martes, 25 de octubre de 2011

How nerves work part 1

Cholinesterases are enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine into choline and acetic acid.
This reaction necessary to allow a neuron to return to its resting state after activation.



Acetylcholine was the first neurotransmitter be be identified. It was discovered by Henry Hallett Dale in 1914 and its existence was later confirmed by Otto Loewi. Both individuals were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology/Medicine in 1936 for their discovery.

The development of acetylcholinesterase (AChe) inhibitor drugs has followed the finding that pathways in the cerebral cortex and basal forebrain are compromised in Alzheimer's Disease (AD). 


There is a resultant cholinergic deficit which contributes to the cognitive impairment of patients with this disease.  


An interesting article can be found on "How Stuff Works" about how Acetycholine receptors work (and how nicotine is implicated in this process).


Although many believe this ‘cholinergic hypothesis’ to be important, others feel it represents a less significant component of the disease process. Many other neurotransmitters are affected in AD, and the relative importance of each in relation to clinical findings has not been fully elucidated.

jueves, 20 de octubre de 2011

Heart Warming Terms

More evidence about traditional ingredients and their positive effects on health is gathering.  Here at InnOrbit we thought we'd update you on a couple of terms we've seen recently which may help in understanding.

Cardiac Hypertrophy:


Cardiac hypertrophy is a thickening of the heart muscle (myocardium) which results in a decrease in size of the chamber of the heart, including the left and right ventricles. A common cause of cardiac hypertrophy is high blood pressure (hypertension).


Telomere:

telomere is a region of repetitive DNA sequences at the end of a chromosome, which protects the end of the chromosome from deterioration. The telomere regions deter the degradation of genes.

Telomere Attrition:
Telomeres–the terminal caps of chromosomes–become shorter as individuals age. There is significant interest in determining what causes telomere "attrition" or shortening since this process may play a role in biological aging. One hypothesis is that telomere attrition is due to inflammation, exposure to infectious agents, and other types of oxidative stress, which damage telomeres and impair their repair mechanisms.



Cardiac Mycocyte Apoptosis:  
Mycocytes: There is a portion of the heart muscle known as the SA Node.  This is located in the right atrium of the heart. It is made up of a group of cells (myocytes) positioned on the wall of the right atrium, at the center of the heart and near the entrance of the superior vena cava. These cells contract at a rate of about 70-80 times per minute, which make up the natural heart beat.
Myocyte apoptosis may be a causal mechanism of heart failure.  Remember Apoptosis is programmed cell death - sometimes this is a good thing (e.g. differentiation of cells) and sometimes bad.