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Nutritional Medicine Research The Neurogenic Diet This includes a diet that will provide the nutritional precursors necessary for the brain’s own synthesis of neurotrophins. Neurotrophins or neurotrophic factors, are protein molecules secreted by brain glial cells, (cells adjacent to neurons). These factors are secreted to provide essential nutrients and repair substances to the adjacent neurons. A defect in the synthesis of any of these neurotrophins will inevitably cause a neurological problem. Presently, there are 26 human neurotrophic brain factors that have been isolated from brain tissue, characterised and their amino acid sequences identified. These neurotrophic factors are quite simply, a chain of 200 to 400 amino acids. There are in nature, 20 basic amino acids and each of them repeats in different sequential order, in each of these neurotrophic factors. All 20 of these different amino acids are found originally in all foods in varying concentrations. As an example, one of the 20 amino acids is Glutamic Acid. There are 4 grams of glutamic acid in 100 grams of almonds, but only 0.001 grams of glutamic acid in 100 grams of spinach. If a patient has a deficiency in the absorption, synthesis or transport of glutamic acid, neurotrophins will not be synthesized in the brain in the necessary amounts. As a consequence of a deficiency of neurotrophins in the brain, a dysfunction in the maintenance and repair systems of neurons in the brain will occur. In this basic example, it will be obvious that a dietary recommendation should include a higher level of rich glutamic acid foodstuffs (like almonds) in the diet, but not of low glutamic acid (spinach). Special emphasis has to be placed on providing all dietary precursors for the synthesis of Glial Cell Derived Neurotrophic Factor (GDNF), because it has been demonstrated that GDNF is essential for the nutrition, maintenance and repair of dopaminergic neurons. [Nutrients in the circulatory system, originating from ingested food, reach capillary blood vessels, cross the capillary membrane, and go into the neuroglial cells. These nutrients are used to synthesize molecules like GDNF, which is secreted towards adjacent dopaminergic neurons.] [GDNF interacts with specific GDNF Receptors in dopaminergic neurons. As a result of this interaction, specific membrane neuronal ion channels are activated. This precipitates a cascade of biochemical reactions, resulting in protective events and the transport of nutrients into dopaminergic neurons.} Please e-mail us your questions or suggestions to: Go to Stage 4 of
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