April 17, 2018 - ADHD
Hey folks, it’s Dr. Sam and I’m in Southern Utah on a really fabulous hike today.
I wanted to share some exciting breakthrough research in the area of attention deficit disorder and schizophrenia. This is related to a study that was done on animals in the brain which showed that people who have a poor connection between the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus have a higher risk of developing attention deficit disorder and schizophrenia. Now in this study researchers talk about something called Top-Down attention which means that the front of the brain the prefrontal cortex is responsible for our focusing and our follow through in terms of detailed tasks. This particular part of the brain needs to work synchronistically with the hippocampus, which is responsible for memory.
In this study, researchers found when there was a genetic mutation there was a lack of communication between the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus. There was also a reduction in this neurotransmitter called butyric acid. Now where Butorac acid is something you want to consider is, I’ve talked about in other videos on something called BDNF – brain-derived neurotrophic factor. This is a protein in the brain and it has been shown that when you increase BDNF you can actually increase the size of the hippocampus and increase brain function. You can also have ocular regeneration in the eyes.
According to this study, low GABA levels, better known as gamma-aminobutyric acid – interferes with brain coordination, part of the cause of attention deficit disorder. Adding pre-probiotic fiber to your diet helps convert pre-probiotics into butyrate, the substance that has been shown to increase BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor). When butyrate increases, there could be more communication with different parts of the brain. Researchers have discovered by increasing brain coordination, attention deficit disorder symptoms may be reduced.
So how can you boost BDNF levels? Well, some simple ways include this natural sunlight that I’m in, 30 minutes of aerobic exercise per day, increasing the number of healthy fats in your diet, reducing your stress levels, improving your sleep, and eating foods that are high in antioxidants.
So in terms of this brain study, if we can bridge our prefrontal cortex with our hippocampus, we may be able to reduce some of the symptoms of attention deficit disorder and schizophrenia. So the brain is our traffic director here and I really loved seeing the results of this study.
Well, that’s my message for today and until next time take good care.