Re: Dopamine and Addiction II

[Kathie Tollifson <pyonyr@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ron Reiner writes:


Did you know that the antibodies that are created by the immune system to
>fight strep throat can inflict damage on other parts of the body including
>the heart and the brain.  Before the days of antibiotics (thank heavens I'm
>not old enough to remember those days) children who recovered from strep
>throat would often develop an ailment call St. Vitus's Dance.  The
>antibodies would attack a part of the brain (which the lecturer called the
>substantia) and cause terrible motor dysfunctions such as uncontolled arm
>waving and tremors.
>>

Ron,

In the past we have had discussions about circumstances surrounding onset,
although many were suffering severe emotional strain at the time, quite a
few of us onset following a bout with an illness. I clearly remember my left
thumb beginning to shake during a particularly vicious and persistent flu,
and it never stopped  :(

Considering the recent research following the Gulf War and the compromised
blood brain barrier, I think that the possibility of our poor battered
immune systems and blood brain barriers somehow reacting inappropriately is
very high. We have a really high incidence of these types of disorders now;
lupus, HIV, even arthritis. We have been pummeling our environment with
toxins for a few decades now, and when I stop to think about the possibility
of the role of germ warfare in this scenario, I get sick. I'm sure some very
lethal viruses have been developed in lab settings in recent years.

The real problem may be, even if we could pinpoint the circumstances that
develop into a parkinsonian syndrome, how could we correct them? For this
reason, my first line of treatment is neuro-defensive. The hippocratic oath
talks of "first do no harm", I think in terms of "first protect from further
harm".

My 4 cents (inflation),

Kathie Tollifson
46/8
pyonyr@xxxxxxxxxxxxx