Childhood Stress And Long-term Serotonin System Changes

[tonto]

Ray Peat has mentioned that early life stress can have long term ramifications for the serotonin system, and possibly the way stress is handled later in lift.

This TED Talk "talks" around this subject but does a good job showing the range of medical problems related to child trauma -

Here are 2 articles which represent Peat's view. This may explain why adults are not as resilient to stress as we may have thought in many cases.

Effects of prenatal maternal stress on serotonin and fetal development
(http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0143400415300941)

Fetuses are exposed to many environmental perturbations that can influence their development. These factors can be easily identifiable such as drugs, chronic diseases or prenatal maternal stress. Recently, it has been demonstrated that the serotonin synthetized by the placenta was crucial for fetal brain development. Moreover, many studies show the involvement of serotonin system alteration in psychiatric disease during childhood and adulthood. This review summarizes existing studies showing that prenatal maternal stress, which induces alteration of serotonin systems (placenta and fetal brain) during a critical window of early development, could lead to alteration of fetal development and increase risks of psychiatric diseases later in life. This phenomenon, termed fetal programming, could be moderated by the sex of the fetus. This review highlights the need to better understand the modification of the maternal, placental and fetal serotonin systems induced by prenatal maternal stress in order to find early biomarkers of psychiatric disorders.​

Genetic and early environmental influences on the serotonin system: consequences for brain development and risk for psychopathology
(Genetic and early environmental influences on the serotonin system: consequences for brain development and risk for psychopathology)

Despite more than 60 years of research in the role of serotonin (5-HT) in psychopathology, many questions still remain. From a developmental perspective, studies have provided more insight into how 5-HT dysfunctions acquired in utero or early in life may modulate brain development. This paper discusses the relevance of the developmental role of 5-HT for the understanding of psychopathology. We review developmental milestones of the 5-HT system, how genetic and environmental 5-HT disturbances could affect brain development and the potential role of DNA methylation in 5-HT genes for brain development.​

 

[Barry Obummer]

I am convinced television is a stress and watching hours and hours a day of television as a child had a significant negative impact on my present day brain chemistry.

TV Smarter

"Formal Features" are the camera cuts, pans, zooms etc. used very frequently in TV and movies. Because these
"formal features" are so novel, and different from normal everyday reality, they trigger the brain's "orienting response". The "orienting response" is an important brain reflex that alerts us when there is a change in the environment. This "orienting response" is an essential survival mechanism because it forces us to pay attention to any (potentially dangerous) changes in the environment. Because of the involuntary nature of the "orienting response", another name for it is "involuntary attention".

It turns out that the "orienting response" has a particular brainwave effect. Namely, when the "orienting response" is triggered, the alpha brainwaves decrease. This decrease in alpha waves has the effect of making the brain more alert. Once the brain ascertains that whatever triggered the "orienting response" is not a threat, the Alpha brainwaves quickly return to their previous level.

Also, during the "orienting response" ("involuntary attention") the Gamma brainwaves disappear. This decrease in Gamma waves has the effect of breaking the person's focus. Unlike the Alpha brainwaves, the Gamma brainwaves have a harder time returning to their previous levels. If the "orienting response" is triggered too often (as with TV watching) the brain stays unfocused.

For example: say you are quietly sitting in a forest, relaxing and letting your mind drift. All of a sudden you hear a roar. Instantly your "orienting response" is triggered, forcing you out of your reverie, and into a more alert state until you can ascertain what to do. In that case, the "orienting response" has had the effect of speeding up your brainwaves, from alpha (relaxation) to beta (alert). Now, lets repeat this little thought experiment, but with a difference. Say you are sitting in a forest playing your guitar. All of a sudden you hear a roar. Instantly, your "orienting response" is triggered, breaking your concentration, and putting your brain into an alert (but not focused) state until you can ascertain what to do. In that case, the "orienting response" has had the effect of slowing down your brainwaves, from hi-beta and gamma (focused concentration) to beta (alert).

And that is how watching television effects the brainwaves. The frequent "formal features" such as camera cuts and zooms, trigger the viewer's "orienting response" over and over again. The result is a brain that is alert, but not focused. The greater the frequency of these formal features, the fewer the number of fast brainwaves, the less focused the mind.

 

[thebigpeatowski]

Ray Peat has mentioned that early life stress can have long term ramifications for the serotonin system, and possibly the way stress is handled later in lift.

I had a rough start in life (prenatal stress/less than ideal childhood). It most definitely has had a MAJOR impact on my ability to handle stress as an adult. I came to Peat later in life, only been at this for just over two years. While I can emphatically say that things are much much better, I suspect I'll need to take DAILY measures for the rest of my life in order to mitigate the pattern and prevent further damage.

I'll be 50 this year....I continually hope for a complete and total reversal...well, I can hope!

 

[PUTFOT]

What's the solution?

 

[raypeatclips]

I asked @haidut a similar question before, about recovery pre natal stress and he recommended pregnenolone.

 

[Regina]

I asked @haidut a similar question before, about recovery pre natal stress and he recommended pregnenolone.

yes. And maybe also Diamant. And if the pregnenolone can be in palmitic acid.

 

[LUH 3417]

yes. And maybe also Diamant. And if the pregnenolone can be in palmitic acid.

@Regina curious as to how Diamant would work in this situation?

 

[Regina]

@Regina curious as to how Diamant would work in this situation?

From haidut's description: "I think the combination of lowering serotonin, lowering cortisol, increasing dopamine synthesis while also acting like a dopamine agonist, lowering systemic inflammation and anti-viral / anti-bacterial effects makes adamantane one of the most versatile and systemically relevant chemicals in Peat-land."
It could also potentiate pregnenolone's effects.
There was another post, (I can't remember the thread at the moment) that was regarding healing childhood stress and mental health (I think), where haidut suggested that stress would have to be significantly abated to begin healing. There may some chicken:egg here. I think Diamant could help pierce the veil. I know my peripheral vision becomes more expansive and I feel calm but alert and connected. It could allow more freedom to think what you want about things (RP paraphrase).

 

[michael94]

circumcision

 

[pimpnamedraypeat]

circumcision

A harmless tradition.

 

[Peatogenic]

ive accepted I'll likely need supplemental hormones for a good majority of my life because of the damage already done. It took me a long time to realize that I have a major structural issue in my body that I may never heal with food. Different hormone states produce different thoughts, perspectives, outlooks as well. I don't even need to do cognitive therapies to achieve such.

I haven't had physical illness symptoms for a long time, it's been the symptoms of PTSD I was never able to fix, because it's a massive damage to the body that requires greater intervention like surgery.

I actually wonder about a time or place when these hormones are not available, much like a diabetic may worry about being in a situation without insulin.