” in neurons. The term is in relation to microtubules, long string-like structures that transport things from the cell body to the end of the axon and dendrites. Those microtubules break apart and collapse into loose nerve endings (axon terminals) and leave a tangled, dysfunctional and dead mess. Externally and simultaneously, the mind is detaching from the person’s body over time. People with AD start to lose their independence and begin to get lost in the memories they have already lived through. They start to digress. One moment, they may be with their spouse or their child and know they are in the car and who they are with, but the next, there may be a shift in their demeanor and they are suddenly confused with their surroundings, where they're going and who it is they were just speaking to. They need to be cared for in a way that helps them live through what goes in their mind. This shift is difficult for those going through these constant shifts and changes, but it is also hard for those that stand by them through it all.   

    There are some medications that have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration to treat different types of dementia. Those medications include Cognex, Aricept, Reminyl, Exelon and Namenda. All of them actively inhibit acetylcholinesterase, aside from Namenda. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that is released from the presynaptic neuron and then reabsorbed within the body. There is a lot of it in the hippocampus and the cortex. The enzyme acetylcholinesterase breaks down acetylcholine. So in inhibiting the enzyme, the brain is able to retain acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft in order to stimulate receptors on neurons in learning and memory areas. A key factor to consider in these inhibitory medications is that there is some improvement in daily living skills and there is some delay in the progression of the disease. However, it is typically to a small degree and occurs in a small percentage of patients. It can also be very toxic to the liver, which can backfire on life’s overall improvement and can worsen a patient’s mentality about their condition. Namenda, which is the medication we excluded prior, blocks the NMDA receptor for a very short period of time. NMDA receptors are hypothesized to contribute to neuron death in Alzheimer’s disease. There have been small effects in a small number of patients but they have had a dramatic impact on their quality of life.     

    In caring for individuals with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, it is important to consider the overwhelming costs to treat the disease. According to the multinational biotechnology company Biogen, the direct costs for Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias are estimated at $305 billion for last year alone (Alzheimer’s Association, 2020). Treatment facilities like hospitals, nursing homes, hospice, and home healthcare are also taxed with the burden of having tons of patients but not enough geriatricians, nurse practitioners and other professionals to assist with caring for them. On top of that, an Alzheimer’s Association survey revealed that primary care physicians feel inadequate to manage the rising AD population: 39% of primary care physicians are uncomfortable making a diagnosis for AD, 55% are concerned that there are not enough specialists to meet the demand and 22% had absolutely no dementia training during their residency (after medical school) (AA, 2020). 

    It is impossible to have an ideal situation when dealing with an inevitable disease. However, looking at the biological component of what is going on, the patient’s well being and emotions along with the well being and emotions of those close to them and the primary care physicians involved in treating the patients, helps lessen the gaps in our own misconceptions or ideas. Everything in the body is connected, but the elements that come into play outside of the body are also tied to it.

Sources:

Alzheimer's disease is a serious, growing problem. using biomarkers may alter future care: Identify Alzheimer's disease (ad) - biogen. Alzheimer's Disease Is a Serious, Growing Problem. Using Biomarkers May Alter Future Care | Identify Alzheimer's Disease (AD) - Biogen. (n.d.). https://www.identifyalz.com/en_us/home/addressing-challenges/evolving-alzheimers-disease-care.html.

Psychological dimensions of dementia: Putting the person at the centre of care. www.basw.co.uk. (2018, April 27). https://www.basw.co.uk/resources/psychological-dimensions-dementia-putting-person-centre-care.

Stages of Alzheimer's disease. Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/alzheimers-disease/stages-of-alzheimer-disease.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2021, June 9). Brain basics: Know your brain. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Know-Your-Brain.

Ayurveda and the Brain

The human brain is one of the most interesting and impressive developments in all of evolution and biology. The many ways it connects and works with other parts of the body is truly amazing. It is even more amazing to me that despite how much research has been done on the brain, and how much has been learned by scientists, that there is still so much we don’t know about it and how it works. There is still so much research that can be done and how we can utilize that knowledge to help cure or understand certain diseases better. Ayurveda is a huge part of the brain, since not only does the brain control many of the involuntary functions of the body, but it also is how we are able to have conscious thought and cognizance. It is part of both our body and our mind and is the main connection between these two main parts of Ayurveda.

I think Huntington’s disease is a prime example of how the brain is connected, and how certain diseases can affect both the body and the mind through the brain. In Huntington’s disease, a person inherits a dominant defective chromosome 4 from a parent and is affected both neurologically and mentally. Many symptoms include involuntary motor and muscle movements, as well as a change in mood or an increase in irritability or depression and anxiety. An individual with Huntington’s disease can experience some or many of these different physical and mental changes, all because it is a disease that affects the brain. 

Trauma at a young age and the factors that influence it are another way that show how important Ayurveda of the brain is and how it can drastically affect a person. Ayurveda of the brain is a way to illustrate how the body and the mind are connected because the brain is more of the body side of it and the mind is the mind. They are the same thing, and they work together to form the Ayurveda of a person. Therefore, both personality disorders and physical trauma can both come from a traumatic brain injury. It’s interesting that stressors and experience can cause which genes get regulated and which get used, and how that can affect a person both physically and mentally. The gene effects of alleles and environmental factors really gets into the whole nature vs nurture aspect of biology and Ayurveda, and how much each one affects a person is probably very dependent on the person, their genes, and their environment. Environment seems to be especially important for young children and growing adolescents, and a healthy vs non-healthy environment for a child or adolescent can make all the difference when discussing whether a gene for a mental, antisocial, or personality disorder will show or not.

The way that drugs, both for good and for bad, can affect a person’s body and brain functions is one of the most incredible advances in history. It’s unbelievable to me that there are thousands of drugs out on the market that we know exactly what they do and how they work, and even sometimes are used for their side effects. The fact that people in the drug design field can find a molecule and know exactly what it does and use it to help treat a disease or illness is truly amazing to me. Unfortunately, drugs can be both a positive and negative. A major problem in the world of prescription drugs in the United States right now is the opioid crisis. This comes from the fact that a person begins to use prescription opioids, usually because of a real problem with pain management, and they use them too often and/or for too long of a time after they need them, that it tricks their brain into thinking that they are dependent on them to just feel normal. It is a tricky balance between using drugs for an intended purpose and for abusing those same drugs. This, to me, shows again just how delicate the balance of Ayurveda in the brain is, and how that balance can be helped but also so easily thrown off if we are not careful. 

This also includes adolescent and teenage drug use as well. I didn’t know that adolescents and teens had less developed frontal lobes, and that is a reason that they may be more prone to impulsivity. It does make sense that whatever teens spend their time on is what their brain will retain and improve upon, and as drugs increase the dopamine response, it tricks the brain that it is necessary and how addiction begins for many adolescents. It is a dangerous cycle, even for many prescription drugs on the market today including opioids. The laws regarding CII-V drugs try to help reduce or prohibit the excessive use of drugs that have the potential to be addictive, but somehow people still manage to find ways to use them more than they should.

In conclusion, the brain is a very complex and intricate part of the body that can have a tremendous effect on the rest of the body, as well as a person’s Ayurveda. The fact that the brain is essentially the connection between the mind and body makes it that much more important that we do all we can to keep in from being thrown out of its natural balance of Ayurveda. Many diseases, both communicable and inherited, can affect the brain but thanks to modern medicine many of those diseases can be treated or cured through prescription drugs, though excessive drug use is also to be cautioned against in favor of maintaining the body’s natural Ayurveda as well. Outside of drugs and heritable traits, environment can also majorly affect the brain and can have severe consequences for those of younger age that may be in environments that allow certain genes to be used and can affect a person mentally. Though it seems obvious to protect our brains as much as we can, the power it has over us mentally, emotionally, and physically all at once causes it to be of even greater importance than many might initially think. 

Metabolism and Ayurveda

 

I found the topic of Ayurveda to be very interesting because it is all about the connectedness of the mind, body, and spirit which I feel like I have heard about in other contexts throughout my life without using the specific term Ayurveda. For example, I have an aunt that is very involved in homeopathic treatments. From what she has explained to me it is all about energies and the balance of those energies. There are physical or mental stressors that trigger an imbalance of those energies that she treats with extremely diluted substances that are supposed to interact with the person’s energy to recenter them. There is not much scientific evidence backing Ayurveda and homeopathic medical practices, but nevertheless, my aunt swears by it. Even if it is just a placebo effect it still shows that there is a relationship between the mind and body that is important for healing and that they are both important things to consider during medical treatment.

            After researching diabetes, it was interesting to compare that disease and its effects on the body with the ideas of Ayurveda. Diabetes shows that if one thing gets thrown off in the body the whole body starts having other issues since the balance has been thrown off. Since blood sugar levels are unable to be properly regulated by the systems in place, other systems try to pick up that slack which leads to issues in seemingly unrelated systems since they have to do a job they are not designed for. I had previously noticed that people with diabetes often have other medical conditions they need treatment for, but I never would have guessed that those conditions could be connected to diabetes. Diabetes could lead to things like increased inflammation or differences in the microbiome when compared to someone who does not have diabetes. Even things like mental health get affected by this disease. In the article “Chronic Illness and Mental Health: Recognizing and Treating Depression” by the National Institute of Mental Health, it states that diabetes may increase your risk for depression, and if the person does get depression, then the symptoms of both diseases often increase creating an even worse situation for the person. I think that this is especially a good example of Ayurveda and shows the connectedness of mind and body since diseases of the body and mind can make each other’s symptoms worse. I do not fully understand if there is any chemical evidence for the relationship between the severity of symptoms of diabetes and depression or if it just more of an example of Ayurveda and the connectedness of mind and body.

            In some of the microbiome content provided, I learned about the connectedness of the microbiome and the whole body. This is similar to the fact that diabetes often leads to other complications since a change in the microbiome may lead to other diseases or complications as well. I believe this shows just how delicate the balance of the body is and how easy it is to throw off that balance which can lead to some pretty extreme consequences if not addressed quickly. I found this information super interesting because your gut microbiome is linked to your digestive health, which I was aware of, but it is also linked to things like weight or sleep patterns which I was not previously aware of. I think that the gut microbiome would be a super interesting thing to research because if we can take some medication that targets the gut maybe we can help with the high obesity levels in our society or maybe help people with insomnia get some good sleep. In the article, “Cancer and The Gut Microbiota: An Unexpected Link” it describes the relationship between the gut microbiome and disease. Something may throw off the microbiome which leads to disease but then trying to treat that disease by changing something in the microbiome may lead to side effects with the intestinal barrier, so once that balance is skewed it is hard to correct.

            The relationship between the microbiome and cancer was very intriguing to me since I have just taken microbiology and a lot of that information is still fresh in my brain. All of the treatments paired with bacteria sounded very situational and did not seem to have a high or consistent success rate. For example, in some cases, gram-positive bacteria would help with cancer treatments, but then in other cases, the gram-positive bacteria would make treatments less effective. The antibiotic treatments paired with cancer sounded especially shaky since that would get rid of some harmful bacteria, but it would also get rid of other good bacteria which disturbs the balance of the microbiome and may have more negative side effects. Overall, I found it interesting that something as small as bacteria in our gut can have such a big impact on the whole body and things like cancer which can be life-threatening. I was aware the microbiome affected things like IBS but at least that will not kill you like cancer may.

            After doing this research I feel a lot more open-minded and aware of all parts of the body when it comes to disease. I think that it would be beneficial to not simply treat symptoms of a disease but try and see the bigger picture of the illness. Even just making sure the patient is in a good headspace can make a big difference in treatment. I know sometimes when I think too much, I give myself a headache and if I just take a minute to breathe and readjust the headache goes away. There is definitely a strong connection between the mind and the body when it comes to disease and other physical ailments.

Understanding Metabolism through Ayurveda

Ayurveda is an alternative, medicinal system that has stemmed from tradition and dates back to thousands of years. It first began in India and is deeply rooted with the whole person (body, mind and spirit). When it is regarding disease, it means there is an imbalance with the tridoshas (life energies). The three are Vata dosha (space and air); Pitta dosha (fire and water); and Kapha dosha (water and earth). Your Prakriti, which is the prime material energy of which all matter is composed, can help determine what specific diseases or illnesses you are most prone to. People that are composed of Kapha are more susceptible to tonsillitis or congestion in the lungs as a whole. Being made of Pitta would mean you have other vulnerabilities in the stomach or liver as well as be more inclined to have skin disorders. Vata people have a common origin for disease: the large intestine. It is also believed that a disease that exists within the body can present its symptoms in the mind. 

The environmental aspect to this plays a relevant part in the disruption of the tridoshas as well. There are specific emotions that correspond to each one of these and can better help those who practice Ayurveda understand where the problem lies. If there is excess pitta within the body, it will produce anger, hatred and feelings of envy. Pitta is fire and water, so there may be something going on in the stomach, liver or there’s a developing skin disorder not yet perceived. The main idea that is established by ayurveda is connectivity. Everything is made up of matter. Matter is present within us and outside of us. Our bodies are constantly performing functions to help keep us alive and balanced. If there is something wrong with the pancreas, for example, and it does not produce enough insulin to help your body function in normality, you will develop diabetes. In developing this, over time, the body will experience other disruptions. There are multiple pathways, but the idea is the same: there are connections in every part of our body, down to the very cells inside. 

This disorder of the pancreas is most commonly referred to as diabetes. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy (2020, para. 1). Most of the food that we ingest breaks down into sugar or glucose and those molecules are then carried through to the rest of our body by our blood. When there is too much sugar for the body to handle, there is a signal that notifies the pancreas to release insulin. Insulin is like the mediator: it helps cells get the energy they need, but also helps regulate the sugar in our system. With diabetes, there may be too much insulin, too little insulin or no insulin at all. There are 2 types: Type 1 and Type 2. Type 1 diabetes mellitus is termed “insulin-dependent” and it is less common than Type 2 diabetes. It is speculated that it can be caused by a hereditary predisposition, endocrine diseases, drugs and chemical toxins, unfavorable environmental factors, damage or removal of the pancreas, autoimmune diseases, viruses and infections or by the autoimmune destruction of beta cells in the pancreas (which are responsible for creating and releasing insulin). As a result of these influences, those that suffer from Type 1 diabetes have an insufficient amount of insulin inside their bodies. As for Type 2 diabetes, this is the most common type for adults. This is also the one that most people have knowledge of. Some causes include a family history of diabetes (genetics), race/ ethnicity, history of gestational diabetes, physical inactivity, high body fat or body weight, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, etc. There is no problem with insulin secretion, but the body becomes insulin resistant over time. Like a lock and key, insulin needs to bind to its receptors in order to allow sugar to go into the cells and provide them energy. Since this isn’t happening, there is an excess amount of sugar in the bloodstream and that leads to hyperglycemia. 

Diabetes does not remain in the pancreas: it affects other parts of the body as well. In an ayurvedic perspective, diabetes is an imbalance of kappa dosha that can cause other issues that stem in different places throughout the body.  In the eyes, it can cause cataracts, glaucoma or retinopathy, each of which can affect the longevity of your eyes and how well you see throughout time. In the kidneys, diabetes can cause high blood pressure, which can damage blood vessels and overwork the organ. The kidney can then become diseased (nephropathy). Being hyperglycemic (having too much sugar in the blood) can damage nerves in the peripheral nervous system, our “rest and digest” system. As a result, there may be pain and numbness in certain parts of the body, including the feet. Wounds may become infected and lead to gangrene and limbs may need to be amputated to prevent the infection from affecting other limbs. 

           Among the 15 leading causes of death in 2013, diabetes mellitus ranked number 7, along with cerebrovascular diseases (strokes) at number 4 and essential hypertension and hypertensive renal disease at number 13. All of these diseases are attributed to lack of exercise and insufficient physical activity. Based on what has been previously written and reported by several sources, diabetes affects more than just blood sugar and insulin. Despite having factors like environment (low income, poor living conditions, low educational attainment, etc), and/or a genetic predisposition to diabetes, it is imperative to find ways to mitigate the onset of it. Accepting the “inevitable” is what furthers the issue. Exercise can help and is proven to lower blood pressure. Eating a healthy and balanced diet also assists in promoting good “gut” bacteria that enables the body to digest more quickly and efficiently. All foods have certain benefits when ingested. Similarly, Ayurvedic treatment for diabetes involves using herbal supplements (using plants that have medicinal properties to promote and enhance insulin sensitivity and balance) as well as exercise and weight management.  

Ayurveda is a practice but also a concept that is meant to enlighten and enhance medicinal approaches. Everything has energy: specific things may have better energy than others. Good habits like eating healthy, for example, would have good energy, as it can boost metabolism and digestion, help the body feel healthy and balanced, etc. Bad habits like drinking alcohol when your blood sugar is low or eating salty and sugary foods at nighttime are “worse” habits, if you will, and open up doors that lead to other problems. It is worth looking into this idea because it can reveal truths we may not have known or understood before. Life is complicated and the human body is complicated too. There are many things we don’t have knowledge about, and many missing pieces. Combining the structural, ever expanding, logic (Western medicine) with the spiritual, connective and natural (Ayurvedic) might help shed light on how to treat new diseases and how to mitigate the onset of others. 

Citations: 

Google. (n.d.). Ayurveda. Google. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/ayurveda%3famp=true. 

Gordon, A., Buch, Z., Baute, V., & Coeytaux, R. (2019, August 7). Use of Ayurveda in the Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Global advances in health and medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6686320/.