Inhibition of Dopamine Conversion to Norepinephrine by Clostridia a Major Cause of Autism

Concentrations of the dopamine metabolite homovanillic acid, or HVA, have been reported to be much higher in the urine of children with autism compared to controls. In the same study, severity of autism symptoms was directly related to the concentration of HVA. There was a relation between the urinary HVA concentration and increased agitation, stereotypical behaviors, and reduced spontaneous behavior. Furthermore, vitamin B6, which has been shown to decrease autistic symptoms, decreases urinary HVA concentrations. Excess dopamine has been implicated in the etiology of psychotic behavior and schizophrenia for over 40 years. Drugs that inhibit dopamine binding to dopaminergic receptors have been some of the most widely used pharmaceuticals used as antipsychotic drugs and have been widely used in the treatment of autism. Recent evidence indicates that dopamine in high concentrations may be toxic to the brain.

Dopamine is a very reactive molecule compared with other neurotransmitters, and dopamine degradation naturally produces oxidative species. More than 90 percent of dopamine in dopaminergic neurons is stored in abundant terminal vesicles and is protected from degradation. However, a small fraction of dopamine is cytosolic, and it is the major source of dopamine metabolism and presumed toxicity. Cytosolic dopamine undergoes degradation to form 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA) via the monoamine oxidase pathway. Alternatively, dopamine undergoes oxidation in the presence of excess iron or copper (common in autism and schizophrenia) to form dopamine cyclized o-quinone, which is then converted to dopamine cyclized o-semiquinone, depleting NADPH in the process. Dopamine cyclized o-semiquinone then reacts with molecular oxygen to form oxygen superoxide free radical, an extremely toxic oxidizing agent. In the process, dopamine cyclized o-quinone is reformed, resulting in a vicious cycle extremely toxic to tissues producing dopamine, including the brain, peripheral nerves, and the adrenal gland.

It is estimated that each molecule of dopamine cyclized o-quinone produces thousands of molecules of oxygen superoxide free radical in addition to depleting NADPH. The o-quinone also reacts with cysteine residues on glutathione or proteins to form cysteinyl-dopamine conjugates. One of these dopamine conjugates is converted to N-acetylcysteinyl dopamine thioether, which causes apoptosis (programmed cell death) of dopaminergic cells. These biochemical abnormalities cause severe neurodegeneration in pathways that utilize dopamine as a neurotransmitter. Neurodegeneration is due to depletion of brain glutathione and NADPH as well as the overproduction of oxygen superoxide free radicals and neurotoxic N-acetylcysteinyl dopamine thioether. In addition, the depletion of NADPH also results in a diminished ability to convert oxidized glutathione back to its reduced form.

What is the likely cause of elevated dopamine in autism? A significant number of studies have documented increased incidence of stool cultures positive for certain species of Clostridia bacteria in the intestine in children with autism using culture and PCR techniques. All these studies have indicated a disproportionate increase in various Clostridia species in stool samples compared to normal controls. In addition, metabolic testing has identified the metabolites 3-(3-hydroxyphenl)-3-hydroxypropionic acid (HPHPA) and 4-cresol from Clostridia bacteria at significantly higher concentrations in the urine samples of children with autism and in schizophrenia.

Treatment with antibiotics against Clostridia species, such as metronidazole and vancomycin, eliminates these urinary metabolites with reported concomitant improvement in autistic symptoms. In addition, I had noticed a correlation between elevated HPHPA and elevated urine homovanillic acid (HVA). The probable mechanism for this correlation is that certain Clostridia metabolites have the ability to inactivate dopamine beta-hydroxylase, which is needed for the conversion of dopamine to norepinephrine.

Such metabolites are not found at only trace levels. The concentration of the Clostridia metabolite HPHPA in children with autism may sometimes exceed the urinary concentration of the norepinephrine metabolite vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) by a thousand fold on a molar basis and may be the major organic acid in urine in those with severe gastrointestinal Clostridia overgrowth, and even exceed the concentration of all the other organic acids combined. Dopamine beta hydroxylase that converts dopamine to norepinephrine in serum of severely retarded children with autism was much lower than in those who were higher functioning. Decreased urine output of the major norepinephrine metabolite meta-hydroxyphenolglycol (MHPG) was decreased in urine samples of children with autism, consistent with inhibition of dopamine beta hydroxylase.

Many physicians treating children with autism have noted that the severity of autistic symptoms is related to the concentration of the Clostridia marker 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-3-hydroxypropionic acid (HPHPA) in urine. These are probably the children with autism with severe and even psychotic behavior treated with Risperdal® and other anti-psychotic drugs, which block the activation of dopamine receptors by excess dopamine. I have identified a number of species of Clostridia species that produce HPHPA including C. sporogenes, C.botulinum, C. caloritolerans, C. mangenoti, C. ghoni, C.bifermentans, C. difficile, and C. sordellii. All species of Clostridia are spore formers and thus may persist for long periods of time in the gastrointestinal tracts even after antibiotic treatment with oral vancomycin and metronidazole.

How do the changes in brain neurotransmitters caused by Clostridia metabolites alter behavior? The increase in phenolic Clostridia metabolites common in autism significantly decreases brain dopamine beta hydroxylase activity. This leads to overproduction of brain dopamine and reduced concentrations of brain norepinephrine, and can cause obsessive, compulsive, stereotypical behaviors associated with brain dopamine excess and reduced exploratory behavior and learning in novel environments that are associated with brain norepinephrine deficiency. Such increases in dopamine in autism have been verified by finding marked increases in the major dopamine metabolite homovanillic acid (HVA) in urine. The increased concentrations of HVA in urine samples of children with autism are directly related to the degree of abnormal behavior. The concentrations of HVA in the urine of some children with autism are markedly abnormal.

In addition to alteration of brain neurotransmitters, the inhibition of the production of norepinephrine and epinephrine by Clostridia metabolites may have a prominent effect on the production of neurotransmitters by the sympathetic nervous system and the adrenal gland. The major neurotransmitter of the sympathetic nervous system that regulates the eyes, sweat glands, blood vessels, heart, lungs, stomach, and intestine is norepinephrine. An inadequate supply of norepinephrine or a substitution of dopamine for norepinephrine might result in profound systemic effects on physiology. The adrenal gland which produces both norepinephrine and epinephrine might also begin to release dopamine instead, causing profound alteration in all physiological functions. In addition to abnormal physiology caused by dopamine substitution for norepinephrine and epinephrine, dopamine excess causes free radical damage to the tissues producing it, perhaps leading to permanent damage of the brain, adrenal glands, and sympathetic nervous system if the Clostridia metabolites persist for prolonged periods of time, if glutathione is severely depleted, and if there is apoptotic damage caused by the dopamine metabolite N-acetylcysteinyl dopamine thioether.

Depletion of glutathione can be monitored in The Great Plains Laboratory organic acid test by tracking the metabolite pyroglutamic acid, which is increased in both blood and urine when glutathione is depleted. In addition, The Great Plains Laboratory also tests the other molecules involved in this toxic pathway, the dopamine metabolite homovanillic acid (HVA), the epinephrine and norepinephrine metabolite VMA and the Clostridia metabolites HPHPA and 4-cresol.

In summary, gastrointestinal Clostridia bacteria have the ability to markedly alter behavior in autism and other neuropsychiatric diseases by production of phenolic compounds that dramatically alter the balance of both dopamine and norepinephrine. Excess dopamine not only causes abnormal behavior but also depletes the brain of glutathione and NADPH and causes a vicious cycle producing large quantities of oxygen superoxide that causes severe brain damage. Such alterations appear to be a (the) major factor in the causation of autism and schizophrenia. The organic acid test now has the ability to unravel a major mystery in the causation of autism, schizophrenia, and other neuropsychiatric diseases, namely the reason for dopamine excess in these disorders.

In the past, some physicians would order the organic acid test once a year or less. With the new knowledge of the mechanism of Clostridia toxicity via inhibition of dopamine beta-hydroxylase, it seems that the control of such toxic organisms needs to monitored much more frequently to prevent serious brain, adrenal gland, and sympathetic nervous system damage caused by excess dopamine and oxygen superoxide.

Reference:

Shaw W. Increased urinary excretion of a 3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-3-hydroxypropionic acid (HPHPA), an abnormal phenylalanine metabolite of Clostridia spp. in the gastrointestinal tract, in urine samples from patients with autism and schizophrenia. Nutr Neurosci. 2010 Jun;13(3):135-43.

Schizophrenia Now

When I was a child, I had a cousin named Helene. Beautiful and talented, everyone in the family knew what a bright future she had ahead of her. Then, at age 22, everything changed; Helene suffered a nervous breakdown. It was thought to be triggered by the dissolution of her marriage, which had lasted less than a year. However, instead of recovering from the trauma, her condition continued to deteriorate, until one day, she was diagnosed with schizophrenia. It was devastating: that life of promise disappeared and was quickly replaced by meds, counseling, and painful electric shock therapy. Back then, the methods were nothing less than draconian-the stuff of horror films. She never got better and died young, a tragedy from which her parents, my aunt and uncle, never got over.

Since then, scientists have made incredible advancements in shock therapy and other treatments for psychiatric disorders; however, they are still often dispensed in a so-called "cookbook" fashion. One pill fits all. But as the research clearly shows, one pill does not fit all. What's more, these treatments do not always work. A recent report disclosed the findings of a decades-long study on schizophrenia; namely, that premature deaths and convictions for violence crimes has risen during this period. There is also a higher rate of suicides among schizophrenics and people with related disorders. In Sweden, nearly 25,000 people with these diseases killed themselves between 1972 and 2009.

I have built my practice on the belief that many diseases can be controlled and even cured treated by with holistic treatments, with better results and fewer side effects than traditional medicine. Over the years, I have put my money where my mouth is, using these methods to treat everything from food allergies to fibromyalgia. In the mid-1990s, I treated HIV patients for the intense side-effects of first generation protease inhibitors. This allowed them to take their meds, drop the viral load and prolong their lives. I have also treated mental ailments such as depression and, more recently, bipolar disorder, which is notoriously difficult to regulate. Most bipolar patients take harsh drugs like lithium, whose with its litany of side effects that are almost as traumatic as the disease itself. I have gotten excellent results without medication; however, despite these successes, I have traditionally stayed away from schizophrenia-until now.

I plan on treating this disease with specific nutrient therapy. The research bears this out: of 25,000 documented cases, 85% report a better quality of life after specific nutrient therapy; 75% report that they were able to reduce their medication.

I am not advocating that people throw away their anti-psychotic prescription; however, I do believe that the application of clinically proven nutrients can help immensely. A study of one-million blood and urine tests shows that there are 5 types of schizophrenia, each with causes rooted in the brain chemistry. Seventy percent of schizophrenics have a methylation (genetic) problem, which is an epigenetic issue.

Right now you might be wondering, what is epigenetics? Essentially, they are switches that turn our genes on and off. Have you ever wondered why some people get certain diseases, while others-even those in the same family and who engage in the same behaviors-do not? They may all be genetically predisposed to mental disorders, but the epigenetics control whether a particular individual exhibits the symptoms.

Pyrrole disorder, which affects 20% of schizophrenics, is something I can treat rather quickly. Pyrrole metabolic dysfunction occurs when pyrroles bind with vitamin B6 and zinc, causing these essential nutrients to be excreted from the body in large amounts. Decreases of B6 and zinc are associated with a wide range of psychiatric problems, including extreme irritability, depression, memory problems, and explosive anger.

Statistics show that one in five Americans have a mental disorder. While medication offers symptomatic relief for some, many others are left in despair. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with mental illness, please consider having a consultation. The public does not know that schizophrenia can be treated without medication.

I can test to see whether a person's individual biochemistry will respond to the proper vitamins, minerals and amino acids, and then treat them accordingly.

Antipsychotic Medication - What You Need to Know

Medications used to treat psychotic disorders are called antipsychotics. They have also been referred to as neuroleptics and major tranquilizers. The first antipsychotic, Chlorpromazine (Thorazine) was discovered in 1952 by French psychiatrist Pierre Deniker. At the time, it was considered a miracle drug because it helped many people with schizophrenia be able to live outside the institution for the first time.

Antipsychotic medication is the most important aspect of treatment for schizophrenia and quickly becoming a first choice for Bi-Polar 1 (not Bi-Polar 2) disorder. These drugs do not cure these illnesses but rather manage and control the symptoms just as medication and insulin can do for diabetes.

There have been many questions lately about use of these medications "off label". This means using the medication for illnesses it is not yet approved by the FDA for. This is not as bad as it sounds. The FDA is very slow and potentially political and it could take years to get approval for other uses that clearly help patients. Clinicians are often on there own about how to best use these medications. Good clinicians keep up with the latest research and information from colleages.

The other to me more serious concern is the overuse of these medications, especially in children and older adults. There has been lots of much needed discussion of these issues recently.

How Antipsychotics Work.

Antipsychotics are dopamine antagonists. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that allows messages to pass between cells in the brain. It is believed that an excess of dopamine in the brain can cause too much stimulation between brain cells and that results in confusing messages and symptoms of psychosis. Dopamine antagonists block the reuptake of dopamine from the blood which results in decreased dopamine in the cells.

Antipsychotic are classified as typical and atypical

Typical Antipsychotics. These were the first drugs to treat psychosis and schizophrenia in the 1950s. They are also referred to as conventional ot first generation antipsychotics. Typical antipsychotics are very effective but have worrisome side effects especially tardive dyskinesia. The typical antipsychotics are relatively inexpensive and are still used.

Typical Antipsychotics include:

• chlorpromazine (Thorazine)


• haloperidol ( Haldol)


• trifluopeazine (Stelazine)


• Thioridazine (Mellaril)


• fluphenazine (Prolixin)


• molidone (Moban)


• thiothixene (Navane)


• loxapine (Loxatane)


• perphenazine (Trilafon)


• mesoridazine (Serentil)
  
  

Atypical Antipsychotics

These are the newer antipsychotic drugs that are equally effective but have fewer side effects then the typical antipsychotics. They are also referred to as second generation.

Clozapine was the first atypical antipsychotic introduced in the US in 1990. The risk of TD is said to be ten times less with these new medications. Atypical antipsychotics are the drug of choice in the US. They are very effective but are also expensive. They are the drugs of choice in the US. As time goes on however, we are learning that the atypical antipsychotic drugs also have significant side effects. There continues to be growing concern about weight gain, metabolic syndrome and endocrine changes.

Atypical Antipsychotics include:

• ziprazodone (Geodon)


• risperdone (Risperdal)


• quetiapine (Seroquel)


• olanzepine (Zyprexa)


• aripiprazole (Abilify) is the latest antipsychotic medication to hit the market. It is said to be different from the others in that it balances dopamine levels in the brain rather then simply decreasing it.

References:

Torrey, E ( 2001). Surviving Schizophrenia. Quill, NY

Physicians Desk Reference (2008) American Psychiatric Association,

Stahl, S. Essential Psychopharmacology 2nd ed. (2004)

Four Good Things I Have Found About Being Bipolar and Schizophrenic

There seems much written by professionals on these two illnesses, there is much being spoken about at conferences by professionals on the subject and every good conference will have a consumer speak. I am a consumer who suffers from both these mental disorders and I want to give you some light into my mind and perhaps a positive spin on what seems a very sad subject for some.

The first Good thing

Because I can hear voices, I can hear God and Jesus speak to me very clearly.

Professionals call what I hear "voices" and they call them auditory hallucinations. They assume my overactive and ill mind is making up the dialogue between me and the "voice." In all my14 years of being ill I don't think one doctor has really believed what I am hearing is really real and that God really is speaking to me.

Though when I have done lectures people have seemed to be impressed at least as I am convincing them when I speak of the "voices" and perhaps because the people I address are total strangers they are more open.

Doctors would say mediums and Clairvoyants are mentally ill but people who visit them certainly don't hold that view and many people seemed put at peace and given much hope from people that seemed to know all about them and yet they are total strangers.

I run a prophetic web-site where I give people personal messages from God for free. From some of the wonderful feedback I have received I know something impossible is happening, my "voice" seems to be very accurate in talking to people about their lives and their current situations.

I can meet people in the street and tell them good character traits that they have and give the encouragement in areas where they are currently struggling and they will listen kind of glued to what I am saying until I am finished and their friends will all be nodding that what has been said is so true.

I once had a workshop with ten pharmacy students telling them about my illness and I told them I would test my "voice" on them and said that I would say one positive character trait about each of them and they could have the opportunity to say if I was right or not. I started around and by half way you could tell it was like some party novelty trick and they were all converts to my uncanny knack of picking them, and my so called ESP. At the end, when I had picked ten out of ten, ten different traits a different one in each, I asked them if in their opinion should I stop listening to the "voice" that told me that information and I got a resounding NO!

What you may think you are medicating might really be God.

Let me also say, many Schizophrenics in my travels have opened up to me and told me the things their voices were saying to them and their voices were nasty and saying very ugly things to the people. When doctors think these people are saying these nasty things to themselves they are kidding themselves. I am not an idiot and I know what a demon is.

One time I asked a friend of mine who was Wiccan and wearing black to confirm she had an interest in the "dark side", if she was interested in knowing more about Jesus. She readily agreed to meet and talk with her mother and my mother present. I told everyone I knew she had a friend in her mind that spoke to her and I asked her if I could ask her friend three questions. She agreed and with the help of my "voice" I asked her three questions that she was to put to her "voice" and then with the help of God I discussed with her that each of the answers of her friend in her mind was an outright lie. Before long she was telling her friend she never wanted to speak to him anymore.

"Voices" are real.

The second good thing...

I have big dreams and a mind that can handle them.

As a bipolar I can have visions of grandeur. I have don't have the same limitation on the mind that many people have. I can for instance believe that I could write a film script good enough for a movie to be made and to make me famous. They say that the line between genius and being crazy is a thin one. I believe that when they say that they are speaking of bipolar people. Many famous creators and people who did huge things in the history of the world were bipolar.

To think you could speak through thin air between two cities is what one inventor thought and he was locked up for that thought. Telling people that you could write three films and radically turn around some of the world's worst problems has me being labeled a person with visions of grandeur and yet when I write the three films and talk a producer into shooting them and releasing them to the world I will be hailed a genius!

Bipolar people think big and when they are not deluded and yet have just been so out of the square and creative and see their creation come to pass the whole of society is better for it.

Some people think atomic science is genius. But now the Nuclear bomb is the most feared weapon in the world? Who is the genius, the person who split the atom or the people that made that bomb that the USA dropped on civilians in a war they couldn't win and ever since have feared some people might do it back to them?

Yes one Internet site, a few films and a few books could transform the world and I have got the insight, the wisdom and a mind that could do all of them. You call me ill and yet a dreamer in the Bible called Joseph saved the whole of Egypt in a severe famine and his family which became the Jewish people we know today.

Another crazy man, Moses, went to the leader of Egypt and set free millions of slaves and dropped ten plagues that modern man doesn't want to even admit really happened.

I love my Bipolar visions of grandeur. I take my medication but I dream bigger than most and I have the ability to write those books, those films and that internet site.

The third good thing

I hear positive messages that guide me through many sources.

On my first hospital admission the doctor taking me up in the lift was asking me if I was getting any messages from television.

I told him that "A certain shampoo has pro vitamins that do you a lot of good and you can't see them but they are in there."

One of the police escorting me cracked a smile.

"And oh, if you have Décoré shampoo you have a better sex life." (The advertisement was a very sexy on TV)

"Oh and if you give a girl a Maccona coffee at your home on a date she will know you are a man of distinction and she will most probably stay the night with you" (The ad was saying Macconna made you a man of class and suggestive that it was the coffee invitation that was most likely to lead to sex)

The two police were laughing so hard they kind of didn't want to lock me up anymore.

At the time, I had no clue what the doctor was asking me. Now I know what they were talking about and I do get special messages from the radio and television.

It's not an illness though people who suffer with my illness can have their voices saying things that cause them distress. People who have no illness can have the same thing happen to them.

Let me just go through a few with you so you can get some insight

Once I dreamed that my former wife and her new husband came around to my place and the husband said that God had told him he was wrong to marry my wife and that she was back to move in with me. He then brought my son inside and left my wife and son with me. The dream ended as my clock radio woke me up and the lyrics of the song playing said, " Don't give up on your faith, love comes to those who believe."

I took the song as a promise from God that one day my wife might return. I also took the song's advice to focus on my faith and not give up on my faith but to obey God in all He asks me to do. Later that day God asked me to throw out a novel that I had written ten years before and was getting ready to self publish. The song played in my ears as a memory and I threw the novel out. I rang my mother, a very spiritual person and told her I threw the novel out and she cried and told me it was an answer to her prayers as the novel had a lot of "darkness" in it and was not good to publish.

Can you see how one line in a song gave me hope and confirmed a dream that my wife may one day come back, then the same line in the song gave me direction and hope for a future when I had to make a hard decision to throw a "dark" novel out, a decision that was an unvoiced wish of my mother.

Just imagine:

A young girl is thinking about her lover, as she feels he isn't respecting her and treating her with the honor she is due, and then a song plays on the radio that says, "You have to love your way through to the hard hearted and not weep but change them with your love." Suddenly the girl stops her pity party and goes back and loves her man even more. She got a message of the radio too, but no one calls her ill!

Here is another

One day I was walking down the street with my whole life's worries on my shoulders and a bus went past with a big advertisement on the back, "Take one day at a time, use such and such"

The take one day at a time pert of the advertisement really blessed me and I stopped worrying about a future that might not happen and as I was settled the words of Jesus in the Bible came to my mind, via my thought/ "voice" which said. "Take no thought for tomorrow for today has enough worries of its own."

I was suddenly free of anxiety and worry.

Would you take that form of communication away from me? Well your medication tries to do it but it doesn't stop it.

The fourth good thing

I see many wonderful things most people don't.

I see angels dancing in my church each week. I have seen Jesus 45 times and have been to heaven five times. I have seen things that have blessed my heart so much. I have even seen hell. Doctors call these experiences hallucinations. In Christian circles we call them visions.

One day I am going to get a Digital camera and tell the world a detailed account of all these encounters and then going to make it into a DVD and have people transcribe it into a book and many thousands possibly millions will be blessed and encouraged in their faith through it.

I have met Michael the archangel four times in visions, Gabriel three times, the prophet Daniel once, the man Joseph once, I have met many of the saints in Heaven in visions.

I have met God in heaven and conversed with Him. My faith is not blind faith I have eyes where I can see things within my mind like a movie playing in there but it's a real person standing in front of me or an angel. It's a blast, and I wish other people could see like me.

I have prayed for people and God has opened their spiritual sight like me and they haven't been mentally ill. They have been able to tell me the color of Jesus' robe he had on and the sash and anything he had in his hands and I was able to confirm they were seeing it right. You should see a Christian person's faith jump through the roof when they can see Jesus Christ standing right in front of them and speaking to them through my mouth.

Is your medication going to stop these visions? No

The "dark side" (I.e Lucifer and his fallen angels) give people visions( What you call hallucinations) also and these are very ugly and dark to hear about. A person needs more then a pill to stop these from occurring.

I am on a disability pension and on medication until the Lord Jesus tells me to stop taking it, but if you are a Christian I encourage you to have your loved one who has one of my illnesses to read this document.

I hope you learned something. It was a pleasure addressing you and I would be happy to email you and answer questions.

PLEASE NOTE:

This article was not written to convince doctors in mental health that God and Satan exist, as they cling to their knowledge, science and lack of belief in all things spiritual, it was written to victims of mental illness, and Christian's who suffer or care for the mentally ill.

I have been ill for sixteen years and I know quite a lot about the Bible, and one thing I know is that Christian church does not seem to understand mental illness as well as they should. Often times a person who suffers from voices can be introduced to Jesus and his gentle, quite and reassuring voice can soothe the suffering that comes from demons speaking awful things to you. I am a prophet and each week the pastor of our church allows me to address the whole church during worship time with a short encouraging message from God via my "voice". I am stable on medication but the doctors in mental health that I have encountered really have not much insight into the sources of voices and the reality of real visions. They would say the book of Revelation was a hallucination and yet as Christians we all know it was a vision.

We all break down for a reason yet I find it most interesting that in my sixteen years in the system of mental health that not one professional has ever talked about my core issues and the reason I had my first breakdown, nor have they been interested.

God bless you

The Sociopathic Spouse - 9 Signs Your Husband Or Wife May Be a Sociopath

Marriage has its ups and downs and requires effort on the part of both partners to be successful. However, there are situations where it seems no amount of effort on your part improves your relationship. If your partner is affected by a personality disorder such as sociopathy or psychopathy (many use the term interchangeably), the relationship can be a bewildering, hurtful, and destructive experience. Sociopaths differ from the rest of us in their mental "hard wiring," leading them to behave in ways we may not be able to understand or relate to, and that hurt us very deeply. While only a licensed mental health professional can diagnose a sociopath, here are 9 signs that you can look for if you have suspicions about your partner:

1. Failure to conform to social norms. The sociopath often believes that the laws of society simply don't apply to him or her. There is a tendency toward criminal behavior and pushing the boundaries of what is socially acceptable behavior.

2. Lack of remorse. A sociopath does not have the same "conscience" that the rest of us possess. Guilt is a foreign concept. As a result, a sociopath may actually feel entitled to take advantage of and hurt others, because they look down upon the weak who "deserve" the treatment. If the sociopath tries to mimic guilt, it is just that, an acting performance, and is typically geared toward convincing you they care for their own benefit and advantage.

3. Poor impulse and behavioral control. Sociopaths are big about instant gratification, and tend to behave compulsively. This may lead to drug or alcohol addiction, and/or sexual promiscuity.

4. Consistent irresponsibility. These individuals may have difficulty holding down a steady job, paying bills on time, and/or honoring commitments.

5. A tendency toward boredom. There is actually some research that suggests that the fight or flight response in sociopaths may be muted or altered. This may lead toward risky behaviors and a need for greater stimulation.

6. Aggressive behavior, as evidenced by fistfights or other violent behavior. Not all sociopaths are physically violent, however.

7. Deceitfulness, conning, and manipulation. The sociopath may be an accomplished liar, using deceit to get what he or she wants. Frequently, sociopaths adopt a parasitic lifestyle whereby they exploit and con others into taking care of their finances and other needs.

8. Shallow emotional depth. There may be oodles of charm and charisma there, but true depth and substance of emotion is lacking.

9. Exaggerated sense of self worth. The sociopath may exaggerate accomplishments, behave disdainfully toward others, and have a sense of superiority.

Schizophrenia Naturally

Schizophrenia is a chronic, severe, and disabling brain disease. Approximately one percent of the population develops schizophrenia during their lifetime - more than two million Americans suffer from the illness in any given year. Although schizophrenia affects men and women with equal frequency, the disorder often appears earlier in men, usually in the late teens or early twenties; women are generally affected in the twenties to early thirties. People with schizophrenia often suffer terrifying symptoms such as hearing internal voices not heard by others, or believing that other people are reading their minds, controlling their thoughts, or plotting to harm them. These symptoms may leave them fearful and withdrawn. Their speech and behaviour can be disorganised and strange to the extent that they may be incomprehensible or frightening to others.

How is Schizophrenia Diagnosed?

There is currently no physical or lab test that can conclusively diagnose schizophrenia - a psychiatrist usually makes the diagnosis based on clinical symptoms. Physical testing can rule out many other conditions (seizure disorders, metabolic disorders, thyroid dysfunction, brain tumour, the effects of street drug use, and so on) that sometimes have similar symptoms.

What causes Schizophrenia?

Although the exact cause of schizophrenia remains unknown, experts agree that schizophrenia develops as a result of interplay between biological predisposition (for example, inheriting certain genes) and environmental factors. These lines of research are beginning to converge: brain development disruption is likely the result of genetic and/or environmental stressors early in development (during pregnancy or early childhood), leading to subtle alterations in the brain. Environmental factors later in development can either damage the brain further and further increase the risk of schizophrenia, or lessen the expression of genetic or neurodevelopment defects, thus decreasing the risk of schizophrenia.

Treatment for schizophrenia

The American Psychiatric Association publication 'Guidelines for the Treatment of Patients with Schizophrenia' states: "Antipsychotic medications are indicated for nearly all acute psychotic episodes in patients with schizophrenia."

There is also a significant overlap in terms of the medications for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder (Manic Depression).

There are two main classifications of medications (from a layman's perspective); the traditional antipsychotic medications (Haldol, etc.), and the newer, 'atypical' antipsychotic medications that have come out in the past decade (Clozapine, Geodon, Seroquel, Risperdal, Zyprexa, Abilify, etc.). It is recommended that sufferers or their carers speak to online support groups to get in touch with others, and to hear about their personal successes and problems with the different medications. It is also a good idea to read as much as possible regarding the medications available, and talk with a psychiatrist, to identify the medications that may be appropriate. It should be kept in mind that whilst both the older and newer medications can greatly help a person with schizophrenia, they all have significant side effects that vary according to the individual. No medication available, unfortunately, constitutes an actual cure for schizophrenia.

A natural treatment for schizophrenia?

While the conclusions drawn range from the positive to the negative, research does suggest that people with schizophrenia may benefit by a reduction in symptoms when they take fish oil capsules that are high in the EPA (a type of Omega-3 fatty acid) form of oil. It is important to be careful about the type of fish oil you are using, as not all fish oils are effective. Researchers at the University of Sheffield tell us: "What people really need to be looking at is the amount of EPA in the fish oil they are buying. Our data from previous studies suggests that DHA is of little use in the treatment of schizophrenia, but EPA is the substance that yields the best results. Dosage wise it is suggested that about 2,000 mg/day to 4,000 mg/day (2 to 4 grams/day) should help."

A research review article from 2005 in the journal Drugs states: "The evidence to date supports the adjunctive use [i.e. in addition to antipsychotic medications] of omega-3 fatty acids in the management of treatment unresponsive depression and schizophrenia. As these conditions are associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease and diabetes mellitus, omega-3 fatty acids should also benefit the physical state of these patients." (Drugs, 2005; 65(8):1051-9).

Fish fats, and the oils extracted from them, contain two biologically-active omega 3 fatty acids, DHA, EPA. There are good theoretical reasons why both might be important in the brain. However, with regard to schizophrenia, evidence is accumulating that it is the EPA which is really helpful, whereas DHA may not be beneficial in this context.

The strongest evidence comes from a study at Sheffield University by Dr Malcolm Peet and his colleagues. They did a study in patients with chronic, partially treatment-resistant schizophrenia. These patients continued on their existing medications. They were then randomised on a double-blind basis to receive either a placebo, or high EPA fish oil from sardines or anchovies, or high DHA fish oil from tuna. In other words, all the treatments were coded so that neither the patients nor the doctors knew which patient was receiving which treatment until the trial had been completed and the code broken. When the code was broken, the results were very clear. The placebo patients, as is usual in such experiments, showed a small improvement. The DHA patients also showed a small improvement, but in fact a lesser one than was evident in the placebo group, raising the possibility that DHA may not be helpful. In contrast, the patients on EPA showed a significant improvement which was comparable to that seen with the newer antipsychotic drugs, yet without the side effects.

Other studies have also shown that the same EPA rich oil as was used in the Sheffield study is very helpful in improving symptoms even in those who have a shorter history of schizophrenia. It therefore seems that the best fish oils to use are those which are high in EPA.

These findings have been fully embraced by the Schizophrenia Association of Great Britain, which recommends EPA fish oil along with other nutritional supplements on a daily basis to help treat this condition.

Conclusion

The current evidence points towards this natural essential fatty acid being beneficial for schizophrenia especially when run alongside current antipsychotic medication.

Any good doctor or nutritionist will tell you that the best way to get any nutrient is to eat a very balanced diet. In the case of Omega 3 oil this would be in the form of fish. Sadly due to the pollution levels found in our oceans today eating large portions of fish every day is not advisable.

Therefore anyone with schizophrenia who wants to supplement their diet with omega 3 oil must purchase fish oil capsules that are high in EPA. Make sure at point of purchase that the capsules are free of toxins and contaminates and that they also have a high EPA to DHA ratio, as these types of capsules were found to be more effective by some leading doctors in the UK.

Copyright 2005 David McEvoy

How to Treat Schizophrenia Naturally Through Diet and Supplements

In this article I will show exactly how to relieve schizophrenic symptoms quickly and easily using natural methods.

Schizophrenia is a severe mental health condition that is more common than many people realise. It has many causes, and nutritional therapy can assist most of these. It is, however, advised that you consult a nutritionist who will test for biochemical imbalances before devising a specific programme to assist you.

Some nutrients that help schizophrenia include B3, folic acid and essential fatty acids - however, in some cases these can have a negative effect, and so it really is crucial that you consult a professional before considering any supplement programme.

Allergies are often an underlying cause of schizophrenia and, again, a nutritionist would be able to test this for you.

You will benefit from following a healthy, balanced diet containing a wide variety of fruits and vegetables and their juices, choosing organic options wherever possible. You should limit the amount of meat in your diet, as a way of reducing your saturated fat intake, and should choose fish instead for protein. Your whole diet should be made up of organic food wherever possible. You should avoid refined carbohydrates and stimulants such as sugar, chocolate, coffee and alcohol, as well as salt and foods containing added salt. You should drink plenty of water to cleanse the body.

Supplements will be very important in allowing your body to return to good health. You should consult a nutritionist to devise a supplement programme tailored specifically to your needs.