IUBio

Omega 3's and Neuropathologies

Kenneth 'pawl' Collins k.p.collins at worldnet.att.net
Sun Jan 5 17:22:25 EST 2003


Hi John,

Although I'm unfamiliar with virtually all of its detailed stuff, I
found your post interesting, and want to comment, a bit, from the
perspective in which I work.

All of nervous system function can be looked from the perspective of
membrane integrity. Membrane integrity can be looked at in terms of
an optimizing 'pressure' dynamic.

That is, as membrane integrity augment, the correlated optimisation
of all dynamics that are dependent upon membrane integrity is
'forced' to augment commensurately.

In other words, all such dynamics become more-precise [less 'fuzzy']
in a way that directly reflects the augmentation of membrane
integrity.

Which is exactly analogous to what happens within all physical
systems when global pressure is increased [up to an
individual-system-correlated threshold, common to all physical
systems, at which all physical systems, then tend to dis-integrate]

Increasing membrane integrity, 'forces' the optimization of
everything else [again, up to a 'point']

[Please forgive my wanting to contribute in this unfamiliar way. The
membrane-integrity stuff is directly correlated to TD
E/I-minimization capacity, and, so, I recognized that I could
contribute. I've much analytical experience at the level of the
generalized dynamics entailed. So please forgive what, I understand,
will be an unfamiliar response to your
molecularly-specifically-detailed post.]

ken [k. p. collins]

John H. wrote in message ...
|5/01/03 9:49pm
|
|Research indicates that the administration of omega 3's has benefits
for a
|wide range of conditions, from the negative symptoms of
schizophrenia, to
|depression, and possibly ADHD; and some inflammatory disorders. In a
recent
|report it was even claimed that pregnant women who consume good
quantities
|of fish(good omega 3 source) will end up with slightly better
cognition in
|their children. I am puzzled by this because in some individuals the
effects
|can be quite marked. To my knowledge omega 3's do not act directly
via any
|anti-oxidant function but are involved in maintaining cell membrane
|integrity.
|
|During inflammatory events it is not uncommon to find the activation
of
|PLCb - Dag - pkc, ras IP3, and possibly p38, these leading to
transcription
|events and increased cystolic Ca2+ which is often associated with
|inflammatory states. I find the regulation of ca2+ influx to be very
tightly
|regulated and plays a key role in neural transmission. Interestingly
Da D2
|occupation leads to the activation of PLC b, IP3, and ca2+ influx,
and some
|anti-psychotics act by blocking Da D2 transmission; though the range
of
|antipsychotics is quite amazing and a number of studies have
indicated that
|these agents can also possess direct neuro protective properties.
Eg.
|Lithium 'robustly' upregulates bcl 2, a key membrane protein for
intra
|cellular organelles that some cancer cells over express to avoid
apoptosis.
|
|What I am trying to understand at present is why Omega 3's can be
beneficial
|for such a wide range of conditions. I suspect that the cycles
mentioned
|above have the capacity to deplete cell membranes of components
necessary to
|maintain integrity, particularly through chronic over activation. So
rather
|than the raw materials for ip3 etc being transcribed for the above
cycles,
|cell membrane elements are detached\metabolised to induce the above
cycles,
|and omega 3's simply serve to provide raw materials to replace these
losses.
|Subsequently there is greater cell membrane integrity which is
particularly
|important for nerve cells.
|
|Does anyone know of research pertaining to exactly how omega 3's
provide
|this protective function? As to the various impacts on cognition
that is
|another problem altogether! Additionally, it probably will be the
case that
|it is not omega 3's per se but rather the appropriate ratios of
omega 3's
|and omega 6's, but in Western diets at least there is a
preponderance of
|omega 6's, hence the recent pronouncements encouraging people to
consume
|more omega 3's. Hey, they're even putting it in bread now, which
aint such a
|bad thing given we're running out of fish.
|
|Finally, and incidentally, choline supplementation has also been
implicated
|in providing benefits for some people with inflammatory and\or
neurologic
|complaints, and I believe that also serves a role in maintaining
cell
|membrane integrity.
|
|
|
|John H.
|johnhkm at ozemail.com.au
|
|





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