Thread by @BadgleyLaurence

AUTONOMIC CONTROL OF FUNCTIONAL DISORDERS:
There is no need to default to psychological explanations for aberrations of human behavior. Behavior is much controlled by the brain, autonomic nervous system, & hormones, which effect behavior through lens of the brain.

https://twitter.com/DianaMKwon/status/1320685050061561860

Let’s take bipolar behavior. What tangled psychology might be modeled to explain periodic fluctuating manic/depressive behavior? None has been articulated. Simple explanation is environmental & social activities can stimulate behavioral events via autonomic nervous system (ANS).

Loss of sleep can trigger adaptive behavioral responses via autonomic nerve system & endocrine perturbations. Physical inactivity due to pain can do likewise. Unfortunately, modern clinical sciences lack teachable methods to monitor these perturbations.

The empirical discoveries of modern clinicians can help people to heal their ills without need to understand all the physiological nuances of healing mechanisms. It does help to use some Principles of nature in therapeutic constructions.

A first Principle might be that observable autonomic dysfunctions are the summation of Sympathetic & Parasympathetic nervous system activity; when these systems are balanced, the organism is said to be functioning in a condition of “homeostasis”.

Might it be a therapeutic goal to modulate over- or under-activity of specific branches of the autonomic nervous system?

In recent years, a major dynamic of autonomic control has been discovery of the internal (endogenous) cannabinoid system, which has profound effects on neural activity. Of the trillion cells in the human body, the most dense cell wall molecular receptors are for endocannabinoids.

Within neural synaptic junctions, lipid-soluble endocannabinoids seem to be super-controllers of the water-soluble synaptic neurotransmitters (serotonin, norepinephrine, GABA, etc.).

Another Principle of efficacious healing is to balance physiological systems with natural non-toxic molecules already inherent in tissues of the systems of a disordered host. This is the method of Orthomolecular Medicine.

Exocannabinoids are found in the Cannabis plant & have the same chemical structure as human endogenous endocannabinoids; reason that exocannabinoids have been demonstrated to evoke homeostasis.

Over many years, I pondered what might be a Principle of using exocannabinoids (plant derived) to evoke homeostasis. The effect of these herbal chemicals seem to be upon neural tissues.

In fact, the receptor molecules for cannabinoids have already been discovered on neural tissues & are called CB-1 & CB-2 receptors. These receptors also exist on cells of the autonomic nervous system.

Within the world’s varieties of Cannabis there are two broad families of the plant, the Sativa & Indica. While encountering thousands of Cannabis users in clinical situations, I realized that these two families have distinct effects.

Cannabis Sativa seems to impart Sympathetic nervous system activity. Cannabis Indica seems to impart Parasympathetic nervous system activity.

Discomforted individuals have distinct patterns of behavior/symptoms. These varying expressions of activity & function are often reflective of either Sympathetic or Parasympathetic dominance and imbalance of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS).

Sympathetic function is of the flight or fright qualities. Parasympathetic function is of the relaxation & pleasure (digestion, evacuation, sexual excitement) qualities.

It is possible to gather organ system dysfunctions into categories of dominant Sympathetic or Parasympathtic autonomic functions as follows:

AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM IMBALANCES:
Skeletal muscle spasm, Panic Attacks, IBS-c, insomnia, pain, Gastroparesis, & mania = Sympathetic Dominence. Parasympathetic Dominence = fatigue, depression, IBS-d, Chron’s, Ulcerative Colitis, Interstitial Cystitis, POTS.

It was interesting to encounter a number of young men with ADHD. In school they did poorly because of their behavior. A common story was that in the 11th grade the older boys introduced them to Cannabis with profound improvement of behavior & grades.

Amongst ADHD individuals there seems to be a paradoxical physiological effect: drugs that calm them down are Sympathetic nerve stimulators, Sympathomimetic; like Adderal & Ritalin.

These ADHD boys also reported that the were induced, by doctors & parents, to use Ritalin in earlier years to calm down. So I asked them what type of Cannabis they liked. To a man they liked Sativa.

Ritalin is Sympathomimetic and induces Sympathetic activity. Cannabis Sativa is, to my mind, Sympathomimetic. It made sense to me why Sativa calmed down their ADHD; a physiological effect of exocannabinoids on their sympathetic nervous systems.

My theory is that human behavior & organ systems functions that are dominant in one sphere of autonomic function can be brought to balance by specific cannabinoid profiles chosen from either the Sativa or Indica cultivars.

Sativa strains, cultivars, were hybridized by equatorial region inhabitants; skinny leaves, tall plants, & long grow cycles reflect the copious sun. Polynesians & south Asians get up in the morning needing energy to gather food & participate in community activities.

Tribal groups in higher latitudes needed medicinals to impart more pleasure & comforts in the face of hash winters & painful injuries. Shorter grow seasons led to smaller plants with broad leaves & shorter times to bud & mature. These tribes hybridized Indicas.

My theories are currently being tested in certain of my patients who have functional disorders. My therapeutic model is that their disorders are reflection of autonomic imbalances & dominance of one branch of the autonomic nervous system (ANS).

Branding patients as having “Functional Neural Disorders”, as persons with psychological mental trips gone awry, is a waste of medical resources & is a medical model destined to failure.

Better to help these patients regain mental & physical homeostasis with natural non-toxic medicinals & nutriceuticals (nutrients, vitamins, mineral, & other Orthomolecular substances). The cannabinoids in Cannabis are natural medicinals.

I have studied the cannabinoids, their medical qualities, and their bodily effects. The Yin & Yang of the nervous system, the Sympathetic & Parasympathetic branches, are affected by cannabinoid densities in the body.

Some doctors versed in Medicinal Cannabis consider that Fibromyalgia, a serious pain disorder, found mostly in women, and that includes an host of dysautonomias, is actually an endocannabinoid deficiency disorder.

So what are clues to the secrets of the endocannabinoid system? I would say foremost is a boast of good feelings. The proper concentrations of certain endocannabinoids within tissues is critical. Once achieved, then “homeostasis” and good feelings are evoked.

VARIOUS DYSAUTONOMIAS AND THEORIZED THERAPIES:

But first definition of “decarboxylation.” When Cannabis is heated to 220 degrees (e.g. baking/smoking), heat changes THC-A (natural acid form of THC) into THC, which is form that is psychotropic (causal of the “high”). Unheated Cannabis is still therapeutic; even absent the high

PANIC ATTACKS: highly associated with Mitral Valve Prolapse & Hypermobility Syndrome found in many women with panic attacks. Sympathetic dominance might be balanced by Indica cannabinoids; smoked for immediate effects & eaten for prophylaxis.

GASTROPARESIS: Often found in women with upright functional scoliosis, due to Hypermobility Syndrome. Thoracic neural impingements stimulate autonomic neural connections (Sympathetic) to the Stomach. Or else the Vagus is involved.

For GASTROPARESIS: Oral preparations of non-decarboxylated Indica extracted at low crockpot heat in coconut oil might be ingested to induce digestion, upper intestinal peristalsis, & elimination (Parasympathetic functions).

PAIN: A screaming Sympathetic function which can be allayed by generous Indica hashish preparations orally consumed as cold water extracts to avoid decarboxylation & to reduce psychotropic effects.

My published clinical research has shown that 1 gram of hashish is equianalgesic (equal in pain reduction) to 30mg of hydrocodone per 24 hours.

IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS-d, diarrhea): overt dominance of Parasympathetic System with intensified intestinal evacuations; Sativa-laced rectal suppositories are predicted to induce lower intestinal tract quiescence.

IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME (IBS-c, constipation): A “poop weed” variety is reputed to induce intestinal stimulation & evacuation; an Indica; smoked; incites intestinal release.

DYSMENORRHEA: painful menses due to hormone Relaxin loosening pelvic ligaments. Tendon insertion sites of Transverses abdominis muscle (overly stressed/spastic) on Iliac crests develop painful entheses.

For DYSMENORRHEA: Topical Cannabis oil extracts applied (then heating pad placed) to lateral Transversus abdominis muscle insertions on each Anterior Superior Iliac Spine (ASIS).

INSOMNIA: Sympathetic dominance easily overcome by Parasympathomimetic Indica; Glycerine-extracted & taken as drops under tongue, whereby cannabinoids reach brain via sublingual veins, which drain directly through the brain.

INTERSTITIAL CYSTITIS: overactive bladder smooth muscle due to Parasympathetic dominance; moderated by Sativa regional effects via vaginal/rectal suppositories properly dosed.

These are a few of the dysautonomias associated with Fibromyalgia, wherein a tilted upright body tower evokes body-wide spastic crossed-muscles; causing widespread joint asymmetric functions, subluxations, & autonomic neural tract impingements.

The presacral plexus, cervical regions of Vagus, & long tracts of the spinal Sympathetic/Parasympathetic chains are particularly prone to neural impingements & pain generation. These are organic changes & observable by sensitive study of body soft tissues.

CONCLUSION: throughout the ages humans have suffered numerous discomforting symptoms & disturbances of organ function absent objective tissue physiological changes, & these discomforts have been termed “Functional”.

Indeed, Functional Neurological Disorders (FND) are dysfunctions but, as described herein, have true underlying organic causes. Branding patients as “mental” is inappropriate. Doctors just need to look harder.

The ruminations, theories of dysautonomias, and therapeutic ideas discussed above are my own novel inventions. No one should attempt these therapies absent counsel from a medicinal cannabis-savy doctor.

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