New Video at CCSVI Alliance - Physical Therapy

[Sharon]

New video on homepage: Mr. Ray Crallé, nationally recognized physical therapist, covers the physiology and rehabilitation of two symptomatic challenges for people with MS – gait disturbance and balance. In this informative interview with Alliance President, Sharon Richardson, Mr Crallé discusses the physiology of spastic plantar flexion (incorrectly termed foot drop in many MS patients), vestibular balance (which can have an effect on cerebral blood flow) and the bio-mechanics of gait disturbance http://ccsvi.org/

[1eye]

The recent research we have been discussing in other threads indicates that O2 is actually plentiful in the "MS" brain, but is not able to be used by the brain, so oxygen consumption, even if we had perfect perfusion and no stenosis, would be low. It is a problem, possibly with iNOS being released by t cells, catalyzing excessive NO and preventing the mitochondria from doing their job helping us convert it to energy. It is a biochemical process that's probably worsened by heat.

This guy, Ray Cralle, says that hyperbaric therapy can increase our plasma oxygen concentration. This is free O2 (not bound to red blood cells) that can be directly used in tissues. This might be the only good way for "MS" patients to get oxygen. I don't know how that altitude sickness drug works, but it might be worth checking out whether it increases oxygen uptake in the brain.

I find it heartening to hear that the UK has hyperbaric centres for "MS" patients. Wish less civilized countries like ours had them...

The rest of his talk is worth listening to too.

[Sharon]

Hello 1 eye,

Thanks for taking the time to listen to the Cralle video. I hope you found the information on physical therapy of use to you personally, but it does sound like your interest was piqued in relation to the hyperbaric oxygen.

First, I highly recommend a recently published book authored by Dr. Phillip James titled “Oxygen and the Brain – The Journey of Our Lifetime”. It is a fascinating read. Dr. James has been involved in the study of oxygen and the brain for over thirty years. Five multiple sclerosis patients treated by Dr. James in 1981 founded a community hyperbaric facility in Dundee – there are now over 65 charity centres operating in the UK providing low-cost hyperbaric oxygen treatment for neurological conditions. Dr. James writes extensively about trauma causing multiple sclerosis in some people. Detailed evidence was published in the Lancet in 1982 “Evidence for Subacute Fat Embolism as the Cause of Multiple Sclerosis” (petechial hemorrhages are a sign of fat embolism) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6120358. Dr. James gives credit to the pioneering work of Drs. Tracey Putnam, Roy Swank, and Alan Woolf and he notes the evidence has not been refuted.

Underlying repair mechanisms of HBOT
http://informahealthcare.com/doi/full/1 ... 014.884928

Brain insults may result in a variety of brain injuries, including impairment of microvascular integrity and cerebral perfusion. These lead to reduced metabolism and neuronal activity, which in turn lead to loss of synapses and tampered neuronal connectivity [2,8,9]. The stunned areas mentioned earlier are characterized by anaerobic metabolism and ATP depletion culminating in stagnation and shortage of energy for the healing processes, and they may persist like this, dysfunctional but alive, for years after injury [2,8,9]. The decreased oxygen level not only causes reduction in neuronal activity but also prevents the generation of new synaptic connections and angiogenesis. HBOT can initiate vascular repair and improve cerebral vascular flow, induce regeneration of axonal white matter, stimulate axonal growth, promote blood–brain barrier integrity and reduce inflammatory reactions as well as brain edema [7–12].
At the cellular level, HBOT can improve cellular metabolism, reduce apoptosis, alleviate oxidative stress and increase levels of neurotrophins and nitric oxide through enhancement of mitochondrial function in both neurons and glial cells, and may even promote neurogenesis of endogenous neural stem cells [7–12,14]. Regarding mitochondria, it is important to note that stroke and TBI engender depolarization of the mitochondria membrane and induction of mitochondrial permeability transition pore, which reduces the efficiency of energy production and elevate the level of reactive oxygen species [15]. HBOT can inhibit mitochondrial permeability transition pore and thus has the potential to reverse this abnormality [8]. However, it must be applied carefully to ascertain that the increased tissue oxygen does not cause cellular toxicity due to overly high reactive oxygen species levels.

Altitude drugs - they do not increase oxygen uptake in the brain. Acetazolamide sold under the trade name Diamox forces the kidneys to excrete bicarbonate which re-acidifies the blood. Hyperventilation occurs at altitude in an attempt to get more oxygen. The re-acidification acts as a respiratory stimulant. (Similar to breathing into a brown paper bag which restores CO2 levels to the blood). Personally, I would not take the drug – too many side effects are associated with its use.

My personal HBOT journey: As mentioned in the video, I had a SPECT scan completed prior to starting the therapy. Both cerebral hemispheres showed markedly abnormal patchy-type localization (low perfusion). The areas were particularly present in the frontal, parietal and occipital areas and the basal ganglia areas. I completed 40 sessions of HBOT (simultaneously I was in physical therapy). One month after conclusion of the HBO treatment protocol, I had a follow-up SPECT scan which showed a moderate abnormality in both the cerebral hemispheres with a patchy-type of localization. I was thrilled - I had improved from “markedly abnormal” to “moderate abnormality”. There was abnormal localization in the left temporal lobe area, but all other areas showed significant improvement. I am now on a maintenance protocol with two treatments per month unless I have a new insult to the brain. The pressurized oxygen stimulated the “idling neurons” – it woke them up.
“Idling neurons” – Oxygen and the Brain chapter 2, page 38-39

Nowhere does this need to be emphasized more than in the treatment of the brain because, without sufficient oxygen, its cells cannot function and may die. Nevertheless, brain cells may survive for years in a state best described as “not dead, but sleeping.” In other words, they have enough oxygen to continue to exist, but not enough to allow then to function. The term that has been adopted to describe this state is the “idling neuron.”

I consider the HBOT to be my "cleanup" drug. I had decreased the chronic assault on my central nervous system with the CCSVI procedure, with changing aberrant CSF flow by Atlas Orthogonal, and by maintaining a physical activity program and moderate, healthy diet. The HBOT gave me a chance to repair damage in the brain and as a bonus other areas of my body improved.

Hope this answered some of your queries, 1 eye.

Kindly,
Sharon