Posted by MERM on 5/26/2009, 11:03 am
Ashok Gupta Explains the Amygdala Retraining Program for ME/CFS/FM and Associated Illnesses
Medical researcher Ashok Gupta has raised much interest with his ‘Amygdala Hypothesis’ for ME/CFS/FM and associated illnesses, and the Amygdala Retraining™ techniques he believes have helped him and many others to 're-set' a chronic over-stimulation of the brain's unconscious alarm and protection responses. He says the techniques do offer hope of improvement or recovery now for many with these illnesses, and further medical research is required to develop supporting treatments.
I have suffered from ‘chronic fatigue syndrome’ (ME/CFS) myself. Around 10 years ago, I developed it while studying at University.
Since then, I have dedicated my life to finding an effective treatment for ME/CFS and associated conditions such as fibromyalgia, multiple chemical sensitivities, Gulf War Syndrome, etc. I have been completely well for years, and I successfully treat patients at my clinic in Harley Street in Central London (www.guptaprogramme.com; e-mail: Info@guptaprogramme.com).
To help you understand the process that I believe has helped me and many others to improve, I will look at:
• An overview of The Amygdala Hypothesis – a “vicious cycle” that, once triggered by severe stressors in people with certain risk factors can perpetuate neurological overstimulation, physiological dysfunction, and many physical symptoms.
• An explanation of major symptoms in the context of this hypothesis.
• A brief summary of Amygdala Retraining concepts - how patients may break the vicious cycle by applying techniques that encourage the amygdala and associated brain structures to discontinue the hypothesized overstimulation - and pilot results observed at one year.
• Links to six free YouTube videos from the Retraining Program DVDs, which cover the entire hypothesis in depth.
THE AMYGDALA HYPOTHESIS
My medical research seems to indicate that ME/CFS is a neurological condition, and may be caused by abnormalities in a brain structure called the “amygdala,” which is deep in the unconscious brain.
One of the amygdala’s roles is to protect the body from potential threats.
• Research on the amygdala has traditionally focused on physiological or emotional threats,
• Whereas recent research is showing that the amygdala is involved in protection mechanisms related to chemical and immunological threats as well.
This hypothesis serves as a potential unifying model for the various observations in patients. I
PRECIPITATING FACTORS
Genetic and Environmental Risk Factors (1)
Right at the top, let’s start with the predisposing factors to developing these illnesses - i.e., the risk factors. These may include genetic factors and environmental factors yet to be fully determined.
Then there are two other precipitating factors which contribute to these illnesses developing in someone.
Triggers: Acute Psychological Stress (2) & Viral, Bacterial, or Other Triggers (3)
The start of the illness is often accompanied by psychological or physical stress, as well as some kind of acute physical illness.
• In the case of ME/CFS, that physical illness might be a particularly difficult virus or bacterial infection (e.g., Glandular Fever, gut enteroviruses, etc.), or another kind of illness.
• In fibromyalgia, the physical trauma may be an accident, or ongoing chronic pain in a part of the body.
• In MCS, the trigger may be heavy exposure to a toxin.
There will be crossovers in symptoms between these three conditions, according to the theory. The theory predicts that the pattern of symptoms in the body will be different, but that the underlying cause may be the same. The theory still holds if there is a gradual onset versus a specific onset (see medical paper for further details.)
Gulf War Syndrome may represent a combination of all three illnesses to varying degrees, as at the time there was exposure to immunizations, toxins, and physiological stresses all at the same time.
TRAUMA TO THE AMYGDALA
The combination of these precipitating factors changes the circuitry of the amygdala, making it continually over-stimulate the body (4).
During the trauma:
• The amygdala learns to be hyper-reactive to any symptoms detected in the body, in association with the “insula” (another brain structure).
• This conditioning happens unconsciously without a person actually realizing it is happening.
CHRONIC STIMULATION OF THE AROUSAL SYSTEM
From then on, the amygdala continually over-stimulates the sympathetic nervous system directly (5)
The sympathetic nervous system is the emergency response of the body to threats. When it is triggered, the parasympathetic nervous system (bodily repair, detoxification, digestion, etc.) is switched off and energy is diverted to the emergency.
• It over-stimulates the hypothalamus and the whole HPA (Hypothalamic-Pituitary- Adrenal) Axis, which subsequently downgrades as a result, making it difficult for the body to respond to stress.
• The amygdala also over-stimulates the whole brain, keeping many brain circuits in a state of hyper-arousal. This adversely affects the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain, including serotonin and dopamine.
• There may also be conditioning in the immune system. This means that aspects of the immune system are inappropriately re-triggered in a unique pattern individual to each patient.
• Finally, this over-stimulation causes higher levels of oxidative stress in the body, and a compromised immune system.
A continual unremitting stimulation can cause symptoms which can severely affect every single organ and system in the body, including the endocrine (hormonal) system, and the immune system. (See the Appendix detailing "How the Different ME/CFS/FMS Symptoms are Created with Continual Amygdala Stimulation.")
Furthermore, continual stimulation can cause secondary effects in the body, which then lead researchers to think that those physical observations are the cause of the condition, whereas they are simply symptoms of a deeper underlying brain abnormality.
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