LOOKING FORWARD
We all have health problems both physical and mental. Each one has to be dealt with and we must get the latest advice from the latest research.
In the physical area we have to preserve what we have and in doing so we read the latest information. That information we can get and we also can refer to our polio libraries as our conditions change. Finally as always we recommend that you visit a �polio� doc at least once a year.
As to looking forward we have been attempting over the past few years to get Post Polio Syndrome research done. This action was with our National Institute of Health and even though funds were allotted and increased for Post-Polio Syndrome research we have seen limited progress. In all probability our country�s priority are with other neuro- muscular centering on Heart problems.
One cannot really argue with our Governments priorities. We can only send them yearly letters to remind them of our need and hopefully the limited funds may be increased and not decreased. So keep writing letters. (We have a sample letter if you need one)
In attempting to resolve our problem we started a �think tank� process to determine who in the world would be interested in our type of neuro-muscular research as a prime research endeavor.
Now, where in the world are there a lot of people with neuro-muscular problems other than heart problems and all the rest of non-Post-Polio Syndrome problems. We did not have to search hard. Unfortunately, there is a place where daily it seems that this research is required.
Everyday practically it seems over the years we have been reading about casualties, civilian and military that are all basically neuro-muscular in nature. Understanding of motor neurons and related networks is prime in getting us and the wounded healed.
So we went looking in foreign countries engaged in conflict, targeted Israel and sure enough research was ongoing. We contacted the world famous Weitzmann Institute and found a Professor there who was doing marvelous neuro-muscular research.
After reviewing the work being accomplished we decided to present to the Professor our Post Polio Research Award. In keeping with our reward requirement the Professor submitted to us a summary of her work (Pg. 3) directing it to how it will help those with Post-Polio Syndrome.
We have also secured from our friend, Dr Margaret Backman another article that she authored for us on Mental Health. We believe this article is very meaningful for our needs and is very timely. It answers many of the questions we are now faced with that we read over and over again on the internet. Dr. Backman's article begins on page 5.
Finally, we again are calling to your attention what seems to be a major problem with us Polio Survivors. We go to our local doctors for an examination and the next thing you know we are filling a prescription. Please note we must be very careful in what we use. Anytime you are given a drug make sure that you start with the smallest doze possible and after taking it listen to your body.
Read about Lipitor and Zocor on page 2 and review the lists of articles about medicines in our Polio Information Books when you are given a drug.
Other Articles in PCA APRIL 2002 Newsletter
Insults to the central nervous system (brain, spinal cord, and optic nerve), whether
mechanical or biochemical in nature, are often followed by the degeneration of
substantially more neurons than those directly affected by the initial injury. The additional
neuronal loss is caused by physiological compounds in excess of their normal
concentrations.
The presence of these self-compounds in toxic amounts is common to acute and
chronic neurodegenerative disorders.
Our group recently discovered that the body attempts to cope with stressful
conditions induced by the activity of these destructive self-compounds by recruiting the
protective activity of the immune system, in the form of a T cell-mediated autoimmune
response directed against self-compounds. Moreover, not all individuals are equally
able to spontaneously manifest this beneficial autoimmune response. Only those
individuals capable of resisting the development of an autoimmune disease when
challenged with the antigens that participate in the physiological protection can benefit
from a physiological protective autoimmunity, and thus are better equipped to resist
injurious conditions.
Accordingly, the amount of damage caused by the destructive processes that follow
any CNS insult differ in different individuals, depending on their genetically determined
ability to control the immune response to the relevant self-proteins. The phenotype and
specificity of the T cells that mediate protection are identical to those of the T cells that
mediate the development of autoimmune disease in the CNS.
The factor determining whether these T cells will produce a beneficial
(neuroprotective) or a harmful effect (disease) is the way in which they are regulated.
Autoimmune protection requires fine timing of both the onset and the shut-off of the
autoimmune response.
Our experimental data suggest that T cells, via their cross-talk with resident
microglia or blood-derived macrophages, control the local inflammatory response in such
a way as to derive the benefit of their phagocytic activity in removing harmful self-
compounds from the lesion site, without risking development of autoimmune disease.
We have found that the autoimmune response can be boosted using a "safe"
synthetic antigen that cross-reacts with a physiological self-antigen, conferring
neuroprotection without the accompanying risk of autoimmune disease induction.
We further suggest that autoimmune disease and chronic degeneration can be
viewed as two extreme manifestations of the same malfunctioning condition. We believe
that just as immunity against invaders is the body's defense mechanism against invading
foreign antigens (virus, toxins, bacteria), so immunity against self (autoimmunity) is the
body's protective mechanism against the threat posed by destructive self-compounds
emerging as a result of injury-induced conditions.
Further studies will increase our ability to recognize and understand the immune
participation and regulation following any insult to the nervous system, and toA REAL
Michal Schwartz Professor of Neuroimmunology, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot,
Israel
TITLES OF OTHER ARTICLES IN THIS ISSUE
A REAL PAIN IN THE NECK
Michal Schwartz, Professor
LIPITOR, ZOCOR (STATINS) - MORE WARNINGS
WHEELCHAIRS RENTAL
LEG SWELLING
MAKESHIFT RAMP
SHEDDING THE TWIN AFFLICTIONS: ABANDONMENT & ISOLATION