Neuronal Mechanisms In Pupil Dilation (What do Our Eyes Tell us About Our Brain Chemistry & Overall Health)

......The Eye's are the "Window to the Soul"...or the

Seat of the Soul ; which was it?

Well maybe there is some truth to that. You know though, I like factual information. Not casual-definitive re-debunking. So whilst this discussion may seem glamorous - I'm going to save that for a later time  - or for AMx ReBorN to pick up on ...or one of our other Philosopher's. 

.....

OK!

So our brain chemistry relates back to our eyes in many ways. 

Our brain neurotransmitter systems relay messages of iris-sphincter muscle closation/constriction or dilation...and of course, our food intake and level of fatty acids in our diet or blood stream impact this as well. 

However given the amount of drug and heavy metal exposure we have to deal with on the daily - the most RELEVANT aspects of this whole science are the CORE neuronal mechanisms involved in the almighty EYE's appearance.

   ....SEROTONIN AND PUPIL SIZE/DILATION

A Central study suggests., in a affirmative - surefire fashion - that...

5-HT1A serotonin receptor activation (presumably the 'autoreceptors' ; presynaptic) - causes miosis in HUMANS (not primates, not rats or rabbits folks!) - that means CONSTRICTION (pupil becomes smaller by 5-HT1A activation)...essentially; because SYMPATHETIC activity was referenced (a measure of nervous system excitation) - and autoreceptors DECREASE serotonin release; thus lowering overall excitation - the result is pupil constriction. 

In other words; the muscles and veins in other places are almost totally OPPOSITE to the EYE/IRIS - whereas serotonin and adrenaline may tighten/constrict arteries and blood flow elsewhere - in the EYE - serotonin and adrenaline both DILATE.

When your brain's REGULATORY mechanisms to CONTROL excess serotonin are activated (as with the anti-anxiety drug BUSPAR; which decreases serotonin) - the result is, with buspirone and others; pupil constriction...and also lower heart rate and blood pressure....

Thus it could be said - that if your  PUPILS are not overly dilated, or more on the constricted side - that you may have a healthier heart or trending towards LOW-ish blood pressure and CNS Activity!

           ACETYLCHOLINE AND PUPILS; Another Inverse Correlation to DiLation


A Hindawi Publication in the Journal of Ophthalmology observed that  SMOKING causes Pupil CONSTRICTION - now while this may not ALWAYS be the case; it is, in many chronic smokers a consistency and especially in acute smoking BINGES. Nicotine, the MAIN PSYCHOACTIVE substance in Cigarette's SELECTIVELY activates ONLY Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors.... under this observation - and along with other studies that ALSO confirm this on a more, molecular basis....brain scans yada Yada; nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are potent HUMAN PUPIL CONSTRICTORS....oh, and so do MUSCARINIC acetylcholine receptors; which are activated by nerve gases and such ...at such a high PERMEATING rate it is the equivalent of the bodybuilders SUPRAPHYSIOLOGICAL AMOUNTS OF STEROID INJECTION....nerve gases are basically ACETYLCHOLINE ON STEROIDS.....and therefore ......acetylcholine ; though it dilates other ARTERIES, though acetylcholine helps to maintain a normal blood pressure and ward off heart disease (in normal amounts) - it does CONSTRICT THUH EYE!~!


This is also in accordance/conformity with drugs like BUSPAR of the AZAPIRONE class ; which decrease serotonin ; thereby enhancing acetylcholine; thus again, coming back to set the STAGE for PUPIL CONSTRICTION...aren't they having fun, our pupils, I mean!?



Thus ultimately, higher cholinergic neurotransmission coupled with lower serotonin and lower adrenaline ultimately leads to more constricted pupils....and so, if you are PARASYMPATHETICALLY dominant; aka, a THINKER; the relaxed; sort of see everything for what it is LOGICAL type; MOST PROBABLY you will have constricted pupils..but if you are the type who is on EDGE in a constant LEE furious, revengeful, adrenaline HASTENED fashion - or who likes to shoot up movie theaters, then perhaps, your LITTLE PUPILS MAY. NOT.BE.SO.LITTLE....

PHYSIOLOGY OF ADRENERGIC RECEPTORS IN HUMANS

Distribution of alpha-1 adrenoceptor subtypes in RNA and protein in rabbit eyes

Mechanisms of Cannabis/Marijuana-Induced Sexual Dysfunction (Why does Pot/Marijuana Cause E.D)

I

First off, I'd like to point out that I am NOT against Marijuana use - nor do I believe it should necessarily be classed into a group of 'dangerous chemicals'. I think that societal-moral integrity should include legalization of the plant. However, responsible use is always important - as with anything.

With that being said, I do NOT buy into Cannabis being a 'Panacea' (cure-all)...not only because the main method of administration is SMOKING it - but because simply, there is no such thing as a 'Panacea'. I've said on different occasions that the reason why there is no such thing as a panacea; is because of individuality. One person's Yang is another person's Yin - and for that reason alone the concept of one substance; drug , herb or otherwise , curing everything in everybody - is absolutely ridiculous!

Moving on.

Marijuana has many benefits; including against Pain and has beneficial effects on mood, cholesterol, and perhaps sociability in some instances. It obviously is more than effective as an appetite stimulant (e.g munchies induction) - but it's effects on sexual function; in men especially, are generally not so helpful. Even detrimental. 

There is the paradox of course where marijuana may 'relax' someone enough to FEEL as though their libido/sex drive has been increased - and the euphoria may also create or relay the perception of enhanced sexual interest in sensitive individuals - but from a vascular, and core neural perspective - Marijuana has generally detrimental effects on the process of arousal and erection in men. 

                                            THE HARD SCIENCE

Two particular mode's of action disturb male sexual function in regards to Marijuana. 

• The CB1 receptors become activated by THC (the psychoactive chemical responsible for most of 'ol Mary Jane's effects) = this leads to reductions in the second messenger cAMP; cyclic Adenosine monoPhosphate; which is a critical second messenger in both testosterone production and vasorelaxation. In simpler terms - THC/Marijuana reduce the levels of important chemicals that are needed to produce male sex hormones and to provide erectile support.  (1) (2) (3) (4) (5)
• The Activation of that same receptor class also leads to complex psychosomatic reactions - some of which may include paradoxical anxiety and increases of blood pressure - then leading to difficulty in getting or maintaining an erection . (6) (7)   Psychological ramifications ; such as the development of Psychotic symptoms during Marijuana use - may also play a role in adverse sexual events. 

Finally, impaired motor skills and in those who become 'too calm' on the Green - this in itself can negatively impact sexual functions, not just in men, but in women as well...after all - look at what Alcohol does!

                **REINFORCING THE MATTERS**

( OTHER CITATIONS / REFERENCES )

 Pot Use May Mellow Out Men's Sexual Function (LIVESCIENCE; by(Stephanie Pappas)

Is Smoking Weed Good or Bad for Erectile Dysfunction?
Written by Kimberly Holland | Published on June 25, 2015
Medically Reviewed by The Healthline Medical Team on June 25, 2015 { HEALTH LINE }

Marijuana and Erectile Dysfunction : Sex Health Matter :-: The website of the Sexual Medicine Society of North America, Inc.

Why the Feminist Movement is Toxic ; And Why it Should be Abolished

⌠ᴫ  an ᴤarlier piece I had elaborated on the profuse expectations of society to label anyone with a particular sexual interest; as one in the same with that interest. My consolidation is that 'society' often makes erroneous conclusions about a given person after one simple act - e.g that one would date someone younger by 5 years; illegal or not - and that this automatically 'defines' that person..as either 'immature' , an 'ephebophile' (people use the term pedophile interexchangeably with ephebophile despite being scientifically and morally incorrect) or even a 'Freak'. Yet many people don't stop to see if this is an ACTUAL pattern with this person - or whether the relationship is genuine - or whether the girl or guy has a devious side..no it's just one big puddle of possibilities!

The Feminist movement has helped spur a lot of hatred around every corner where a man is accused of anything from statutory rape, to sexual assault, to having Guns in their house  - to having a life insurance policy on their spouse. To them, they veer into the window of arrogant simplicity and recognize whatever 'fear' they are used to seeing as a definitive identification of a situation or person's intent. That means that one lady may have had a bad experience and the things leading up to that experience or trauma - are stuck in her head to reminisce on and whenever she, now a part of that movement identifies a woman complaining of a similar situation with similar steps LEADING TO ----- OH OH OH, I know the answer  - this will happen NEXT, BECAUSE!

That is feminist logic , ladies and gentlemen.

What started out as a woman's rights movement has turned into a manipulation calendar for vindictive females and those driven by a total lack of common sense. They take the motto of sustaining SAFETY for women and EQUALITY for women and mold it into an 'anything goes into this category' debate. If a workplace environment which sets a certain wage for low-level employees suddenly PROMOTES a man first to a higher wage - all of a sudden it's a huge issue..because NOW instead of the argument of equality..the WOMAN just HAS to get the first raise ; because, else, that would be "BIASED and UNFAIR". 

Thus this political 'movement' has entirely become a sham and abused by the latest forms of human ignorance. 

This isn't even scratching the surface. You know how many WOMEN actually HATE the feminist movement?  SEE HERE  AND HERE why do you think that is?

The guardian even has written about how this movement is now becoming more a brutal form of unnecessary, unhealthy criticism and a base to emotionally harass and torture men and society in general.

The problem is, what was original something for fairness has become entirely corrupt, and once you corrupt the first seed, guess What? The whole sprout becomes toxic...and the current leaders in this movement are no longer fit to lead..they are hypocrites and deviants. 
The next phases are only going to get worse. So the question I have is to what line do we draw to, and when will we cut this corrupt growth out of our living environment? When will be remove these toxic imbecile's from our midst?

Because certainly - this is going to cause catastrophe. At a time where we should be uniting as a people and finding altruism and courage and correcting already existing issues (much larger issues) such as governmental corruption and evading the next WORLD WAR..these ladies just want to create unwarranted domestic chaos.. how does that help any of us EVEN IF YOU ASSUME that's not their intent? Do you think we can properly influence the already existing political corruption when we have all of these unnecessary imbalances intertwined with the Congressional conglomerates ? Where dirty favors are exchanged by financial incentive - and movements like this are not just a nuissance when high entities and the media are largely supporting them..

• Because you see, what they are REALLY supporting is a DIVERSION from the larger issues in this  Country. Feminism no longer suits us or OUR people. 

• Whether in workplace where 'equality' becomes inequality; a 360 degree shift from 10 years ago is yet another imbalance.. Feminism no longer suits us or OUR people. 

• Whether testosterone rises or becomes further criticized  - a man is a man, a woman is a woman - a household is a household. Feminism no longer suits us or OUR people. 

• A child; a son, a daughter - needs both a Father and a Mother - not a distorted view of relationships, and not a dictator and a man who doesn't know his true strength as a Parent. Feminism no longer suits us or OUR people. 

• When in 2 years, men are feeling more castrated than ever - by chemicals in our food and water - and then by women abusing their power...this is true imbalance and thus...Feminism no longer suits us or OUR people. 

Whether women fight and scratch men and get away with it or whether they fight other women in the street or on stage like ANIMALS - this being amusing(to FEMINISTS)... it no longer suits our country OR our people.

Because you see, it's not about critiquing feminists - it's about retaining some dignity in this society, before it's all gone.....!

Now, I certainly don't feel powerless, nor am I - but I have enough Insight and so do many guys and girls both - no matter the position - it doesn't take a genius to see where this so called 'feminist movement' is going..and tons of examples have been made thus far..and this is just the tip of the iceberg... the ladies and men of this society DESERVE to see the stinger of a scorpion hit the inevitable end of this utterly ridiculous -no-longer-solely-human-rights-movement. FemiNAZI is an interesting word..but you know what's more interesting ?

The brilliant sound of the abolition of the movement - the tasteful stew that precedes the end to this tragic form of human ignorance...  ;)

So we can focus on more important things, and start acting like brothers, sisters, and friends and family, instead of animals trying to claim one gender is better than others...if you want equality - believe in it - but don't create a stage with clowns trying to propose war strategies against other clowns FOR clowns. 

..and indeed, people are waking up - time is coming to an end for them. 

Symptoms and Signs of LOW Acetylcholine Levels in the Brain and Body (All Sourced; No Junk Science/Bro-Science Here) Low AcH symptoms : Easy to Understand

₳cetylcholine is a neuromodulating neurotransmitter or neuroregulating transmitter. In simple terms; it is a nerve cell that relays messages and in specific, helps to 'control' the amount of information that is relayed by other nerves...increased AcH (Acetylcholine) allows for neuronal 'bridging' and synaptogenesis; to an extent...but it's most prominent role is in maintaining clarity and homeostasis (balance) in neuronal systems. Acetylcholine also affects hormone production - it can either increase or decrease the HPA-axis, depending on the receptor binded to. It interacts with stress hormones - can increase or decrease ACTH levels and plays a role in gonadal hormone formation (sex hormones, neurosteroids etc).

As such, very low levels often result in distorted array of neurotransmitters and hormones; the hypothalamus either becomes over-active or under-active...most commonly over-active. However, both biological paradigms are possible.

Low Levels of Acetylcholine lead to over-active sympathetic nervous activity; which means adrenaline/noradrenalin excess - this helps to explain the neurosis, mania and other bizarre behaviors that occur when AcH levels become deficient. Low Acetylcholine may also lead to risky or reckless behavior; since the person tends to think 'less' or not think their actions all the way through....

Super high levels of Acetylcholine on the other hand lead to possible brain fog or alterations in cognitive function - mainly because of an existing dopamine opposition by excessive cholinergic inputs - in other words, super SUPER high acetylcholine can reduce the basal and stimulated firing rate of dopamine...in contrast to this - acetylcholine may also boost and / or augment the effects of stimulants. On average, acetylcholine should be* ideally on the high-end of normal depending on what your goals and genetic threshold are comprised of.

Super high acetylcholine also leads to other odd symptoms; despair and depression may occur - or simply a 'bland' anhedonia...however, again, it depends on the person...acetylcholine tends to oppose glutamate to an extent; depending on what receptors are activated...some nicotinic receptors such as alpha-7's actually increase glutamate..but multiple muscarinic receptors; mainly the M1; decreases glutamate...and some nicotinic receptors share opposite effects..

MAIN 'SYMPTOMS'

• Diminished Long-Term Memory (!)
• Trouble Remembering People & Events (!) (!)
• Forgetting where you put your Keys, Remote, and with Directions (one or all may be present) (!) (!)
• General Disorganized Thinking (!)

      BEHAVIORAL MANIFESTATIONS OF LOW ACETYLCHOLINE

• Impulsivity (!) (!)
• Mania (!) (!) (!)
• Over-Animated Posture, hypomanic. 
• Unusually enthusiastic or eccentric. (!)
• Grandiosity; egotism. (!)
• Lack of concentration and frustration with work / school which may manifest as 'ADD' or 'ADHD' (!) (!) (!)
• Anxiety; social isolation. (!) (!)
• Tendency to drug abuse; especially alcohol and other depressants. (!)
• Profuse or persistent Anger, low threshold for Criticism and rejects correction. (!) (!) (!)
• Obsessive-Compulsive disorder is linked to central acetylcholinergic dysfunction. Nicotinic receptors appear to be irregularly firing and some receptors are nearly -inactive-... (!)
• Low Acetylcholine May Precipitate Psychotic Symptoms in Patients with Schizophrenia and in itself - may lead to thought disorder development.

                                  GENETIC EXTENSION

• Schizophrenics seem to have DECREASED Muscarinic M1 and M4 acetylcholine receptor expression as well as DECREASED nicotinic acetylcholine receptor availability; namely beta-2 and alpha-7 receptors. (!) (!) (!) (!)

       PHYSICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF LOW ACETYLCHOLINE - HEART 

• Increased or Rapid Heart Rate (tachycardia)
• Hearing pulse in head at night.
• Increased blood pressure.
• Poor oxygen utilization.
• Fidgety (hand tremors etc)

Suggestions to Increase Acetylcholine 

• I don't recommend HUPERZINE-A , it does raise Acetylcholine, but it blocks NMDA-glutamate receptors which shuts out any perceived benefit from the increased acetylcholine in certain brain regions. 
• There are a multitude of natural AChE inhibitors that prevent the breakdown of Acetylcholine.

If you are looking for an herb that

1. Boosts acetylcholine by preventing it's breakdown AND also has anti-anxiety properties my recommendation would be Ashwagandha Extract.
2. Boosts acetylcholine by preventing it's breakdown AND boosts histamine and wakefulness/alertness - I recommend hollarhena antidysenteria which contains Conessine.
3. Products are also below for your convenience ; first is pro-memory and anti-anxiety - second product is pro-memory and stimulant/pro-alertness.

             



**OTHER CITATIONS / SOURCES**

Natural AChE Inhibitors from Plants and their Contribution to Alzheimer’s Disease Therapy

High acetylcholine sets circuit dynamics for attention and

encoding; Low acetylcholine sets dynamics for consolidation

The Role of Acetylcholine Mechanisms in Affective Disorders

Effects of SIB-1508Y, a novel neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonist, on motor behavior in parkinsonian monkeys

The Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor α5 Subunit Plays a Key Role in Attention Circuitry and Accuracy

Acetylcholine as a Neuromodulator: Cholinergic Signaling Shapes Nervous System Function and Behavior

The prominent role of stimulus processing: cholinergic function and dysfunction in cognition

A Heads-Up Look at Brain Health by Randy Drake

The underlying neurobiology of bipolar disorder

How to Manipulate the Serotonergic (Serotonin) System for Optimal/Best Sleep (Treating Severe Insomnia Naturally/Herbally)

Alright ladies and Gentlemen; we have another important , prized topic to Cover.

This here is the new 'bee's knees' of information collection regarding serotoninergic manipulation. Now, for those unfamiliar, Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is 89-91% in the GUT - ONLY 10% is in the brain/CNS. Of course, the nerves in your intestines/gut can be considered a part of the nervous system; the 'enteric' nervous system...which is basically getting into the enterokinetic or enteroelectric activities that facilitate bowel movement etc.

Serotonin has SEVEN receptors. That's a lot! It is surpassed only by glutamate in terms of QUANTITY of structurally different receptors and amino acid sequences.

Serotonin is considered a 'monoamine' - but not a catecholamine (which includes dopamine and noradrenaline). Serotonin interacts with a wide array of neurotransmitters in the brain and body; actually practically every neurotransmitter in influenced by serotonin - so you can see why it's important to keep it in the right range!

Serotonin can be either stimulating or sedating; but the network of current medical evidence suggests  that serotonin is more likely to CAUSE anxiety than to relieve it. Serotonin in moderately elevated or excessive amounts leads to problems regulating body temperature, Diarrhea, nausea, fast or slow heart rate, blood pressure dysregulation, sexual dysfunctions, panic , anger/agitation, callousness, visual changes, delirium, neurosis, erotomania (fixation on famous characters or students/teachers that leads to obsession and delusions of unmutual love)....

Additionally, serotonin can suppress REMS sleep and delay onset of sleep; depending on what receptor it binds to. 

• Generally speaking, serotonin can reduce both onset of sleep and reduce quality of sleep when activating the post-synaptic 5-HT(1)A receptors.
• 5-HT1B activation promotes anxiety and aggravates obsessive-compulsive symptoms.
• Activating 5-HT(2)A or 2C leads to Anxiety and sleeplessness as well as personality changes such as mania, hallucinations if a high degree of activation is present (such as with LSD or Ecstasy)
• 5-HT3 receptor activation may lead to anxiety and memory problems as well as nausea.
• 5-HT4 activation increases heart rate and nervous system stimulation as well as histamine release and excessive serotonin at this receptor is implicated in heart failure.
• 5-HT5A receptor activation can lead to Insomnia, lack of curiosity, lack of pleasure, psychosis and a whole host of other symptoms such as low thyroid hormone and low metabolism. 
• 5-HT7 activation promotes anxiety and aggression, in some instances.

Serotonin thus is largely stimulating - and though is often proclaimed to be a 'marvel anxiolytic' - the science doesn't quite hold up...anyway.

Your best bet to a tactical approach is to reduce net/total serotonin levels and / or antagonize specific receptors - the ones that seem to be the worst are the 5-HT4 receptors and 5-HT5A receptors - as well as the 5-HT1A receptors.

My recommendation is the below stack. 

• Wild Jujube (Ziziphus Spinosa) antagonizes 5-HT1A and 5-HT1B receptors(1) (2).
• L-Lysine antagonizes serotonin 5-HT(4) receptors and relieves anxiety and gut pathology/diarrhea predominant IBS. (3)
• Valerian Extract and Valerinic Acid act as partial agonists to the human serotonin 5-HT5A receptor - which may improve sleep by reducing serotonin activity by the autoreceptors and also by reducing net sympathetic nervous system activity. The partial agonist effect essentially means that VRE keeps the 5-HT5A receptors intrinsic activity/value at a median and / or reduces the excessive activation but when under - active will normalize it to control rates. (4)

                                             

10 Neurological Abnormalities in Psychopaths (Neurotransmitter and Brain Region Differences in Psychopaths/AntiSocial PD)

Psychopathy is a disorder characterized by a prominent lack of empathy, remorse or guilt; and especially a relative disregard for legal or societal rules or expectations... 'Psychopaths' are also more viable and generally more intelligent than sociopaths (sociopaths are generally more impulsive and less cunning). The big question over the years; is if there is a neurobiological perspective/etiology to psychopathy. 

Research has shown the following major points/alterations to be directly involved.

• Damage to the medial Prefrontal Cortex (mPFC); common with head trauma, or lack of oxygen supply upon Birth. This can also happen to an extent with neurotoxicity and / or heavy metal poisoning. (1) (2) (3) (4)
• Elevated Copper levels. (Copper acts as a CNS stimulant; and excess can wear out the adrenal glands) Some psychopaths are noted with low heart rate and moderately elevated blood pressure. (5) (6)
• Elevated Cadmium and / or Lead; which leads to shrinkage of both cortical neurons and amygdala nuclei - two prerequisite changes necessary for loss of emotional capacity and self-control. (7) (8)
• Low CNS Activity; particularly a low heart rate in many 'extreme' psychopaths - those inclined to Rape and thrill seeking tend to have a lower heart rate and thus oxygen supply...the impaired oxygen leads to lack of consideration of consequences. (9)
• Low heart rate may be related to low levels of cyclic Adenosine monoPhosphate (cAMP) - which regulates / increases sympathetic nervous system activity. Thus , some* Psychopaths may have low dopamine D1 receptor activation as well as low histamine H2 or beta-adrenergic activation. There may also be central reductions in CREB-dependent reactions.  (10) (11) (12)
• Decreased dopamine D2 receptor concentrations in the meso-cortical-limbic projections and decreased overall Dopamine in the prefrontal cortex is noted in psychopathy. However, in the Striatum, dopamine may be elevated and this is in part, due to decreased levels of regulatory 'dopamine D2 autoreceptors'. (13) (14)
• Low levels of the neuropeptide Oxytocin (hormone of trust, love and sexual motivation). (15)
• Low levels of GABA and Acetylcholine may lead to Aggressive behavior . Though, it's possible that some psychopaths may have high levels of GABA. Hence the fearlessness. (16) (17)
• Elevated serotonin is found in obsessive-compulsive, calculating Psychopaths; and this confers the lack of or distorted dopamine function leading to lack of empathy, elevated serotonin is associated with instrumental crimes/objective oriented crimes and is also found in some Cult leaders. (18) (19) (20) (21)  however, lower serotonin is found in impulsive criminals as opposed to premeditated criminals whom have higher levels.
• NeuroEndocrine abnormalties; hypothalamic activity may be either excessive or under-active; depending on the type. Impulsive, Sadistic or those afflicted with Satyriasis tend to have abnormally high hypothalamic activity either in the context of increased neuronal connections or larger overall nerve fibers (22) (23) - however, calculating, cold, dysphoric or otherwise 'mastermind' type criminals might have, on average, lower/low-ish levels of hypothalamic activity. (24)   The increased hypothalamic activity in Rapists and sexual sadists may be related to increased ACTH secretion from the adrenal gland and / or lack of negative feedback and the decreased HPA axis in 'callous' 'cold' criminals may be related to decreased bottom-region HPA activity. This could also have to do with lead poisoning and other heavy metals which disrupt the HPA axis.

Herbs & Supplements to Raise/Increase Glutamate Decarboxylase (GAD) (Natural Glutamate Decarboxylase Stimulators)

Glutamate Decarboxylase , simply put, is an enzyme that converts the amino acid neurotransmitter Glutamate into GABA (gamma-amino-butyric-acid)(1). Because Glutamate is primarily stimulating and GABA is primarily inhibitory (calming) - the enzyme is essential to maintaining neuronal and physiological homeostasis (balance) (2). Without it, the risk of neurotoxicity is substantially increased and as well the probability of developing neuropsychiatric complications is also increased(3). Both bipolar disorder AND Schizophrenia are associated with low levels of this enzyme; which is abbreviated by GAD(4).

A specific "active" form of Vitamin B-6 known as P5P or PLP; Pyrdoxal-5-Phosphate is necessary for the production of GAD; and thus, necessary for the production of GABA(5).

This means that supplementation of P5P can be a good 'first-step' to cover your bases in increasing the levels of this enzyme....now why SPECIFICALLY would we want to INCREASE Glutamate DecaRboXyLase !?

First off,

• Not all of us need to.
• This mainly would be for those under stress or with a history of anxiety disorders and / or BiPolar Disorder; which is characterized by low GABA.
• It may also help in those suffering from neurotoxicity or in whom consume large quantities of MSG or whom have been confirmed by rigorous testing to have neuronal cell death / depopulation by means of excessive glutamate (can be reflected in gray matter and in certain tests such as EEG and PET scans).

Now, assuming this is your expected solution or preferably, your SUGGESTED solution by a qualified medical Professional or Neurologist - there are other supplements that have been shown to directly increase the level of this enzyme and have a pretty powerful reputation for relieving anxiety disorders... not just simplistic anecdotes ladies and gentlemen; this is the good stuff!


                            

    GOTU KOLA EXTRACT 

Gotu Kola also known by it's Botanical Name Centella asiatica 

has shown a remarkable GAD stimulating activity of 40% at fairly low doses. 

(see study here)

OR

Simply view the below Image..

And yes, I've trialed this below product before - it is definitely calming but does not negatively impact mental clarity - if anything , it improves overall clarity and is good for focus and consistency. It has some Pro-Intellectual properties but is not hard-ground for this and most of it's benefits come it's ability to counter-act stress states...it is good on a test / exam though...seems to help with mathmatics focus and such. 
Also, it's NOT as sedating as Valerian...Maybe 2/5ths of the potency of Valerian- so not really sedating, just calming...Valerian will straight knock you out, but Valerian.  has other properties besides GAD stimulation.... 

Thus, my recommendation for Gotu Kola extract is below.

VALERIAN EXTRACT
Same study as above wherein Gotu Kola is mentioned Valerian is equipotent in increasing GAD enzymes/activity. However, Valerian possesses 'extra' properties, like acting as a serotonin 5-HT5A partial agonist(!).
This makes Valerian more sedating than simply 'calming' - in which case , Valerian; being 'dual-action' would be more ideal as a SLEEP AID than a calming/focus agent such as Gotu Kola.
Nevertheless, it's a still a great herb for 'bad' Insomnia..stronger than melatonin and most antihistamines...which reminds me; DO NOT take Valerian root extract with strong antihistamines or stuff like Trazodone , Benadryl etc....also use with great caution or avoid if possible, using Valerian with blood pressure pills; namely beta-blockers - alpha-blockers should also be minimized on it although overall they are a less dangerous combination because alpha-1-blockade doesn't hit the nervous system as hard as beta-blockade.
Though, it depends on the person.
Recommended Valerian product by my heroes over at Solgar; whom never fail to amaze me with quality and price.

                                                          

Natural / Herbal Treatments for Schizophrenia (This is not a Promotion; NeuroBiological Aspects Explored)

Schizophrenia is often a debilitating illness or at least one that significantly impedes the likelihood of a productive adult life. It is often characterized as reduced social engagement and emotional expression (e.g Apathy). These are simply the 'Negative' symptoms of which also includes lack of motivation and often a lack of social graces and cue perception. Positive symptoms on the other hand are more severe and include multiple forms of hallucinations; including tactile (touch) , olfactory (smell), auditory (hearing) and even gustatory (taste). Then there are the 'thought' distortions notated as 'thought disorders' which include paranoid and delusional thinking - these are the most distinct traits of schizophrenia...and they often are similar to the symptoms produced PCP ; e.g believing people are stealing and reading your thoughts or can alter or taper your thoughts... other paranoid delusions such as being followed by aliens and / or government vehicles are common...

More specifically this equates to 

• Hearing Voices; not necessarily in the context of trauma based or stress based *Purely* but also reconciliation of 'Imaginary' characters and / or exaggerations of interpreted voices or sounds. 

1. One could for instance hear the word "animal" on TV and the voice in the head might 'relay' the word as a derogotory phrase such as 'you're an animal!"  or even something as far-fetched as 'you're real name is Arielle"...it doesn't have to rhyme these are just some more 'intense' forms of disperceptions..though, take note because these could, in theory, also be signs of other issues such as cocaine use, amphetamine abuse, and obsessive-compulsive ideations. 
2. One may have Voices that spur commmands; obnoxious, threatening, repetitive voices or perhaps voices associated with spiritual views and thus a core 'Spiritual' - theistic manifestation is materialized in an unrealistic manner. Or perhaps just at times where it wouldn't concede with the actual belief system but rather a biased belief created in one's mind.

• Tactile (touch hallucinations) ; one could feel that invisible beings; aliens or demons are attacking them (not to be discounted as to a scenario where it could theoretically be happening) - scratching them, or one touches their arm, and slips away from the consciousness of doing it - then exaggerating the feeling and associating it with some deity or other possible reasoning for the given touch...again; this is just an example and not necessarily universal - and can be also indicative of amphetamine abuse, and phenylephrine or stimulant abuse in general....

• Visual Hallucinations; examples are simply seeing things that aren't there, or warped perception of what is being seen, similar to LSD but not necessarily equivalent to - what was once a material or harmless object may be seen in a different light...some have described metallic vases or plants walking towards them...or some have simply felt that ghosts are watching them constantly - no matter where they go...or that their 'evil nemesis' is lurking ready to attack them...this is all consistent with the neurobiology of an over-active adrenal gland as well though - the obvious overreactivity seen in some schizophrenics seems to be associated with elevated serotonin and noradrenaline levels coupled with low glutamate - which we will get into in a bit.

• Perhaps the most DISTINGUISHABLE and yet COMMON characteristic of Schizophrenia is the thought disorder partition ; essentially, the paranoid ideation in which depicts a scenario where multiple 'Agents' , Aliens or other strange beings are after them..and MOST common is the perception that people can read their thoughts, delete their thoughts, or simulate their thoughts.....!   AGAIN; this can all also be, ESPECIALLY the thought part ; be a product of amphetamine use; past or current, and some other medications such as certain cough syrups containing DXM, some anti-alzhiemer's meds like Memantine have the potential to produce semi-psychotic symptoms...

THE NEUROBIOLOGY AND HOW TO 'TACTICALLY' APPROACH NATURAL / HERBAL TREATMENT FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA

One thing that makes this whole situation VERY tricky - is that there is a VERY sophisticated interneuron network involved in 'TRUE' Schizophrenia. It's often misdiagnosed / over-diagnosed but let's presume that you know for sure that you or a family member has Schizophrenia (based on an accurate, by the book diagnosis) - then we need to take a tactical approach and NOT one that defines a single herb as the absolute cure or panacea for all cases of Psychosis/Delirium or Schizophrenia.

To figure this out - we have to find out what exactly is going wrong in the schizophrenics brain...but I'm going to be as concise as possible.

Essentially there is a Primary deficiency in glutamate - but specifically, in the NMDA receptor - which is a sort-of-stimulatory receptor but one that also 'regulates' how dopamine enters synaptosomes/neuronal networks. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter associated with 'pleasure' 'empathy' , 'altruism' and many other positive traits...when dopamine is SUPER high we feel very permitted, very passionate - very altruistic, but yet also very 'defined' - sometimes to the point of black and white thinking...sometimes we may develop bizarre fantasies such as 'saving the world' or becoming a 'Vigilante'....but of course, having high dopamine is NOT enough to believe these things are true...there has to be a surreal displacement from reality - one on a conscious level and one on a perceptual level... you may ask what's different between the two?

Conscious as in inward identification - truly looking to one's self for answers and analyzing a circumstance fairly...but truly also identifying based on the 'presentation' but not necessarily the details or independent variables...perceptual would be that of 'time', height, weight, and many other changes in perception....so in order for one to believe that any and all delusions or thoughts are REAL; there would have to be not only a lack of filter, but a central lack of arousal to and proper identification of environmental cues; but you most likely already knew this...anywho. 

WHAT YOU WANT is to RE-ESTABLISH the 'Proper' perception and reconcile logical reinforcement - it may take behavioral therapies as well...but medically , and based on several studies - the goal is to INCREASE NMDA receptor function.... NOT BY MSG or toxic glutamate analogues, but rather - stuff like D-Aspartic Acid in high doses..however, you also need to find a way to PREVENT glycine from EXITING the synapse; thats why DAA doesn't help everyone with psychosis - because most likely, schizophrenics have a genetic alteration that makes their brain use glutamate up too quickly....so you want to REVERSE the transporter which 'locks' glutamate back into the synapse....allowing the proper 'filtering' of dopaminergic and serotonergic neurons.

What you want is a supplement Containing BOTH D-Aspartic Acid and SARCOSINE; which reverses the glycine-1-transporter - both act in concert to establish functional glutamatergic neurotransmission...the following product I recommend also reinforces the points in their summary.  All Cited.

                           TEST FORCE II POWDER

...It was originally designed by an organic chemist; a famous one in the bodybuilding community; Patrick Arnold. (P.A) - for testosterone boosting properties; but it also is designated for neural enhancement and can increase cognitive function; particularly in the frontal lobe wherein common sense and logic is decided. 

Here are studies justifying what I am saying.

• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12559388
• http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3921092/
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14684455

NOW, the other problem is that increasing NMDA may not fully resolve the VISUAL hallucinations - but rather that works on the thought disorder part and if any obsessive-compulsive traits are involved - it will help them as well (see study here).....

HALLUCINATIONS are based on serotonin excess; particularly at the 5-HT2A receptors.... hence why ACID , Ecstasy and others that may cause hallucinations activate this receptor ------- so your goal should be to find a pharmaceutical or natural serotonin 2A antagonist that preferably doesn't have sedative qualities.

Ketanserin is one such compound with these effects; however, it shares similar sedative effects to anti-psychotics however it does NOT block the dopamine systems and thus does not have negative hormonal effects as traditional anti-psychotic drugs do. It can be bought by clicking the highlighted word or click HERE to take you to the store's web page...

FINALLY, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) has been shown to be low in schizophrenia - and this is mainly going to affect calcium uptake into cells which ALSO correlates to FRONTAL CORTEX function and again, back to glutamate...NMDAR activation as with TF II mentioned earlier may help the thought processes and certain forms of paranoia and bizarre thought patterns but we still need to up the central regulation which then FACILITATES the magic of glutamate to re-regulate the limbic system.

Schizophrenia and reduced cyclic AMP production: evidence for the role of receptor-linked events.

Your best bet here is to use something like Forskolin (which directly activates cAMP) with a PDE-4 inhibitor; which btw, PDE inhibitors are ALSO being investigated for schizophrenia and other mental disorders. PDE's are enzymes that BREAK DOWN cAMP which as said before - and with the link/study - is already low in schizophrenics; plasma, platelet, and brain contents included. 

The role of phosphodiesterases in schizophrenia : therapeutic implications.

Rolipram: a specific phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor with potential antipsychotic activity.

PDE-4 Inhibitors; Luteolin, Butea Superba - only two publicly available I could find. Use one of both of them with Forskolin and Test Force II daily. As well as with Ketanserin or another serotonin blocker of some sort that hits 2A receptor.

Luteolin is currently in process as a combination patent in line for the treatment of Autism and Schizophrenia.



                           ::.::.::   PARANOID TYPES ::.::.::

NOREPINEPHRINE AND SCHIZOPHRENIA

Noradrenaline (a monoamine neurotransmitter like ADRENALINE ) is elevated in schizophrenics , ESPECIALLY Paranoid schizophrenics...noradrenaline can even induce paranoia in those without a prior history of paranoid behavior..if the levels REMAIN elevated well above a certain threshold...however, very very low levels of norepinephrine can also cause psychotic symptoms..so the key is balance. ~{[ SEE STUDY HERE ]}~

Norepinephrine contributes to manic, erratic, violent , and illogical / disproportional responses...and is key in terms of BEHAVIORAL REACTIVITY. (the image of a schizophrenic man or woman going out of control because of a series of thoughts in their head - THAT IS NOREPINEPHRINE)