| The post-mortem analysis of the brains of patients | | | | Because glial cells regulate both brain inflammation and |
| with schizophrenia compared to normal brain shows | | | | brain repair, it is clear that serious mental health |
| severe dysregulation in the matrix outside of brain cells | | | | problems involve excessive inflammation with a lack of |
| that holds them together in key regions of the | | | | repair. Even if the glial cells are trying to make a |
| subconscious brain associated with learning, memory, | | | | repair, something is getting in their way. |
| and the processing of stress. The finding is the first | | | | This study is important to everyone as it is likely that |
| of its kind and it essentially means that the roads and | | | | part of the decline of nervous system function involves |
| highways that hold brain cells in position are at least as | | | | glial cell interaction with the chondroitin sulfate rich |
| important as the neurotransmitter status that up to this | | | | structure of the cellular matrix between brain cells. It |
| time has received the lion's share of attention. | | | | is likely that any level of mental health issue, ranging |
| The researchers looked at the chondroitin sulfate | | | | from ADHD to depression to anxiety as well as nerve |
| structure of the important matrix between brain cells | | | | transmission problems will have at least as part of their |
| that enables the actual structure of a brain part. | | | | issue the structural integrity of the brain cell matrix, |
| They focused on two important brain regions, the | | | | directly affecting synaptic plasticity and overall brain |
| entorhinal cortex (memory and behavior) and the | | | | health. |
| amygdala (compulsions, anxiety, hostility, stress | | | | Most people know that chondroitin sulfates are good |
| response). They found that the glial cells expressed | | | | for their joints. Fewer seem to know they are vital |
| up to 15 fold normal activity with chondroitin sulfate. | | | | for the healthy structure of their arteries. While this |
| This means that the brain's of schizophrenic patients | | | | story is just beginning, they may turn out to be vital to |
| are in a desperate attempt to repair their cellular matrix | | | | mental health! Certainly, any solution that enables the |
| and restore brain function – an attempt that while | | | | restoring of the physical structure of the brain and the |
| ongoing was clearly not working. This can be | | | | proper structural framework of any one brain part is |
| concluded by the fact that the physical mass of these | | | | likely to lend to better overall connectivity and fewer |
| brain areas, compared to controls, was less than | | | | problems with mental health issues. |
| normal. | | | | |