LDN Social Media
Get connected with us on social networks
Early Biomarkers of a Brain on Fire - Tom O’Bryan, DC, CCN, DACBN (2021 Conference) (LDN, low dose naltrexone)
LDN Research Trust 2021 Conference - Friday Morning
From research to clinical practice, it takes about 17 years to see the practical impact of new discoveries, due to the thorough scientific process, including multiple levels of research and guideline development.
Dr. O’Bryan explains that LDN has two antagonist effects: opioid receptors & non-opioid receptors-specifically Toll-like Receptor 4 (TLR-4).
TLR-4 controls the onset of acute inflammatory response, and acts as the sentry guard that calls up inflammation to attack any bugs that may come through the stomach. LDN BLOCKS the activation of TLR-4 thus reduces inflammation in the body.
While Dr. O’Bryan reviews many important ideas, he emphasizes ONE important idea to take away: “All disease starts with the leaky-gut,” (see article: Professor Alessio Fasano). O’Bryan continues to explain the research that says all gluten causes transient intestinal impermeability (each time gluten is eaten, it causes tears in the lining of the stomach, which heal over and over). Also, gluten activates the innate immune system TLR-4 every time it’s ingested, producing the inflammatory cascade to fight off bacteria it senses. Eating gluten causes transient gut impermeability as well as increased inflammation due to activating TLR-4.
With the general population getting 25% of their daily calories from gluten, the gut damage/repair and inflammation increase is ongoing. Because LDN is a TLR-4 antagonist, turning off the inflammation response, Dr. O’Bryan poses the question, “How effective will it be as an anti-inflammatory drug if the patient is constantly eating gluten, which ups the inflammation?
He suggests that patients will get much better results with LDN if they are gluten-free. A wheat-filled diet is thwarting the effectiveness of LDN to reduce symptoms.
How does this connect to the brain on fire? The canary in the coal mine-the human brain.
BCBS released a document that showed between the years of 2013 and 2017, there were large increases in early-onset (30-54 yrs) Alzheimer’s Disease: 407% (30-44), 242% (45-54).
Dr. O’Bryan discusses how depression, anxiety, Parkinson's, schizophrenia, and the like are all tied to inflammation. He goes on to say that brain cells are being killed off over a long period of time, leading to end-stage inflammation-caused diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Dr. O’Bryan calls this process “the breach of the blood-brain barrier” or “leaky-brain”.
During the first stage of this process (the prodromal stage-generally 20 years or so, but few symptoms), the ability to reverse the damage is greatest. If no intervention, this will lead to the next stage (mild-cognitive impairment, lasting approximately 7 years), then onto mild Alzheimer’s (2 years), moderate Alzheimer’s (3 years), and ending in severe Alzheimer’s (3 years).
O’Bryan states the sooner we can find brain inflammation, the better it can be treated.
Inflammation biomarkers in the brain can be monitored through testing.
Dr. O’Bryan reviews two main brain tests: Neuro Zoomer (8 markers of inflammation in the brain) & Neuro Zoomer+ (48 biomarkers of brain inflammation with 97-100% specificity-very reliable results) that he says should be a part of routine care. He lists several antibodies that can be found in the brain.
He goes on to review how to interpret the 15-page test report. He specifically shared the report of a patient that was diagnosed with moderate depression. As Dr. O’Bryan reviews the various antibodies that are tested and what they can possibly mean, he explains the investigative process the doctor may go down to find the root cause.
Dr. O’Bryan didn’t have time to go through all the slides, but he does make them available (along with the studies).
KEYWORDS: chronic pain, neuropathic pain, autoimmunity, anti-inflammatory, chronic inflammatory disease, leaky gut, gluten, autoimmune diseases, celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, Alzheimer’s, depression, anxiety, Parkinson’s, schizophrenia, inflammation, brain inflammation, herpes simplex, strep