| Free radicals and oxyradicals play an important role in | | | | Studies have found that the mood stabilizing drug, |
| the development and progression of many brain | | | | valproate, used to treat epilepsy and bi-polar disorder, |
| disorders such as brain injury, neurodegenerative | | | | regulates expression of the genes that make |
| disease, schizophrenia and Down syndrome. | | | | glutathione-S-transferase (GST). |
| Glutathione is the brain's master antioxidant and plays | | | | In addition, chronic treatment with lithium, another |
| an important protective role in the brain. | | | | commonly prescribed mood stabilizer used in treating |
| According to Dr. Jimmy Gutman, "The brain is | | | | manic-depression, also increased levels of GST. |
| particularly susceptible to free radical attack because | | | | These findings led researchers to conclude that |
| it generates more oxidative by-products per gram of | | | | glutathione S-transferase may be a novel target for |
| tissue than any other organ." | | | | mood stabilizing drugs. (7) |
| Many neurological and psychiatric disease processes | | | | Alcohol Consumption and Glutathione |
| are characterized by... abnormalities in glutathione | | | | Alcohol abuse is known to impair memory and other |
| metabolism and antioxidant defenses." | | | | brain functions and increase brain cell death. A new |
| Generation of reactive oxygen species (free radicals) | | | | study in rats has shown that alchol consumption |
| and oxidative damage are an important cause of | | | | causes fewer new brain cells to form and results in |
| neuron (brain cell) death from brain injury. | | | | greater cell death. (8) |
| Chemicals that cause toxicity to certain brain cells are | | | | But rats that were fed alcohol along with Ebselen - a |
| known to decrease cerebral glutathione (GSH), | | | | glutathione peroxidase mimic that acts as a free |
| making the cells more vulnerable to reactive oxygen | | | | radical scavenger - showed no similar reduction in |
| species (ROS). (1) | | | | brain-cell formation and no increase in cell death. |
| On the other hand, over-expression of the | | | | Substances that Boost Glutathione Levels and |
| glutathione peroxidase (GPX) enzyme potently | | | | Protect Brain Cells |
| decreases cell death from brain injury. (2) | | | | Taking glutathione itself as a supplement does not |
| Brain Injury and Glutathione - The Gender Difference | | | | boost cellular glutathione levels, since it breaks down |
| Researchers at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh have | | | | in the digestive tract before it reaches the cells. |
| found that males and females respond differently to | | | | However, intravenous glutathione therapy and |
| brain injury. (3) | | | | glutathione precursors or dietary supplements are |
| In animal models, levels of glutathione remain | | | | effective in boosting intracellular levels of glutathione. |
| constant in females who have suffered a brain injury, | | | | Intravenous Glutathione Injections: Intravenous |
| but drop by as much as 80 percent in males with the | | | | glutathione injections have been shown to produce |
| same injury. | | | | amazing and rapid results, in patients with Parkinson's |
| When glutathione levels drop, brain cells die much | | | | disease. Following even a single dosage of |
| more quickly. This suggests that boys with brain | | | | intravenous glutathione, many of the symptoms of |
| injuries may require different life-saving treatments | | | | Parkinson's disease rapidly improve, often in as little |
| than girls. | | | | as 15 minutes. |
| N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC), a precursor of glutathione, | | | | Glutathione Precursors: In the Alzheimer's study |
| already approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug | | | | conducted by Welsh GP, Andrew McCaddon, adding |
| Administration to treat people who have overdosed | | | | the glutathione precursor, N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) to |
| on acetaminophen, may be an effective treatment | | | | a protocol that lowered homocysteine levels by |
| for brain injury in boys whose brains are deprived of | | | | simple supplementation with B12 and folate, resulted |
| oxygen. | | | | in prompt, striking, and sustained clinical improvement |
| Brain Disorders and Glutathione - A Genetic Cause? | | | | in nearly all the patients. (9) |
| Genetics researchers have found that the glutathione | | | | Cucurmin (turmeric):Studies have shown that the |
| S-transferase gene controls the onset of Alzheimer's, | | | | Indian curry spice, cucurmin, has neuroprotective |
| Parkinson's disease and determines, not if we get | | | | effects because of its ability to induce the enzyme, |
| these diseases, but when. (4) | | | | hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1), which protects neurons |
| The glutathione S-transferase gene has previously | | | | exposed to oxidant stress. Treatment of brain cells |
| been linked to the risk for Parkinson's disease among | | | | called astrocytes, with curcumin, increases expression |
| people who used pesticides. | | | | of HO-1 protein as well as glutathione S-transferase. |
| A previous article covered the importance of | | | | (10) |
| glutathione in Parkinson's Disease. | | | | Ebselen: Ebselen is a glutathione peroxidase mimic and |
| Alzheimer's Disease and Glutathione | | | | potent synthetic antioxidant that acts as a |
| Free radicals and oxidative damage in neurons is | | | | neuroprotective agent and an inhibitor of free-radical |
| known to be a primary cause of degenerative | | | | induced apoptosis (cell death). It can protect brain |
| diseases like Alzheimer's disease. | | | | cells from the neuro-toxic effects of alcohol |
| Amyloid-ß peptide (Aß) accumulation in | | | | consumption. (8) |
| senile plaques, a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's | | | | Undenatured Whey Protein: Undenatured whey |
| disease (AD), has been implicated in neuronal | | | | protein provides glutathione precursors, has been |
| degeneration. | | | | shown to raise intracellular glutathione levels in clinical |
| Amyloid plaques encroaching on the brain increase the | | | | trials, and has anecdotally been reported to improve |
| production of free radicals, or oxidative stress. | | | | the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. |
| Antioxidants, such as vitamin C and E "mop up" the | | | | References: |
| damaging free radicals. | | | | 1. Journal of Neurochemistry, Vol. 88, No. 3, 2004 |
| Glutathione (GSH) precursors can prevent death of | | | | 513-531 |
| brain cells induced by amyloid plaques in Alzhiemer's | | | | 2. Journal of Neurochemistry, Vol. 87, No. 6, 2003 |
| disease, while substances that deplete GSH increase | | | | 1527-1534 |
| cell death. (5) | | | | 3. Researchers Find Brain Cells Die Differently in Males |
| Evidence has been piling up over the link between | | | | and Females; Pediatric Academic Societies Press |
| the amount of an amino acid called homocysteine in | | | | release; 21-Apr-2004 |
| the blood and the chance of developing Alzheimer's. | | | | 4. Human Molecular Genetics, 2003, Vol. 12, No. 24 |
| For people not genetically predisposed to developing | | | | 3259-3267 |
| Alzheimer's, cholesterol and homocysteine, largely | | | | 5. The Journal of Cell Biology, Volume 164, Number 1, |
| caused by an unhealthy lifestyle, are the core causal | | | | 123-131; 5 January 2004 |
| factors. | | | | 6. Biol Psychiatry. 2003 Feb;53(3):254-60 |
| Welsh GP, Andrew McCaddon, showed that the | | | | 7. Journal of Neurochemistry, Vol. 88, No. 6, 2004 |
| more homocysteine that patients with Alzheimer's | | | | 1477-1484 |
| had, the worse their mental performance, and the | | | | 8. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2003 Jun |
| worse their "cognitive impairment," the less they had | | | | 24;100(13):7919-24. Epub 2003 Jun 05. |
| of the antioxidant glutathione. (6) | | | | 9. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2003 Mar-Apr;11(2):246-9 |
| Glutathione and Mood Disorders | | | | 10. Can Curry Protect Against Alzheimer's? |