Here's how to protect the guardian of the brain from 5 risk factors that can compromise it and cause mental/neurological health consequences.

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The brain has a strong but fragile protection—a barrier that separates the bloodstream from its inner fluid. Its main job is to control what goes from the bloodstream into the brain. However, certain things can harm this barrier, which can affect how well it works.

When this barrier is compromised, harmful substances that are naturally restricted from entering the brain can pass through, potentially leading to undesirable health consequences.

This process is called increased permeability, leading to the entry of harmful pathogens, toxins, and inflammatory molecules to infiltrate the brain, resulting in neuroinflammation, neuronal damage, and a heightened risk of viral infections like encephalitis and neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease.

An overview of the blood-brain barrier

As documented in this NIH Book, the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was first described by Paul Ehlrich in 1885. It is a highly selective semi-permeable membrane between the blood and brain interstitium. This unique barrier allows cerebral blood vessels to regulate the movement of molecules and ions between the blood and the brain.

BBB is a specialized structure composed of tightly connected endothelial cells forming the cerebral capillary wall. These endothelial cells are supported by surrounding pericytes, astrocytes, and the basal lamina. You can learn about these anatomical structures and biomarkers from this scientific paper on BMC.

Scientists and healthcare practitioners try to understand how these different cell populations interact to regulate the barrier properties because they indicate how the brain functions during health and disease.

This unique assembly collaboratively maintains the remarkable selectivity of the BBB, allowing it to restrict the entry of substances from the bloodstream into the brain to a greater extent than any other capillaries in the body.

However, some internal and external conditions can damage this tightly controlled barrier, which I cover in this story without going into scientific and technical details. I only focus on the factors related to our lifestyle choices.

Awareness of 5 Factors Upsetting the Blood-Brain Barrier and Causing Permeability

Any substance entering the bloodstream that is harmful to the brain's chemistry and structure can be a risk factor for the blood-brain barrier. I cover them at a high level to create awareness.

1 — Oxidative stress and Inflammation

Oxidative stress indicates an imbalance between the production of free radicals and the body’s ability to counteract their harmful effects with its antioxidant molecules.

Free radicals can damage the BBB cells, making them more permeable and allowing unwanted substances to enter the brain. Exposure to environmental toxins, smoking, and unhealthy diets lacking antioxidants might increase oxidative stress and harm the BBB.

Inflammation is the body’s response to injury, infection, or other harmful stimuli. When inflammation becomes chronic and uncontrolled, it can negatively impact the BBB.

During inflammation, the body releases signaling molecules (cytokines). They can make the BBB more permeable, allowing immune cells to enter the brain and potentially cause damage.

If we imagine the brain as a fortress and the BBB as the gatekeeper, inflammation sends signals to the gatekeeper that weaken its defenses. This can occur due to autoimmune conditions in which the immune system attacks the BBB, causing inflammation and disrupting the barrier’s integrity.

The optimal approach is to manage stress and lower inflammation with healthy lifestyle choices, therapies, and medication when required. Addressing allergies and autoimmune conditions is also necessary.

2 — Injuries and infections

When we experience a head injury, it can directly damage the BBB’s cells, creating small holes in the protective barrier. This damage can increase the risk of harmful substances entering the brain where they shouldn’t be.

As discussed in the previous section, infections can trigger an immune response in the brain, leading to inflammation.

This inflammation can weaken the BBB’s defenses, making it more porous. It’s like the body’s way of trying to fight off the invaders, but it can inadvertently let them into the brain.

To address these issues, we must protect the brain from injuries by following safety measures. To safeguard the BBB from infections, we must practice good hygiene, get necessary vaccinations, and seek medical support promptly if we suspect an infection.

3 — Hypertension and Ischemia

Prolonged high blood pressure can damage the delicate blood vessels of the brain. This damage can make the BBB more permeable, allowing substances from the bloodstream to enter the brain, which can potentially be harmful.

If we think of the BBB as a flexible, strong wall, high blood pressure is like constantly pushing against this wall. Over time, the wall can develop small cracks, allowing harmful substances from the outside to seep through.

Ischemia occurs when a blood supply is reduced to a particular part of the body, including the brain. When the brain doesn’t receive enough blood and oxygen, as in a stroke, the cells in the affected area can become damaged and make it more penetrable.

You can learn about the neuroinflammatory mechanisms of blood-brain barrier damage in ischemic stroke in this scientific paper in the American Journal of Physiology. You can learn about the effects of chronic hypertension on the blood-brain barrier in this paper in AHA Journals.

To protect the BBB from the effects of high blood pressure, we must manage hypertension with lifestyle changes and, if necessary, medications. To prevent ischemic events like strokes, we must maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid harmful substances like drugs, smoking, and excessive alcohol use.

4 — Toxins, Chemicals, and Radiation

Related to the previous three items, toxins, chemicals, and radiation are harmful substances from various sources that can increase oxidative stress, inflammation, and cerebral blood flow. Some toxins can directly damage the cells of the BBB, making it more porous.

The neurotoxicology of BBB is well-studied. Chemical exposure can lead to inflammation in the brain, which in turn can weaken the BBB, making it more porous. Exposure to radiation from environmental and medical treatments can adversely impact the BBB.

For example, in cancer treatment, radiation therapy is used to target and destroy cancer cells. However, it can also affect nearby healthy tissues, including the BBB. Radiation therapy for brain tumors can weaken the BBB in the surrounding areas, potentially allowing harmful substances to enter the brain.

As documented in this paper, ionizing radiation can impair the integrity of BBB. Exposure to ionizing radiation from X-rays and CT scans can, in excessive amounts, damage the BBB.

While these diagnostic tools are crucial for medical evaluation, excessive or unnecessary exposure should be minimized to protect the integrity of the BBB.

Some occupations, like radiologic technologists and nuclear workers, involve regular exposure to ionizing radiation. In rare cases, accidents involving radioactive materials or nuclear incidents can expose people to high levels of radiation.

The critical point is that prolonged or high levels of radiation exposure in these jobs and accidents can threaten the BBB’s function and integrity.

We must be aware of environmental toxins, eat healthy foods, drink clean water, and use caution with medications and substances that may contain harmful toxins. We must limit exposure to unnecessary sources of radiation by following safety guidelines. We must also avoid harmful substances like drugs, smoking, and excessive alcohol use.

5 — Aging and Genetic Mutation

Like other bodily functions, aging can adversely affect the BBB. As we age, the BBB can undergo changes that make it more vulnerable to disruption.

Over time, the cells that make up the BBB can become less efficient at maintaining the barrier’s integrity—the aging of the cerebral microcirculation results in a significant alteration in BBB.

Genetic mutations can potentially modify the structure and function of genes and proteins associated with the blood-brain barrier. These genetic alterations can be likened to a double-edged sword, as their effects on the BBB vary significantly.

While certain mutations may enhance the BBB’s protective capabilities, others may compromise its integrity, depending on the specific genetic changes involved.

Research in this field is still in its early stages, and scientists are continually gaining a better understanding of how genetic variations influence the BBB.

While we can’t stop aging, maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help slow the natural aging process. If we suspect a genetic mutation that might affect the BBB, we need to obtain genetic counseling to understand the potential risks and how to manage them.

Conclusions

When I was researching blood-brain barrier permeability, publicly known as leaky brain for cognitive decline and impairment, I learned about some symptoms like brain fog affecting cognitive abilities like memory, attention, and task switching.

I recently documented a case study of a friend who recovered from a brain fog. His new lifestyle habits addressed the seven factors that accelerate aging, as I outlined in a previous story. These lifestyle habits also helped him to slow down subjective and objective cognitive decline.

The growing literature also mentions other symptoms like chronic fatigue, headaches, sleeping difficulties, mood disorders, anxiety, schizophrenia, depression, peripheral neuropathy, seizures, ADHD, and muscular sclerosis.

Mitigating risks and prevention is the best approach to being aware of these five items I covered. However, when we have these symptoms, especially when experiencing brain fog, we need professional support to identify the root causes of blood-brain barrier permeability by getting biomarkers checked and the condition addressed holistically.

I previously documented the interrelationship of the brain-blood and intestinal epithelial barriers in a story titled How Two Biological Barries in the Brain and Gut Impact Our Health Outcomes.

Thank you for reading my perspectives. I wish you a healthy and happy life.

To inform my new readers, I wrote numerous articles that might inform and inspire you. My topics include brain and cognitive function, significant health conditions, longevity, nutrition/food, valuable nutrients, ketogenic lifestyle, self-healing, weight management, writing/reading, science, technology, business, and humor.

I compile my health and wellness stories on my blog, EUPHORIA. My posts do not include professional or health advice. I only document my reviews, observations, experiences, and perspectives to provide information and create awareness.