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ndeed, there is a transient loss of the BBB that occurs diminishment. Brain tumours are also known to be within minutes or hours of a stroke. Even a small associated with leaky BBBs. percentage of loss of BBB function, but over a lengthy Blood-brain barrier hyperpermeability may be involved interval, may lead to degenerative neurological illnesses. in hypertension. Researchers observed rats with kidney A cerebral ischaemic event—stroke—leads to oedema __ defects that led to excess sodium chloride passing and BBB breakdown.’? BBB permeability after a stroke — through the BBB.” This then led to hypertension. Here as been shown to be very variable both in time and an essential nutrient, sodium—via BBB hyper- ocation. Openings of 20 nanometres occur and then —_ permeability—entered the brain in harmful, excess close off, and some areas of the brain have greater amounts. permeability than others. Further changes can then take The BBB may be involved in obesity. Leptin is a place in the BBB endothelium involving depositing of — protein implicated in obesity. Ordinarily, leptin signals ibrin, platelets, adhesion molecules and, later, — satiety. In some obese people, this signal does not work macrophages (white blood cells). Ischaemia (lack of properly; this is called leptin resistance. Researchers in one blood flow) leads to the death of brain cells. study found: "...serum triglycerides impair the ability of Shortly we'll see how a hidden heart he BBB to transport leptin. defect causes stroke. Triglycerides are likely a major cause of the leptin resistance seen in both Nutritional Deficiencies and the BBB starvation and obesity. Lowering Deficiencies of certain nutrients can triglycerides may be therapeutically cause BBB permeability. Zinc Blood-brain barrier useful in enhancing the effects of deficiency has been found to adversel +] eptin on weight loss."” affect the BBB, after the BBB was frst hyperpermeability A related research area is ublected ° cess omen res may be involved ascertarning if the BBB is normally Deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids has . . permeable to certain nutrients, when also been found to adversely affect the in hypertension. scientists just assumed it was not. BBB." Omega-3 deficiency has been Researchers Folic acid and iron have now been inked to depression, so increased Q ound to cross the BBB under normal BBB permeability may be linked to observed rats with circumstances. Does BBB breakdown his "mental illness". Thiamine kidney defects that subsequently allow excess (vitamin B1) deficiency has been passage of these nutrients into ound to adversely affect BBB led to excess he brain? Folic acid is known to sodium chloride integrity.” The crucial anti- exacerbate histamine release oxidant glutathione has been . rom certain cells. And we have passing through the BBB. ound to play a role in BBB already seen histamine's integrity.’° Iodine deficiency has involvement in BBB breakdown. been implicated in BBB So we would have a vicious and permeability, and also led to armful cycle, possibly involving decreased transport of glucose mast cell disease." Folic acid is a and an amino acid in the brain.” methyl! donor, and researchers Iodine is part of the thyroid ave noted that some chronically ormones, so there may be a link ill people get worse from taking involved in hypothyroidism methyl donor supplements. eading to retardation, if present in infancy. Excess folic acid has been found to cause reactive Correcting nutritional deficiencies has been aided _ airways disease in animals. recently by nanotechnology, which allows for liposomal Multiple sclerosis is another disease linked to BBB encapsulated nutrients (or drugs) to get past the BBB. breakdown. Takashi Kanda states: "In multiple sclerosis Liposomes utilise phospholipids to surround a nutrient — (MS), disruption of the BBB is the initial key step in the or drug. But great care should be taken with this new development of inflammatory lesions ... once the BBB echnology as it may not be safe to get certain nutrients breaks, massive infiltration of T cells, augmented rapidly into the brain. Nature devised or evolved the — expression of adhesion molecules on endothelial cell BBB for good reason. surface, and leakage of inflammatory cytokines and Alzheimer's disease may entail protracted BBB _ antibodies will aggravate the MS lesions."” eakage.'"* Deficiency of the recently found protein There are areas of the brain that are outside the BBB. apolipoprotein E (apoE) in the brain leads to significant | The circumventricular organs (CVOs) are BBB-deficient oss of BBB integrity and may be linked to Alzheimer's. areas that communicate with the cerebrospinal fluid and A high cholesterol level is one factor that seems to _ facilitate the flow of blood-borne substances between potentiate the apoE-deficient BBB integrity the brain and peripheral organs. CVOs include the to hyperpermeability may be involved in hypertension. Researchers kidney defects that led to excess passing through the BBB. seen BBB 38 * NEXUS APRIL - MAY 2011 Blood-brain barrier observed rats with sodium chloride www.nexusmagazine.com