Einstein Syndrome: Down Syndrome with a Positive Attitude

For the last ten years or so, the cutting edge discussions that I’ve been part of on the various DS email lists have pertained to protecting existing brain cells in our kids, and stimulating them to build new connections and neural pathways. To this end, there has been much talk of oxidative stress, antioxidants, Omega-3 oils, nootropic drugs like Piracetam, and supplements (like Nutrivene-D) which feed the pathways to build neurotransmitters. There has also been much discussion of neurodevelopmental programs such as those written by NACD or ICAN or IAHP which so many parents have faithfully done, and which have benefitted many children, including my daughter.

I’m seeing the topic of the discussions changing. Sure we want to grow and protect existing neurons, but the cutting edge discussion now is about neurogenesis–building brand new brain cells.

At the Changing Minds Foundation, Dr. Teresa Cody and other parents are way out on the cutting edge of Down Syndrome interventions. It turns out that one of the neurotransmitters which is over-expressed in DS is GABA, which is like a red light for neurons. It tells them to stop firing. Here is an excerpt of CMF’s excellent explanation:

All efforts to date have been aimed at increasing the excitatory transmission. In Down syndrome the brain activity is low, and the person is mentally challenged; the obvious answer is to increase the excitatory activity. But, the work at Stanford says it the other side of the system that needs to be addressed reduce the inhibitory activity.

The researchers at Stanford have demonstrated that an excess of inhibitory signals is the problem. In other words, there are too many red lights in the system and making the green lights greener doesn’t help, we have to turn off some of the red lights.

While the researchers at Stanford work to develop a drug to turn down GABA, there is an easily available herb which has just that effect. Gingko Biloba. Gingko shuts off some of the stop lights in our brains. There is much more at the link above.

Lots of the kids on the ES email list are now using Gingko, and I am hearing anecdotal reports of improvements in their learning ability. The CMF has some impressive video evidence of improvements in their kids.

But, this post hasn’t been about neurogenesis, yet. More from the Changing Minds Foundation:

A second theory is in the works; that is that neurogenesis (grow new neurons) is possible with an available drug, Prozac. Dr Sarah Clarke, at The University of Maryland School of Medicine led an investigation where they reversed the degeneration in the Down syndrome mouse model. After 24 days of Prozac (generic is fluoxetine), the Down syndrome mouse had doubled his neuron count to a normal level.

Wow! 24 days on Prozac and double the number of brain cells! That is enough to make this drug adverse mom sit up and take notice. Dr. Cody and others have combined this info with the Gingko info and developed a protocol for, well, changing the minds of their kids. Again, you really need to look at the video evidence of Neal Cody.

But Prozac? I’m thinking about this, and gathering information… but Prozac? Still, there has been discussion of Prozac for years on the DS lists. Years ago some kids were on Prozac for other reasons (constipation, low serotonin resulting in low gut motility), and their parents reported increased speech and language resulting from it. However, I am not aware of any children with DS who were on Prozac long term. But Prozac is one of those drugs that sets warning bells ringing in my mind. I’m still thinking about it, gathering info, and closely watching the reports coming in from parents who are trying this protocol.

Then today I listened to a podcast on Exercise and the Brain, with Ginger Campbell and John Ratey. Fascinating stuff. Thanks to DSInfoExchange for the link. Both CMF and Dr. Ratey are talking about BDNF, or Brain Derived Neurotropic Factor. It is a protein that acts to encourage new neurons to grow and differentiate. According to John Ratey, exercise produces BDNF, and in levels comparable to what is produced by taking Prozac.

Dr. Campbell points to this explanation of BDNF which will be helpful to parents who are just starting to muddle through the alphabet soup of these brain chemicals.

Well, rats. I hate exercise. However, Mary loves it. We joined Curves together last year, and went regularly for about 8 months. Mary will often ask me to take her. When I don’t, she asks for permission to go for a run, or she will find some big, energetic yard work to do.

The whole exercise/neurogenesis thing does make sense. As one parent on the ES list commented today, “I think that was one reason that Karen Gaffney has done so well. Her father relentlessly took time and effort to get her swimming. I do not believe that she took any vitamins.”

Filed under: Health, Positive attitude Tagged: | Down Syndrome, neurogenesis