For over a century, medical science believed that neurological degeneration was impossible. Adults could not grow new brain cells, so degenerative conditions such as Parkinson's disease were assumed to be irreversible. Research has since demonstrated it is possible to grow new brain cells in adults through physical and cognitive activity, and a research project in England claims to promote neurogenesis by changing a patient's diet.
What Is Neurogenesis?
The goal of the neurogenic diet it to promote neurogenesis, the growth of new brain cells, in patients with neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson's disease or Shy Drager Syndrome. The Society for Neuroscience reports that although medical science had assumed that brain cells could not be regenerated in adults, recent research has challenged that belief. Evidence of limited adult neurogenesis has researchers looking into methods which will allow damaged brains to heal themselves.
Preparation
In November 2002, Researchers at Nutritional Medicine Research, a biochemical research facility in England, claimed to have stimulated neurogenesis in patients with Parkinson's disease and Shy Drager Syndrome. The program begins by reviewing patient medications to ensure they are appropriate to the patient's symptoms and evaluating side effects of these drugs. The patient's living situation is examined to discover and eliminate any environmental factors which contribute to the neurological degeneration.
Primary Dietary Intervention
The initial dietary program is designed to facilitate the absorption and transport of the medications the patient is taking. By supplying the biochemical components necessary to help the body process the drugs more efficiently, it is hoped patients will be able to reduce their medications and still receive the same neurological benefits. Lower doses translate to reduced side effects and better quality of life.
Secondary Dietary Intervention
Once a patient is stabilized on lower doses of medication, the patient's diet is adjusted to emphasize the nutrients necessary to neurogenesis. In particular, the goal is to provide the nutritional precursors to the brain's production of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) by means of a diet rich in organic fruits and vegetables. GDNF is essential to the maintenance and repair of the brain, but it cannot be administered directly to a patient because the molecule is too large to cross the blood-brain barrier. By providing the building blocks, researchers hope to stimulate the production of GDNF in the brain. Patients are also put on a program of physical and cognitive activities which help with neurogenesis.
Does It Work?
Researchers at Nutritional Medicine Research report that one-third of patients with Parkinson's disease or Shy Drager Syndrome showed complete regression after being on the diet for a year. They reported 42 percent of the patients showed reduction in disability after three months on the neurogenic diet. Although these results seem promising, as of 2010 there have been no similar studies done by other researchers or any other evidence supporting the outcome. Patients interested in the neurogenic diet should talk to their neurologists.
