Autism Treatment - Glutamate Excitotoxicity

There is a belief in the Autism community, as wellNamenda has been proven useful for issues like
as the Alzheimer community and even otherexcitability, stimming and sometimes even
neurological disorders that glutamate causes overaggression.
activation of the brain. Glutamate is an amino acidThere are two natural alternatives to help with
that can be found regularly in our diet. It is alsoglutamate sensitivity also. I have talked about
found in the brain, in fact the brain has a fairlyelemental or nutritional lithium in a previous
high amount of glutamate. As a matter of fact,recording. This is not the drug lithium, nutritional
glutamate is one of the most prevalent aminolithium has a regulating effect on the NMDA
acids in the brain.receptor when activated by glutamate. Theanine
The theory is that some people suffer from ais also helpful at decreasing glutamate over
receptor sensitivity to glutamate. There arestimulation on brain cells. Theanine is an extract of
receptors located on the surface of the brain.green tea and also regulates the NMDA receptor.
Those receptors receive information from otherSo again, the theory discusses the over
chemicals, similar to the way a key works in astimulation of the NMDA receptor from
lock. So glutamate is responsible for triggering theglutamate, leading to hyper excitability. Both lithium
NMDA receptor in the brain. When the glutamateand theanine have been found to be useful for
triggers the receptor, it unlocks the electricalreducing this over excitability.
activity in the brain. Then you have the electricalThere are also natural supplements which can be
activity in the brain which causes the electricalhelpful for glutamate sensitivity as well. One
transmission of chemical impulses, this is allsupplement I have talked about in a previous
necessary for normal brain function.recording called nutritional lithium. This differs from
But if glutamate exposure is causing too muchthe drug lithium, I am talking about elemental
electrical activity, that can result in prematurelithium. Lithium can have a blocking or regulating
cellular damage or even premature cellular death.effect on NMDA receptor activity in response to
Through the work of the Alzheimer's communityglutamate. Another option is called Theanine.
we know that a predisposition to neurologicalTheanine is a green tea extract and can decrease
damage and dementia can come from glutamateglutamate sensitivity by regulating the NMDA
hyper activation of the NMDA receptor. Nowreceptor as well. It decreases glutamate's over
there are a few things that can help with thisstimulation of the brain cell. So both lithium and
glutamate over stimulation.theanine have been found useful at helping reduce
Namenda is a medication that blocks NMDAthe hyper excitability in the brain from glutamate
receptors and has been used for both Alzheimer'sand the NMDA receptor activity in the brain.
and Autism to aid in glutamate sensitivity.