Glutamate: Balancing this Excitatory Neurotransmitter
Genetic Lifehacks
Hi Everyone -
I've spent the past week diving into the research on how glutamate is regulated in the brain through transporters and receptors.
Glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter.
Too much = neuronal damage
Too little = impaired memory and low energy
This article touches on how glutamate imbalances interact with ME/CFS, autism, Alzheimer's, ADHD, migraines, and schizophrenia.
It's a long article. I'm sorry. Don't read it on your phone.
That said... it's also a huge topic, and I'm barely scratching the surface.
Just as a side note:
I tried using chatGPT to speed up my research and writing for this glutamate article. Hope springs eternal that AI can help me find better information, more quickly. However, I found that it still gives incorrect details. Out of three SNPs that it said were important for glutamate receptors, two of the rs ids weren't in the genes that it claimed and were completely unrelated to the topic.
I know a lot of people are using ChatGPT to learn more about their genes. (I get three or four emails a week telling me that ChatGPT says something different than what I have for a SNP.) In my opinion, use AI for the big picture explanations but don't trust it for accurate details.
Stay curious!
~ Debbie
Glutamate Receptors and Transporters
Key takeaways:
~ Glutamate is the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain and central nervous system.
~ Levels of glutamate in the synapse are controlled by glutamate transporters, including EAAT2 and EAAT1.
~ Glutamate receptors, including AMPA, NMDA, and kainate receptors, regulate synaptic transmission and neuronal plasticity.
~ Research connects glutamate imbalance to conditions like ALS, long COVID, ADHD, schizophrenia, and neuroinflammation.
~ Genetic variants in the glutamate transporter and glutamate receptors can increase your risk for glutamate imbalances in the brain.
What is glutamate and how is it regulated?
Glutamate is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord). Glutamate also plays a minor role in nerve signaling in the peripheral nervous system.[ref]
A neuron sends a message through an electrical impulse that causes the release of a chemical messenger from the axon. In this case, we are talking about glutamate as the messenger.
Glutamate is released by the axon of one neuron into the synapse and is received by glutamate receptors in the adjacent neuron, thus sending a signal from one nerve to the next. Nearby glial cells, mainly astrocytes, control the amount of glutamate that remains in the synapse. Maintaining optimal levels of glutamate in the synaptic space is important. Low levels can cause low energy, while excess glutamate can lead to cell death in the neurons.[ref]
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What I've been reading:
This is an interesting clinical trial from 2003 using lemon balm extract to reverse memory problems in Alzheimer’s disease. The lemon balm (Melissa officinalis) extract actually improved cognitive scores in mild to moderate Alzheimer's patients. It was a small study (42 participants) but it was placebo-controlled. It is notable because the major Alzheimer's medications just slow the cognitive decline and don't reverse it. I did find one other clinical trial with lemon balm extract that also showed positive benefits.
In people who ate yogurt two or more times a week, they had higher bifidobacteria levels and a 20% lower risk of a certain type of colon cancer.[ref]
3) Increased stroke and heart attack risk from contraceptives
A very large study in Denmark shows that women taking oral contraceptives are at a 2-fold increased relative risk of stroke or heart attack, while those using the vaginal ring contraceptive had a 4-fold increased risk of heart attack. The study notes that the absolute risk of stroke and heart attack in young women is fairly low so this only means ~50 extra strokes and heart attacks per 100,000 women per year.
I found this study interesting because it specifically points to a greater risk of higher estrogen levels for thrombotic events. There's recent research showing that estrogen mimics are likely also increasing cardiovascular problems and platelet reactivity.
Related Genetic Lifehacks article: Estrogen Synthesis and Detoxification Genes