Cellular Degeneration in Neuropsychiatric Diseases

Introduction

  According to Bloom (1993), there is "an avalanche of consistent . . . evidence of microscopic pathology". The bibliography gives a lot of background material on neuropsychiatric diseases.

  In 1915 the neuropathologist Southard reported "lesions and internal hydrocephalus" in schizophrenics. Some people do not trust old reports, but I read old research because much of it was done before the advent of psychiatric drugs. These drugs are capable of introducing artifacts in the neuropathology. The drugs themselves can cause neuropathology, unfortunately.

Dr. Segundo Mesa Castillo

   "As far as we know this is the only published paper about the ultrastructure of three of the four main regions of interest (ROIs) found in the brain of schizophrenic patients." Dr. Castillo

  "In the last eleven years we have carried out studies of samples of blood of young schizophrenic patients during the critical stage of their disease observing that their platelets had changed in form, size and specific characteristics that let us differentiate patients of controls." Castillo

  Castillo is from the Psychiatric Hospital of Havana, Cuba. He found abnormal platelets in schizophrenic patients. "In all these studies (nervous system and blood) we have observed deep alterations of cellular membranes with formation of big vacuoles, widened of the nuclear envelope in neurons, proliferation of cell membranes" and particles. Castillo found giant platelets with "elephant feet" (large pseudopods).

  In the brain Castillo and his group found "nuclear bodies, membrane cell alterations and particles". They found the "presence of inclusion bodies".

Platelets

  In platelets they found the "presence of big vacuoles in platelets with fibrillar material". They also found particles in the vacuoles. They found glycogen deposits in the platelets suggesting an error in glucose metabolism. The glucose metabolism was probaby slow. This suggests a possible metabolic toxin.

Toxic Factor

  Mesa Castillo and his group found a toxic factor in the cerebrospinal fluid of schizophrenics using chicken embryos as an assay. The unknown factor was very toxic to the embryos.

Conclusions

  The Cuban group suspected that their unknown toxin was a virus. This theory has also been favored by Dr. E. Fuller Torrey and Dr. Janice Stevens, an otherwise brilliant neuropathologist. I feel that the virus theory is wrong. It does not explain the known connection between schizophrenia and stress. Stress makes schizophrenia worse. Stress causes post-traumatic stress disorder, which is similar to schizophrenia.

  Hoffer felt that a metabolic toxin that was an amine causes schizophrenia. Hoffer knew that amines are released during stress. I feel that Hoffer was close to the truth.

  But what is to be done for a treatment? My theory is that the giant platelets are caused by the cells overeating some macronutrient such as an amino acid. It could be more than one amino acid. This would also explain the "elephant feet" and the glycogen deposits. If the brain were burning amino acids instead of glucose for fuel, the glycogen deposits would be explained.

  This appears to support orthomolecular psychiatry, favored by Hoffer and the late Linus Pauling. A diet very low in amino acids is suggested. This may not be the only possible approach. If a way can be found that slows down the production of the metabolic toxin, then this could also be a treatment. No stone should be left unturned.

  More research is needed. Just creating drugs by trial & error may not be the best approach. That approach is dangerous. There are too many errors. A logical rationale would be better.

  I am submitting this article to Man Among Men to honor Dr. Mesa Castillo for his hard work. I have already honored Linus Pauling there. 

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