New Way to Stimulate Brain to Release Antioxidants

Neopallium writes "A joint research effort between researchers at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research in La Jolla, CA, and a team from Japan (Iwate University, Osaka City University, Gifu University, Iwate Medical University) has discovered a novel way to treat stroke and neurodegenerative disorders. This approach works by inducing nerve cells in the brain and the spine to release natural antioxidants that protect nerve cells from stress and free radicals that lead to neurodegenerative diseases."

Comments

Not a Cure

[Voltageaav]

This won't cure anyone who already has it though. It's a preventative measure. It may get rid of these diseases in 30 years once it's been used widely, but it's not going to help anyone right now.

Sounds familiar

[snookumz]

This sounds like protandim. Protandim was a nutritional supplement that was being touted as a life extension drug a while back. The idea was that the human body could never swallow enough anti-oxidants to make up for the fall off with age. Besides, acids in the stomach ruin most anyways. The researcher who made protandim got the idea of restimulating the bodies natural production of anti-oxidants. I believe they claimed a 400% increase in naturally produced anti-oxidant levels. There were quite a few scientific papers that showed beneficial effects to mice suffering from strokes. Unfortunately the company seems to have wavered on what their claims are. Over time, they stepped down from that less provable statement that it could extend lifespan. Still, I don't think anyone has refuted the positive effects. They just shouldn't have targeted the I want to live forever market.

Re:Sounds familiar

[snookumz]

Ah. While I was searching, I found this about it. So I guess it was proven as just another hoax. Probably should have looked it up before posting. Oh well. :)

Re:Very promising research - but is it just PR?

[frybacon]

The Burnham Institute is a non-profit academic research facility.

Re:Oxygen is needed...

[geobeck]

The dangerous free radicals that antioxidants decrease are not simply oxygen, but hydroxyl ions: OH-

A great deal of biochemistry is governed not by stong covalent bonds, but by comparatively weak ionic bonds. You have dozens of different types of ions flowing through your body, all fulfilling different roles.

Unfortunately, ordinary body processes produce ionic waste, such as free radicals. If you have too many free radicals in your bloodstream, they can bond with positive ions that would otherwise interact with other negative ions.

A simple example of ions in your bloodstream is table salt. (There are many types of salt in your body, but everyone understands table salt.) When you eat salt (sodium chloride, NaCl), it dissolves in your body fluids and disassociates into its component ions, Na+ and Cl-. I'm not sure of the numbers; it's been a long time since high school biology, but different ions have different amounts of charge. I'm pretty sure Na+ and Cl- are both single-charge ions.

So antioxidants don't rob your brain of valuable oxygen; they remove a harmful ionic waste product.

Abstract

[daigu]

The abstract is available and the whole article is available for purchase for those interested.