Gluten Sensitivity Linked to Neurological Symptoms
Okay this is sort of a walk thought of how I think.
I know that gluten effects the nervous system (personal experience and topics 1 & 2 confirm.
Topic 3 relates these neurologic components to mental disorders
Topic 4 connects anxiety to gluten intolerance
I just did this super quick and did not add ALL the body of literature that supports this scientific fact. I think I will add to this later…. podcasts that discuss it. Yes - More will be coming. But for now, this is a good case argument.
1) https://jnnp.bmj.com/content/72/5/560
“With clinical manifestations primarily confined to the gastrointestinal tract or attributable to malabsorption, it was logical to assume that the target organ and hence the key to the pathogenesis of this disease was the gut. The first report of neurological manifestations associated with CD was by Carnegie Brown in 1908.3 In his book entitled Sprue and its treatment he mentioned two of his patients who developed “peripheral neuritis”. Elders reported the association between “sprue” and ataxia in 1925.4 The validity of these and other such reports before 1960 remains doubtful given that a precise diagnosis of CD was not possible before the introduction of small bowel biopsies.
….
…postmortem examinations showed extensive perivascular inflammatory changes affecting both the central and peripheral nervous systems. A striking feature was the loss of Purkinje cells with atrophy and gliosis of the cerebellum. All 16 patients had evidence of severe malabsorption as evidenced by anaemia and vitamin deficiencies as well as profound weight loss.”
2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3641836/
“More recently the understanding and knowledge of gluten sensitivity (GS), has emerged as an illness distinct from celiac disease with an estimated prevalence 6 times that of CD. Gluten sensitive people do not have villous atrophy or antibodies that are present in celiac disease, but rather they can test positive for antibodies to gliadin. Both CD and GS may present with a variety of neurologic and psychiatric co-morbidities, however, extraintestinal symptoms may be the prime presentation in those with GS. However, gluten sensitivity remains undertreated and underrecognized as a contributing factor to psychiatric and neurologic manifestiations.“
3) http://www.drperlmutter.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/17-The_gluten_syndrome__A_neurological_disease1.pdf
“Many celiac patients experience neurological symptoms, frequently associated with malfunction of the autonomic nervous system. These neurological symptoms can present in celiac patients who are well nourished. The crucial point, however, is that gluten-sensitivity can also be associated with neurological symptoms in patients who do not have any mucosal gut damage (that is, without celiac disease). Gluten can cause neurological harm through a combination of cross reacting antibodies, immune complex disease and direct toxicity. These nervous system affects include: dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system, cerebella ataxia, hypotonia, developmental delay, learning disorders, depression, migraine, and headache“
Need to Know >>>> The autonomic nervous system is primarily in control of the flight or fight (stress) response. It is a control system that acts largely unconsciously and regulates bodily functions, such as the heart rate, digestion, respiratory rate, pupillary response, urination, and sexual arousal.
The autonomic nervous system, along with these hormones and neurotransmitters, all have key roles in the production of anxiety symptoms as the body prepares for action.
Anxiety is an over stimulation in this autonomic nervous system.
“Various types of anxiety are associated with gluten intolerance. One study found that CD patients were significantly more likely to have state anxiety when compared to controls, and that after 1 year on a gluten-free diet, there was a significant improvement in state anxiety symptoms [source].