Erosive lichen planus and reinnervation

Oral lichen planus is a difficult and distressing condition. It produces painful plaques throughout the oral cavity. No-one knows the cause.

A new paper from Hungary finds abnormal nerves and upregulation of TRPV-1 in biopsied from these plaques. The question arises as to where these nerves come from ? Sources of primary denervation in the oral cavity may be many and varied though the authors did not provide candidates.

Oral lichen planus is a candidate for a Western disease. Does the same apply to vulval lichen planus ?

Aberrant renal artery reinnervation in refractory hypertension

The Barts group presented their work on line at The Lancet this week. The results are very impressive. The question arises as to what causes abnormal nerves in renal arteries in patients with refractory hypertension ?

We know that abnormal nerves in the female pelvis result from injuries in childbirth and straining during defecation over many years (1). Low birthweight infants (<2500g) have persistent problems with constipation throughout their lives. DP Barker found that many low birthweight babies develop hypertension in later life. Others may develop constipation from high calorie, processed Western diets. DP Burkitt found that Western diets promoted low stool weights and suboptimal bowel habits. Both may be mechanisms for this kind of hypertension - ther emay be others (2).

Autonomic denervation and subsequent reinnervation are found in many Western diseases without apparent understanding. This framework may enable better understanding and better forms of treatment - like this.

(1) www.endometriosisexplained.com
(2) www.western-diseases.com

Autonomic denervation and chronic Western Diseases

DP Burkitt's classic observations in the 1970's include:
(1) the reduced incidence of chronic diseases in African populations
(2) the differences in diet (low calorie, unrefined, plant-based in Africa),

Masterclass in neurogastroenterology

There was a remarkable meeting at the RSM yesterday. A multidisciplinary team led by Professors Qasim Aziz and David Silk described a wholes series of gastrointestinal phenotypes ranging from oesophageal reflux to rectal hypersensitivity in terms of autonomic denervation.

Michael Pollan's dietary rules and Western diseases

Michael Pollan sets out some "rules" of diet ini his new book. I have not yet read his book (which I look forward to doing) - only his column. I enjoyed the distinction between "food" and "food products" which may be placed in a more extreme definition: food products have barcodes; food does not !

Effects of autonomic denervation

Walter Cannon set out the first law of autonomic denervation in the 1940's. He found that denervation of a motor unit resulted in supersensitivity in the zone of innervation. The second law of autonomic denervation states that if autonomic nerves are injured then this may have effects on the central nervous system.

Bohmian dialogue at Mile End

A meeting to commemorate the life of David Bohm took place on Saturday at The London Hospital, Mile End. Most of the speakers knew Bohm in person and gave precise evidence as to his wide-ranging contributions to C20 physics.

Abstract of "Diabetes, diet and denervation"

Contemporary theories to explain the autoimmune aetiology of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) include the "hygiene", "accelerator" and "thrifty phenotype" hypotheses though none accounts for its natural history, or, epidemiology. Early-onset, T1DM is epidemic in Western countries

Diabetes, diet and denervation (ALL and asthma)

The view that type 1 diabetes results from a neuropathic injury to the islets of Langerhans in infancy as a result of bowel problems secondary to early weaning, has been published this week.

Endometriosis - a Western disease ?

Dr John Sampson first proposed that retrograde menstruation gave rise to endometriosis in the 1920's. Contemporary gynaecology does not give a mechanism for this "reverse" flow of menstrual debris from the uterus along the Fallopian tubes. New studies (UK, Australia, Belgium) confirm abnormal nerves

Spalteholz and other matters

It is an open question at to "what happened to the autonomic plexi in the second half of twentieth century ?" Robert Lee described the precise anatomy of the cardiac and hypogastric plexi though who discovered the coeliac plexus ?

Angina with normal coronary angiograms

Cardiologists have struggled for 40 years with patients with angina-like chest pain whose coronary angiograms show no evidence of obstructive coronary artery disease. This is an enigmatic condition

Myocardial reinnervation

Aberrant myocardial reinnervation with collateral sprouting results from some patterns of myocardial infarction, but there are many arrhythmias that occur without ischaemia or infarction (1). Their cause is unclear.

Cow' milk allergy and T1DM

Cow's milk allergy is a reaction to cows' milk proteins (type I and IV). It affects 2-3% of children though only 0.5% of exclusively breastfed infants. It causes atopic dermatitis, infantile colic, GORD, proctitis,

The aetiology of Type 1 diabetes mellitus

Studies from Seattle confirm denervation of the islets of Langerhans in T1DM. The authors wondered how the "autoimmune " process in T1DM results in loss of islets and their nerves as well ?

Original criteria for autoimmunity included

DP Burkitt

Dennis Burkitt FRS made some important observations in Western diseases in the 1970-80's. He confirmed that many diseases are less common in Africa than Europe including heart disease, bowel disease, vascular disease, diabetes,

Autonomic denervation and Western Diseases

"Western Diseases" describes those conditions characteristic of modern affluent Western communities and their lifestyles. The first comprehensive account was that of HC Trowell and DP Burkitt in 1981 in "Western Diseases; their emergence and prevention".

Diet plays a disproprotionate role in their aetiology