Among the many symptoms of vaccine adverse reactions is brain inflammation [5], often considered idiopathic or of unknown origins. There are a number of potential culprits underlying vaccine related brain inflammation, including the virus vectors, the neurotoxic adjuvants or the cocktail mistakenly presumed inert ingredients that accompany any vaccine.
No matter the cause, however, once inflammation is unleashed within the central nervous system, the inflammatory response itself can become self-perpetuating [6], initiating secondary pathologies that are chronic, progressive and neurodegenerative.
Chronic brain inflammation, like inflammation in the rest of the body, is now considered one of the leading causes of disease. In the brain, chronic inflammation is believed to lead to Alzheimer’s, [7]dementia [8] and Parkinson’s [9], while chronic inflammation in the body is connected to heart disease [10], type 2 diabetes [11], depression [12] and a myriad of autoimmune diseases.
At the center of all inflammatory diseases are dysfunctional mitochondria that, as regulators of the cell survival [13]and number of other functions [14], control immune reactions – inflammation [15]. Mitochondria are highly susceptible to damage from pharmacological and environmental toxicants [16] and inextricably dependent upon dietary nutrients [17] for proper functioning.
When toxicants attack mitochondrial pathways and/or nutrient depletion diminishes mitochondrial functioning, mitochondria activate the immune system and spur inflammatory cascades; cascades that can be stopped only if the exposures are removed and the nutrients restored.
In the brain, neural mitochondria [18] and microglia [19] (brain immune cells), regulate inflammation. Like the mitochondria, these microglia are highly dependent upon dietary nutrients. As we have written previously, the B vitamins [20] are particularly important for central nervous system functioning. New research finds that vitamin B6 is a key regulator of brain inflammation [21].
Vitamin B6 and Brain Inflammation
Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine >peridoxal 5’ – phosphate) is a necessary co-factor in over 100 enzymes. [21] It is critical for the catabolism (breakdown) of the essential amino acid tryptophan. Tryptophan [22] is required for serotonin [23] (well-being and GI motility) and melatonin [24] (the sleep hormone) synthesis. Disturbances in tryptophan catabolism not only lead to disturbances in neurotransmitter activity, but also, can lead to cell death or apoptosis, in vital brain regions, like the hippocampus [25] (learning and memory), basal ganglia [26] (movement, motivation, intention) and in the cerebellum [27] (motor control and balance).
When all is working well, tryptophan serves as a substrate for serotonin and melatonin. Excess tryptophan is degraded resulting in the by-products nictonic acid and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) – or as most of us recognize, niacin, vitamin B3.
Niacin is an essential nutrient in many physiological functions. Loss of niacin metabolism from this pathway can lead to significant disease, including, Pellagra [28], a disease characterized by scaly skin lesions, delusions and confusion. In addition to a loss of niacin synthesis, when vitamin B6 is deficient and the tryptophan pathway is disturbed, the incomplete degradation of tryptophan produces several metabolites that are neurotoxic, including one called quinolinic acid [29].
Quinolinic acid is a potent and self-perpetuating neurotoxin [30] when unopposed in the brain. It generates ROS (reactive oxygen species indicative of mitochondrial oxidative stress and damage) and over-activates NMDA glutamate receptors (the brain’s primary excitatory neurotransmitter) to the point of apoptosis (cell death), all the while inhibiting brain astrocytes’ ability to clean up the excess glutamate. Once that cycle becomes initiated, quinolinic acid potentiates its own release and that of other neurotoxins, ensuring continued brain inflammation and damage.
With the appropriate vitamin B6, quinolinic acid is not the final product of tryptophan catabolism, NAD+ or niacin is, and any damage initiated by quinolinic acid as a natural by-product within this pathway is offset by two neuroprotective factors, kynurenine and picolinic acid. Vitamin B6 is critical for the kynurenine aminotransferase and kynurinase enzymes; enzymes that lead to neuroprotective compounds, kynurenine or picolinic acid.
Kynurenine blocks the cytotoxic effects of quinolinic acid by blocking the NMDA receptor, making it unavailable to quinolinic acid, while picolinic acid is the primary metal chelator (remover) in the brain (likely critically important in post vaccine reactions). In other words, vitamin B6 controls the balance between inflammation and anti-inflammation within the brain and the body [10].
How do We Know Vitamin B6 is a Neuroprotectant?
Well, we’ve actually known this since the 1970s [31] (perhaps earlier [32]) when work on the kynurenine pathway [33]began. Somehow though, it wasn’t recognized again [34] until the 1990’s [35] and has only recently become prominent over the last decade as connections between environmental and pharmaceutical toxicants and gut microbiota and mitochondrial damage are revealed.
Several studies have emerged over the last decade showing the importance of vitamin B6 [36](and other B vitamins [37]) in systemic [12] and brain inflammation [38]. Defects in vitamin B6 metabolism [39] are linked to seizure disorders [40] resistant to traditional anticonvulsants but remediable with Vitamin B6. Vitamin B6 reduces brain atrophy in Alzheimer’s patients [41]. Low vitamin B6 is believed to play a key role in the oxidative stress associated with Huntington’s disease [42]. One of the more interesting studies involves preventing the hippocampal apoptosis associated with bacterial meningitis using vitamin B6.
Bacterial meningitis [43]is a life threatening disease associated with high mortality and morbidity. Of those patients who survive, up to 50% suffer serious neurological impairment including: hearing loss, seizures, cognitive decrements and sensory-motor deficits.
The bacteria attack cortical and hippocampal regions of the brain. Hippocampal cell death is associated with learning and memory deficits. In an experimental version of bacterial meningitis with rodents, researchers tested whether vitamin B6 supplementation could prevent the hippocampal apoptosis [44]by moderating the tryptophan pathway towards the B6-dependent kynurenine and picolinic metabolites versus the neurotoxic quinolinic acid.
They were successful. Vitamin B6 supplementation reduced brain inflammation and hippocampal apoptosis by up-regulating the neuroprotective factors controlled by the tryptophan – kynurenine pathway. An impressive result reached simply via vitamin supplementation.
Final Thoughts
Tryptophan metabolism and the kynurenine pathway are implicated in disease processes where inflammation is prominent. Vitamin B6 may be critical to maintaining the appropriate balance between inflammatory and anti-inflammatory immune reactions.
With modern nutritional deficits (high calorie, low nutrient foods [45]), commercial agricultural practices (glyphosate doused crops are nutrient poor [46]), estrogenic medications and environmental exposures (estrogens inhibit vitamin B6), it is entirely conceivable that many of us are vitamin B6 deficient and, as a result, functioning with a constant level of inflammation. Vitamin B6 supplementation, along with the other B vitamins might be warranted.
For those individuals suffering from brain inflammation mediated by disease, medication or vaccine adverse reactions, vitamin B6 might just reduce the inflammation cascades and improve quality of life. Given its direct impact on tryptophan metabolism, vitamin B6 ought to be considered critical for brain health.
Comments
Dickey offered herself up to being in this 2008 article in the now-defunct Grand Junction Free Press. May 12, 2008 was, ironically, the day I was so busy on Facebook I couldn't even call my business manager back at the time because it was the first International Fibromyalgia Awareness Day on Facebook and the conversations were flying and so were my fingers in the Chat windows. I had a website that was new in March (this one), and I wanted people to learn about it! And I wanted to learn about the people who were so active in outreach to do with fibromyalgia.
So I missed this happening in the paper that week. I'd later sit next to Ms Reicks at a shin-dig to celebrate 10 years of success with the garage we took our similar brand vehicles to -- and she was very interested in what I was saying at that time about the causes of health issues. The garage would soon announce they were closing. It's just always constant : change. And I learned that day that Dickie had passed. I was sad to hear that. I had done a home assessment with her, so I'd met Don, who you see in the article and photo.
She'd made me buffalo vegetable soup and frozen it and brought it to me when I was having my surgery, which was 11 years ago last week. I'd bought a second refrigerator / freezer to prepare for the surgery and post operation recovery in case I couldn't get out easily. It turns out I was out to a party 72 hours later (which was cancelled), for the staff of the clinic who had referred Dickie.
I was driving within a week, and I was back to work at the outpatient clinic where I'd contracted from January 1 2005 (ending on Leap Day 2008). I would even run into their office manager at the B Finnickey's gourmet / healthy store around Christmas time, it was super busy in there is all I remember and she was bright eyed seeing the store for the first time and saying "I love this store, I love this store!" enjoying the time with her husband. That store would close eventually. And I'd need to shuffle off from living in my home in order to reduce my costs and keep Lumigrate functioning, and do my work with it in a way I could manage things. Yes, change is a constant.
Ironically I'd be in view of the scnene of the crime attending a graduation of a person I help learn about health issues since their health collapse in 2011/2012. They'd initially contacted me asking about how to file for disability. And five years later they're attending graduation and have been employed the whole time between. Not as they'd perhaps have preferred -- but maybe there's MORE to improvements with this type of information I can connect with via Facebook, and then provide on Lumigrate. And they'd gotten a great deal on the afore-mentioned refrigerator-freezer I'd added in 2006 preparing for the incapacitation that did not occur. Thankfully I was only incapacited for 24 extra hours at the hospital due to inept nursing at the time, so it was wonderful to watch all the new nursing graduates at the graduation and think about how many shoes there are to fill, and wish them all well and hope the patients continue to be that -- patient! It's a learning curve and our medical system is in change.
Ms Reicks', in the article here (and a key person at the website if you go, as I suggest) is a family member with a doctor in the practice I first went to in 2003 when I moved to the Grand Junction, Colorado area -- I'd tried to switch to him because he was more of my 'mindset' but the practice had a 'no switching policy'.
He had a role in the medical care of patients at the first job I had in the area, which is why I moved to the area and when I got sick, as I often did back then, they took me as a new patient despite all the practices being full at the time. The OTs and PTs and SLPs were what took a facility from the red to the black in their books, typically, so it was important we get medical care when needed.
I suggest you go to the link of course, but I am providing the article as well.
www.bikeforthecure.org/2008-pages/2008-GJkFree%20Press%20Article%202.htm [50]
Pedal power
GJ women bike to battle Huntington’s disease
By Sharon Sullivan Grand Junction CO
May 12, 2008
The Grand Junction Free Press
Monday, May 12, 2008
Dickie Mae Martin’s hands move uncontrollably. She thought it was just a nervous reaction of some sort, until she was diagnosed with Huntington’s disease two years ago. Hand twitching is an early symptom of the disease for most people.
Martin, 67, lives alone and can take care of herself, for now. But as the disease progresses, the Grand Junction woman will lose her ability to walk, think, talk, reason and swallow.
Huntington’s disease is a neurological, familial disease passed from parent to child through a mutation on the fourth chromosome. Children of an HD parent have a 50-50 chance of inheriting the gene, which causes degeneration of brain cells. Onset of the disease most often occurs in midlife, but can also occur in childhood or old age.
Martin has a daughter who lives in Los Angeles, a son in Grand Junction and a daughter who died of breast cancer two years ago. The son works for the oil and gas industry seven days a week, and she seldom sees him.
In 2003, Martin married Don Martin, who had never been married before. In 2008, they divorced. They’re still friends — “the way we should have left it I guess,” Don Martin said.
He said he realized before the HD diagnosis that married life wasn’t for him, but the prospect of Martin slowly dying of HD, and becoming totally dependent on him, was more than he had bargained for. The two have remained friends, however.
“I’m glad we did get divorced. It wasn’t feasible for him to take care of me long term,” Martin said.
About one in 10,000 Americans have the disease. Because of the brain cell degeneration, people with HD are often mistaken for being intoxicated. People have also been misdiagnosed with insanity.
Twelve to 15 people attend the Grand Junction support group, which meets the last Tuesday of every month at First United Methodist Church, 522 White Ave., from 6:30-8 p.m.
Don Martin accompanies Martin to the monthly HD support group meetings in Grand Junction.
“I’m glad Don wants to hang around and go to meetings. Nobody in my family is around,” Martin said.
A social worker leads the two-hour discussions each month, where people with HD and their loved ones talk about how they’re coping with the disease.
“They’re just helping, and helping and helping,” Martin said.
Last spring, the Free Press published a story about Connie Perea, who had lived with HD for a number of years at home with her family. Perea died two weeks ago at age 44.
Riding for a cure
Charlotte Reicks, 72, and Marie Nemec, 64, are leaving Grand Junction Saturday, May 17, for their 10th annual cross-country bike ride to heighten public awareness of Huntington’s disease and raise funds for family services and research toward a cure.
“It’s been such a blessing. We’ve met so many wonderful people, we’ve seen the U.S. and there’s nothing greater than doing something for a cause,” Reicks said.
The first year, the cyclists raised $3,000. This year the goal is $$81,000 to bring the total amount raised thus far to $500,000.
Reicks and Nemec will depart from Clinton, Mo., May 20 to ride 950 miles through Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and into Pennsylvania, ending near Pittsburgh, where they will attend the 23rd annual Huntington’s Disease Society of America Convention June 6-9.
Famed folksinger Woody Guthrie died of HD, and in 1967 his widow, Marjorie, founded the Committee to Combat Huntington’s Disease, which evolved into the HDSA.
Reicks and Nemec will take turns driving a van with supplies, leap-frogging it across country. Reicks will rise early to start bicycling along a planned route, while Nemec drives the van about 10 miles. Then she parks the van, gets out her bike and begins riding. When Reicks catches up to the van, she loads up her bike and drives it another 10 or so miles down the road.
They spend their nights in churches and with people they know and meet along the way via the HD network.
Once, in Louisiana, they rode across the entire state, staying with members of the same family.
Someone had a cousin 60 miles up the road, whose parents lived up the road from there. And they knew a football player, and his aunt lived a days ride from there, etc.
Saturday, May 17, at 8 a.m. there will be a send-off breakfast for the bicyclists at Sherwood Park in the north pavilion. Donations will be accepted.
Nemec and Reicks will write daily e-mails during their trip, which can be subscribed to by writing Nemec’s husband, Ron, at ron.nemec@bigfoot.com [52]. The ride can also be tracked at www.bikeforthecure.org [53].
For more information or to make a donation contact Nemec at (removed by me/Mardy in order to not create any unwanted calls from the Internet robots getting the phone number here)(if interested in donating please go to their website and the number is included there). .
Site created by Jennifer Hickok [58]
Live and learn. Learn and live better! ~ Mardy
Live and Learn. Learn and Live Better! is my motto. I'm Mardy Ross, and I founded Lumigrate in 2008 after a career as an occupational therapist with a background in health education and environmental research program administration. Today I function as the desk clerk for short questions people have, as well as 'concierge' services offered for those who want a thorough exploration of their health history and direction to resources likely to progress their health according to their goals. Contact Us comes to me, so please do if you have questions or comments. Lumigrate is "Lighting the Path to Health and Well-Being" for increasing numbers of people. Follow us on social networking sites such as: Twitter: http://twitter.com/lumigrate [48] and Facebook. (There is my personal page and several Lumigrate pages. For those interested in "groovy" local education and networking for those uniquely talented LumiGRATE experts located in my own back yard, "LumiGRATE Groove of the Grand Valley" is a Facebook page to join. (Many who have joined are beyond our area but like to see the Groovy information! We not only have FUN, we are learning about other providers we can be referring patients to and 'wearing a groove' to each other's doors -- or websites/home offices!) By covering some of the things we do, including case examples, it reinforces the concepts at Lumigrate.com as well as making YOU feel that you're part of a community. Which you ARE at Lumigrate!