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Biomedical subjects

R Sandyk

Publications and source records attributed to R Sandyk.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Lack of a correlation between demyelinating plaques on MRI scan and clinical recovery in multiple sclerosis by treatment with electromagnetic fields.

A 50 year-old woman presented in January of 1995 with a prolonged history of symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) and was classified at the time with a remitting-progressive course. Her chief symptoms included slurring of speech, impairment of vision with intermittent diplopia, difficulties with gait and balance with spastic-ataxic gait, mental depression, insomnia, fatigue, impaired cognitive functions notably poor short term memory and recurrent urinary tract and sinus infections. An MRI scan showed multiple nodular demyelinating lesions scattered in the subcortical white matter and periventricularly of both cerebral hemispheres. Over the following 18 months, while receiving three treatment sessions per week with picotesla electro-magnetic fields (EMFs) which were applied extracranially, she showed a significant recovery in both physical and mental symptoms and additionally experienced decreased susceptibility to infections. In addition, the course of her disease appeared to have stabilized as opposed to the preceding 5 years during which time she experienced insidious, steady deterioration in her functioning. Despite this remarkable clinical recovery through the application of EMFs, and MRI scan obtained at the same diagnostic center 18 months after initiation of treatment with EMFs showed no changes in the number and size of the demyelinating plaques. These findings demonstrate lack of a correlation between recovery of symptoms and the number and extent of demyelinating plaques on MRI scan. It has been known since the days of Charcot in the latter half of the 19th century that in MS there is a great disparity between the histopathological changes of the disease and neurologic deficits. This report enhances the notion that demyelination may reflect an epiphenomenon of the disease.

Brain↗
PubMed1997

Progressive cognitive improvement in multiple sclerosis from treatment with electromagnetic fields.

It has long been recognized that cognitive impairment occurs in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) particularly among patients with a chronic progressive course. MS is considered a type of "subcortical dementia" in which cognitive and behavioral abnormalities resemble those observed in patients with a frontal lobe syndrome. The Bicycle Drawing Test is employed for the neuropsychological assessment of cognitive impairment specifically that of mechanical reasoning and visuographic functioning. It also provides clues concerning the patient's organizational skills which are subserved by the frontal lobes. Extracerebral pulsed applications of picotesla flux intensity electromagnetic fields (EMFs) have been shown to improve cognitive functions in patients with MS. I present three patients with long standing symptoms of MS who, on the initial baseline, pretreatment Bicycle Drawing Test, exhibited cognitive impairment manifested by omissions of essential details and deficient organizational skills. All patients demonstrated progressive improvement in their performance during treatment with EMFs lasting from 6-18 months. The improvement in cognitive functions, which occurred during the initial phases of the treatment, was striking for the changes in organizational skills reflecting frontal lobe functions. These findings demonstrate that progressive recovery of cognitive functions in MS patients are observed over time through continued administration of picotesla flux intensity EMFs. It is believed that the beneficial cognitive effects of these EMFs are related to increased synaptic neurotransmission and that the progressive cognitive improvement noted in these patients is associated with slow recovery of synaptic functions in monoaminergic neurons of the frontal lobe or its projections from subcortical areas.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Immediate recovery of cognitive functions and resolution of fatigue by treatment with weak electromagnetic fields in a patient with multiple sclerosis.

Cognitive deficits are common among patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). The pathogenetic mechanisms underlying the cognitive impairment in MS are unknown and there is presently no effective therapeutic modality which has shown efficacy in improving cognitive deficits in MS. A 53 year old college professor with a long history of secondary progressive MS experienced, over the preceding year, noticeable deterioration in cognitive functions with difficulties in short and long term memory, word finding in spontaneous speech, attention and concentration span. Unable to pursue his academic activities, he was considering early retirement. Mental examination disclosed features of subcortical and cortical dementia involving frontal lobe, left hemispheric and right hemispheric dysfunction. Almost immediately following the extracerebral application of AC pulsed electromagnetic fields (EMFs) of 7.5 picotesla intensity and a 4-Hz sinusoidal wave, the patient experienced a heightend sense of well being, which he defined as enhancement of cognitive functions with a feeling "like a cloud lifted off my head." He reported heightend clarity of thinking and during the application of EMFs he felt that words were formed faster and he experienced no difficulty finding the appropriate words. His speech was stronger and well modulated and he felt "energized" with resolution of his fatigue. There was improvement in manual dexterity and handwriting and testing of constructional praxis demonstrated improvement in visuospatial, visuoperceptive and visuomotor functions. It is suggested that some of the cognitive deficits associated with MS, which are caused by synaptic disruption of neurotransmitter functions, may be reversed through pulsed applications of picotesla range EMFs.

Cognition Disorders↗
PubMed1997

Treatment with weak electromagnetic fields restores dream recall in a parkinsonian patient.

Absent or markedly reduced REM sleep with cessation of dream recall has been documented in numerous neurological disorders associated with subcortical dementia including Parkinson's disease, progressive supranuclear palsy and Huntington's chorea. This report concerns a 69 year old Parkinsonian patient who experienced complete cessation of dreaming since the onset of motor disability 13 years ago. Long term treatment with levodopa and dopamine (DA) receptor agonists (bromocriptine and pergolide mesylate) did not affect dream recall. However, dreaming was restored after the patient received three treatment sessions with AC pulsed picotesla range electromagnetic fields (EMFs) applied extracranially over three successive days. Six months later, during which time the patient received 3 additional treatment sessions with EMFs, he reported dreaming vividly with intense colored visual imagery almost every night with some of the dreams having sexual content. In addition, he began to experience hypnagogic imagery prior to the onset of sleep. Cessation of dream recall has been associated with right hemispheric dysfunction and its restoration by treatment with EMFs points to right hemispheric activation, which is supported by improvement in this patient's visual memory known to be subserved by the right temporal lobe. Moreover, since DA neurons activate REM sleep mechanisms and facilitate dream recall, it appears that application of EMFs enhanced DA activity in the mesolimbic system which has been implicated in dream recall. Also, since administration of pineal melatonin has been reported to induce vivid dreams with intense colored visual imagery in normal subjects and narcoleptic patients, it is suggested that enhanced nocturnal melatonin secretion was associated with restoration of dream recall in this patient. These findings demonstrate that unlike chronic levodopa therapy, intermittent pulsed applications of AC picotesla EMFs may induce in Parkinsonism reactivation of reticular-limbic-pineal systems involved in the generation of dreaming.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Influence of the pineal gland on the expression of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis: possible relationship to the aquisition of multiple sclerosis.

Experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE), a T-cell mediated autoimmune disease, is widely considered as an animal model of multiple sclerosis (MS). It is believed that breakdown of the blood brain barrier (BBB) reflects the initial mechanism in the induction of EAE. It has been reported that while neonatally pinealectomized Wistar rats develop extensive pathological changes and severe neurologic deficits upon induction of EAE with allogeneic spinal cord in adjuvant, adult rats pinealectomized at 6 weeks of age appeared resistant to the induction of EAE. These findings suggest that: (a) the pineal gland influences the expression of EAE and, by inference, the integrity of the BBB; and (b) there is an age-related window of susceptibility to the development of EAE possibly related to the level of maturation of the pineal gland and functional integrity of the BBB. This age-related susceptibility to the development of EAE in rats may be relevant to the timing of aquisition of MS where a viral infection in childhood is thought to initiate the induction of autosensitization to myelin antigens. More specifically, it is suggested that the viral infection associated with the development of MS most likely is acquired in infancy prior to the establishment of the melatonin circadian rhythms between 3 and 9 months of age.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Resolution of sleep paralysis by weak electromagnetic fields in a patient with multiple sclerosis.

Sleep paralysis refers to episodes of inability to move during the onset of sleep or more commonly upon awakening. Patients often describe the sensation of struggling to move and may experience simultaneous frightening vivid hallucinations and dreams. Sleep paralysis and other manifestations of dissociated states of wakefulness and sleep, which reflect deficient monoaminergic regulation of neural modulators of REM sleep, have been reported in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). A 40 year old woman with remitting-progressive multiple sclerosis (MS) experienced episodes of sleep paralysis since the age of 16, four years prior to the onset of her neurological symptoms. Episodes of sleep paralysis, which manifested at a frequency of about once a week, occurred only upon awakening in the morning and were considered by the patient as a most terrifying experience. Periods of mental stress, sleep deprivation, physical fatigue and exacerbation of MS symptoms appeared to enhance the occurrence of sleep paralysis. In July of 1992 the patient began experimental treatment with AC pulsed applications of picotesla intensity electromagnetic fields (EMFs) of 5Hz frequency which were applied extracerebrally 1-2 times per week. During the course of treatment with EMFs the patient made a dramatic recovery of symptoms with improvement in vision, mobility, balance, bladder control, fatigue and short term memory. In addition, her baseline pattern reversal visual evoked potential studies, which showed abnormally prolonged latencies in both eyes, normalized 3 weeks after the initiation of magnetic therapy and remained normal more than 2.5 years later. Since the introduction of magnetic therapy episodes of sleep paralysis gradually diminished and abated completely over the past 3 years. This report suggests that MS may be associated with deficient REM sleep inhibitory neural mechanisms leading to sleep paralysis secondary to the intrusion of REM sleep atonia and dream imagery into the waking state. Pineal melatonin and monoaminergic neurons have been implicated in the induction and maintenance of REM sleep and the pathogenesis of sleep paralysis and it is suggested that resolution of sleep paralysis in this patient by AC pulsed applications of EMFs was related to enhancement of melatonin circadian rhythms and cerebral serotoninergic neurotransmission.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Reversal of a visuoconstructional disorder by weak electromagnetic fields in a child with Tourette's syndrome.

Tourette's syndrome (TS), a chronic familial neuropsychiatric disorder of unknown etiology, is characterized clinically by the occurrence of motor and vocal tics and by the presence of a variety of neurobehavioral and neurocognitive abnormalities including hyperactivity, self-mutilatory behavior, obsessive-compulsive behavior, learning disabilities, and conduct disorder. Cognitive deficits related to right hemispheric dysfunction are common in TS patients accounting for decrements in visuospatial, visuoconstructional and visuomotor skills. An 11 year old boy with a 5 years history of TS exhibited during a routine neuropsychological assessment an unusual visuoconstructional disorder which previously has been observed in dyslexic children. Specifically, when instructed to draw a bicycle from memory, he drew spontaneously a design executed from the perspective of a bird's eye view. After receiving a 20 minute treatment session with picotesla range electromagnetic fields (EMFs) applied extracranially, this visuocontructional disorder was spontaneously reversed and he drew an elaborate and detailed bicycle positioned in profile. A placebo EMF treatment, which was administered prior to magnetic therapy, had no effect on this child's visuoconstructional disorder. During the ensuing week there was a marked reduction in the child's hyperactive behavior with attentuation of motor tics. Spontaneous drawing of a bicycle a week after the administration of magnetic therapy was executed in profile although some elements were presented from a bird's eye view. This case demonstrates the potential impact of treatment with picotesla EMFs in reversing specific cognitive deficits in TS related to right posterior hemispheric dysfunction.

Brain Diseases↗
PubMed1997

Treatment with electromagnetic fields reverses the long-term clinical course of a patient with chronic progressive multiple sclerosis.

It is estimated that 10-20% of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have a chronic progressive (CP) course characterized by an insidious onset of neurological deficits followed by steady progression of disability in the absence of symptomatic remission. To date no therapeutic modality has proven effective in reversing the clinical course of CP MS although there are indications that prolonged treatment with picotesla electromagnetic fields (EMFs) alters the clinical course of patients with CP MS. A 40 year-old woman presented in December of 1992 with CP MS with symptoms of spastic paraplegia, loss of trunk control, marked weakness of the upper limbs with loss of fine and gross motor hand functions, severe fatigue, cognitive deficits, mental depression, and autonomic dysfunction with neurogenic bladder and bowel incontinence. Her symptoms began at the age of 18 with weakness of the right leg and fatigue with long distance walking and over the ensuing years she experienced steady deterioration of functions. In 1985 she became wheelchair dependent and it was anticipated that within 1-2 years she would become functionally quadriplegic. In December of 1992 she began experimental treatment with EMFs. While receiving regularly weekly transcortical treatments with AC pulsed EMFs in the picotesla range intensity she experienced during the first year improvement in mental functions, return of strength in the upper extremities, and recovery of trunk control. During the second year she experienced the return of more hip functions and recovery of motor functions began in her legs. For the first time in years she can now initiate dorsiflexion of her ankles and actively extend her knees voluntarily. Over the past year she started to show signs of redevelopment of reciprocal gait. Presently, with enough function restored in her legs, she is learning to walk with a walker and is able to stand unassisted and maintain her balance for a few minutes. She also regained about 80% of functions in the upper limbs and hands. Most remarkably, there was no further progression of the disease during the 4 years course of magnetic therapy. This patient's clinical recovery cannot be explained on the basis of a spontaneous remission. It is suggested that pulsed applications of picotesla EMFs affect the neurobiological and immunological mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of CP MS.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

The accelerated aging hypothesis of Parkinson's disease is not supported by the pattern of circadian melatonin secretion.

Hypotheses pertaining to the etiology of Parkinson's disease (PD) have suggested that the disease reflects an accelerated form of the normal aging process. Aging is associated with progressive failure of the pineal gland associated with a gradual decline in nighttime plasma melatonin secretion. The decline in melatonin secretion with age, at an average rate of 10-15% per decade, is considered a marker of brain aging in humans and estimations of plasma melatonin levels could be used to distinguish the processes of normal aging from pathological age-related changes. The accelerated aging hypothesis of PD is not supported by studies which have examined nocturnal melatonin secretion in drug naive Parkinsonian patients compared to age matched normal control subjects. Specifically, these studies have revealed no significant differences in the melatonin rhythms (i.e., peak nocturnal melatonin level and 24-hour melatonin output) between PD patients and normal age matched controls. On the other hand, melatonin secretion is significantly lower in Alzheimer's patients compared to age matched normal subjects. Collectively, it is suggested, on the basis of melatonin circadian rhythms, that Alzheimer's disease rather than PD is related to an accelerated aging process, a hypothesis which is supported by pathological and neurochemical studies.

Aging↗
PubMed1996

Weak electromagnetic fields increase the amplitude of the pattern reversal VEP response in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Visual evoked potential (VEP) studies are widely used for the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) and are also useful in monitoring the effects of various therapeutic modalities in the disease. Brief, extracerebral applications of picotesla (pT) range flux intensity electromagnetic fields (EMFs) of low frequency have been shown efficacious in the treatment of motor and cognitive symptoms in MS implying that this treatment modality improves action potential transmission in demyelinating pathways. This report documents three MS patients with a remitting-progressive course in whom two successive brief extracerebral applications of pT range EMFs caused an immediate increase (and normalization) of the amplitudes of the visual evoked response in the eye previously affected by optic neuritis. However, the pretreatment prolonged latencies of the evoked responses remained essentially unchanged after the administration of EMFs. Since the latency of the VEP reflects the degree of conduction velocity and the amplitude the degree of conduction block in demyelinating optic pathways, the report demonstrates that extracerebral applications of these EMFs may rapidly reverse conduction block in demyelinating fibers. Reversal of the conduction block, which is though to be related to changes in axonal Na+ and K+ channels and synaptic neurotransmitter release, accounts for the immediate improvement of vision and other neurological deficits observed in MS patients following exposure to these EMFs.

Electromagnetic Fields↗
PubMed1996

Bidirectional effect of electromagnetic fields on ketanserin-induced yawning in patients with multiple sclerosis: the role of melatonin.

5-HT2 receptors regulate sleep including yawning behavior. Ritanserin, a selective 5-HT2A receptor antagonist, increases the duration of slow wave in rats and humans. This effect is more pronounced during the light period when melatonin plasma levels are low; melatonin inhibits the sleep effects of ritanserin. These findings indicate that melatonin co-determines the effects of ritanserin on sleep. In a cohort of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients ketanserin, a selective 5-HT2A receptor antagonist, induces recurrent yawning particularly when administered in daytime. The frequency of yawning induced by the drug was modified by AC pulsed picotesla flux electromagnetic fields (EMFs) which affect melatonin secretion. Two MS patients are presented in whom the frequency of ketanserin-induced yawning was altered in opposite directions by these EMFs. The first patient, a 50 year old woman with a remitting-relapsing course, developed recurrent yawning and sleepiness after administration of ketanserin (10 mg, PO). Yawning was decreased dramatically during application of EMFs but was unaffected by a placebo EMFs treatment. The second patient, a 35 year old man with a chronic progressive course, manifested a single and brief yawn after administration of an equal dose of ketanserin. Yawning was increased dramatically during application of EMFs while remaining unchanged during a placebo EMFs treatment. These observations demonstrate a bidirectional effect of picotesla flux EMFs on ketanserin-induced yawning which may be related to differences in daytime melatonin plasma levels among MS patients. If validated by estimations of melatonin plasma levels in a larger cohort of patients the information derived from the effects of picotesla EMFs on ketanserin-induced yawning could be used to: (a) assess pineal melatonin functions in patients with MS; (b) indicate differences in pineal functions between male and female MS patients; and (c) indicate a relationship between plasma melatonin levels and the fatigue of MS.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Application of weak electromagnetic fields facilitates sensory-motor integration in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Electrophysiological studies in behaving animals have shown the function of cerebral serotonin (5-HT) neurons to be altered in association with motor output in both the tonic and repetitive modes and also in relation to an orienting response. Brainstem 5-HT neurons increase their firing rate two to five-fold during repetitive motor activity to facilitate motor output while simultaneously suppressing transmission in sensory pathways. Reciprocally, during an orienting response motor activity is suppressed and 5-HT neuronal activity is inhibited to facilitate transmission of sensory information. These reciprocal changes in 5-HT neuronal activity serve to facilitate brainstem reticular sensory-motor integration which, due to 5-HT neurotransmission deficiency, may be disrupted in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). For instance, MS patients are unable to process auditory information in the presence of competing ambient stimuli, while under a controlled laboratory environment they demonstrate unimpaired verbal information processing. This report concerns three MS patients who experienced rapid deterioration in balance resulting in falling when subjected, during ambulation, to distracting external auditory stimuli. After receiving a series of treatments with low frequency picotesla range intensity electromagnetic fields (EMFs), which were applied extracranially for brief periods, these patients experienced resolution of these symptoms with ambulation being unaffected by auditory stimuli. It is suggested that application of picotesla EMFs may restore abnormal reticular sensory-motor integration in MS patients with the effect being related to facilitation of 5-HT neurotransmission at both junctional (synaptic) and nonjunctional neuronal target sites.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMed1996

Freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease is improved by treatment with weak electromagnetic fields.

Freezing, a symptom characterized by difficulty in the initiation and smooth pursuit of repetitive movements, is a unique and well known clinical feature of Parkinson's disease (PD). It usually occurs in patients with long duration and advanced stage of the disease and is a major cause of disability often resulting in falling. In PD patients freezing manifests most commonly as a sudden attack of immobility usually experienced during walking, attempts to turn while walking, or while approaching a destination. Less commonly it is expressed as arrest of speech or handwriting. The pathophysiology of Parkinsonian freezing, which is considered a distinct clinical feature independent of akinesia, is poorly understood and is believed to involve abnormalities in dopamine and norepinephrine neurotransmission in critical motor control areas including the frontal lobe, basal ganglia, locus coeruleus and spinal cord. In general, freezing is resistant to pharmacological therapy although in some patients reduction or increase in levodopa dose may improve this symptom. Three medicated PD patients exhibiting disabling episodes of freezing of gait are presented in whom brief, extracerebral applications of pulsed electromagnetic fields (EMFs) in the picotesla range improved freezing. Two patients had freezing both during "on" and "off" periods while the third patient experienced random episodes of freezing throughout the course of the day. The effect of each EMFs treatment lasted several days after which time freezing gradually reappeared, initially in association with "off" periods. These findings suggest that the neurochemical mechanisms underlying the development of freezing are sensitive to the effects of EMFs, which are believed to improve freezing primarily through the facilitation of serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission at both junctional (synaptic) and nonjunctional neuronal target sites.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

Estrogen's impact on cognitive functions in multiple sclerosis.

It has long been suspected that hormonal factors contribute directly and indirectly to the etiology and pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). The susceptibility of MS is higher in women than in men and women are even more susceptible to hormonal influences when onset occurs at an early or delayed age. Pregnancy has a short-term favorable effect on the course of the disease but there is an increased rate of relapse during the post-partum period. In addition, women often report premenstrual exacerbation of their symptoms with remission during menses. These findings suggest that in women estrogens may exert a stabilizing effect on the clinical manifestations of MS. The role of estrogens is supported also by observations of a higher incidence of cognitive impairment in women than men with MS. A 50 year old woman with a remitting progressive MS experienced profound deterioration in cognitive functions during withdrawal from estrogen therapy which was initiated for the treatment of amenorrhea. Improvement in cognitive functions occurred shortly after she restarted therapy with an estrogen/progesterone preparation and was maintained during long term therapy. Serotonin (5-HT) mechanisms have been implicated in memory functions and estrogens modulate these functions through an interaction with 5-HT2 receptors in the cerebral cortex and limbic system. It is suggested that estrogen withdrawal induces impairment in cognitive functions through dysregulation of 5-HT2 receptor activity and 5-HT neurotransmission. These findings suggest that estrogens have a beneficial influence on cognitive functions in MS patients and that hormonal supplementation might be advised in menopausal and postmenopausal MS patients for the prevention of cognitive deterioration.

Cognition↗
PubMed1996

Reversal of an acute parkinsonian syndrome associated with multiple sclerosis by application of weak electromagnetic fields.

The occurrence of movement disorders and particularly Parkinsonian symptoms is uncommon in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) despite the rather frequent presence of demyelinating plaques in the basal ganglia. This disparity between the occurrence of clinical symptoms in MS and the distribution of demyelinating plaques suggests that impairment of neurotransmitter functions rather than demyelination may be critical to the clinical manifestations of the disease. A 48 year old woman with remitting-progressive MS developed a bilateral Parkinsonian syndrome in association with acute emotional stress which resolved after she received two brief successive extracerebral applications of low frequency picotesla flux density electromagnetic fields (EMFs). It is believed that in this patient Parkinsonism may have existed in a subclinical form and that acute stress, which previously has been shown to precipitate symptoms of Parkinson's disease, triggered the onset of Parkinsonism by further reducing dopaminergic and serotonergic neurotransmission in the basal ganglia. The rapid reversal of the Parkinsonian syndrome by EMFs was related to a presumed augmentation of dopaminergic and serotonergic neurotransmission which, on the basis of CSF studies, is reduced in chronic MS patients. The efficacy of EMFs in the treatment of Parkinson's disease had been documented previously but this report demonstrates that this treatment modality is beneficial also for the treatment of Parkinsonism developing in the setting of other neurodegenerative disorders.

Atrophy↗
PubMed1996

Tryptophan availability and the susceptibility to stress in multiple sclerosis: a hypothesis.

In his seminal description of the clinical manifestations of multiple sclerosis (MS) in 1868 Charcot suggested that psychological stress is an important factor in the pathogenesis of the disease. MS patients often relate that mental stress exacerbates their symptoms and even provokes attacks of their disease. Moreover, a subgroup of MS patients experiences exacerbation of symptoms following a period of mental stress rather than occurring at times when stress is maximal, i.e., attacks are reported to occur on the rebound from stress. Psychological stress may also contribute to the onset and long term clinical deterioration of the disease. Mental stress is associated with activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis resulting in increased release of ACTH and cortisol secretion. Stress-induced activation of the HPA axis is associated with an increased metabolism of cerebral serotonin (5-HT) the synthesis of which is dependent upon the availability of its precursor tryptophan. Thus, increased tryptophan availability may partly underlie the general response to stress. Plasma and CSF tryptophan levels are diminished in chronic MS patients and it is suggested that plasma tryptophan levels are even lower in patients who are stressed. Attenuated increase in the availability of systemic tryptophan in response to stress is thought to underlie the susceptibility of MS patients to stress. This hypothesis is supported by the findings in chronic MS patients of a significantly diminished adrenal cortisol reactivity to insulin-induced hypoglycemia which is considered a stress response mediated through the 5-HT system. Consequently, since patients with MS exhibit an abnormal response to stress it follows that increased tryptophan availability through dietary supplementation would diminish their vulnerability to psychological stress. Additionally, if sustained or repeated stress contributes to progression and clinical deterioration of the disease then chronic tryptophan supplementation also may halt its progression.

Humans↗