In this interview, Cecilia Hillard, PhD discusses endocannabinoid system (ECS) signaling in depressive disorders. Dr. Hillard describes the effect of exercise on the ECS, and how this may underpin some of the benefits of exercise in patients with depression and other mood disorders. Dr. Hillard discusses emerging results in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which show a different picture, and ends with a discussion on what we know about the role that the endocannabinoid receptors (CB1 and CB2) play…

by Noelle Patno, PhD Lactoferrin (LF) has been advocated by researchers1–3 as a potential method to prevent or treat COVID-19. These recent reviews promote a hypothesis that the natural, endogenous compound which has shown antiviral capabilities for other viruses including SARS-CoV may be effective against the SARS-CoV-2 virus as well. With over 70 years since the discovery of this glycoprotein, this iron-scavenging milk protein now deserves greater attention. The current literature demonstrates that LF has many anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and even…

by Milene Brownlow, PhD Nutritional psychiatry is a rapidly growing medical field studying the connection between the role food and diet quality plays in  how we feel.1 We intuitively understand the body-mind connection and how it affects our day-to-day. We get butterflies in our stomach when nervous, our heart races when we are excited, and our mindset quickly goes south when we have digestive problems. This connection has led researchers to investigate lifestyle modifications that may optimize mental and cognitive…

Chemicals used in food packaging that can lower antibody responses in humans will be phased out starting in 2021. JAMA reported on the FDA announcement that several manufacturing companies have agreed to a voluntary phase-out per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are used to keep fats from soaking into paper and cardboard food packaging.1 These chemicals are immunotoxic to humans and animals, harming the immune system directly.2 Their effects range from a mild reduction in antibody response levels (measured from…

In this Grand Rounds presentation, Niccolò Terrando, PhD shares scientific research on the role of specialized pro-resolving mediators (SPMs) in perioperative neurocognitive disorders. Dr. Terrando uses a preclinical mouse model to study postoperative neuroinflammation and elucidate the impact of SPMs in neuroglia activity and modulating memory.

by Michael Stanclift, ND Introduction Many clinicians who know andrographis (Andrographis paniculata) know its anticancer properties; however, its antimicrobial mechanisms have recently caught researchers’ eyes.1-3 Andrographis has been used for its medicinal benefits in traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda for centuries, mostly for effects related to infections and/or the immune system.1,3 Based on computer models, some researchers hypothesize andrographolide, a major bioactive compound of andrographis, might have a role in the current COVID-19 pandemic.2,3 Andrographis demonstrates antiviral activity against a…

by Lewis Chang, PhD Introduction “Damned if I don’t get more tired every day. Tired of what I do. Following arcs, like lobbed rocks. The inevitability of truth. But the complexity and the grey lie not in the truth, but what you do with the truth once you have it.”—Detective Benoit Blanc (played by Daniel Craig, in the 2019 film Knives Out) The current pandemic is not showing any sign of slowing in the US and many parts of the…

by Milene Brownlow, PhD Overview We are beginning to understand the wide-ranging impact of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) on multiple facets of life. The outbreak that started late in 2019 was officially declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization and sent most of the world’s population into confinement. Beyond healthcare, this pandemic has drastically altered life as we know it. Originally presented in the form of pneumonia of unknown etiology in Wuhan, China, it has since been determined that…

by Christopher Moulton, PhD With what seems to be breakneck speed, the world continues to learn about the myriad manifestations of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Although much attention has been paid to the hallmark respiratory dysfunction in COVID-19, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the virus can target multiple organ systems, including the central nervous system. Although coronaviruses (including SARS-Cov-2) typically manifest as respiratory illnesses, neurological complications including neuropathy, delirium, and acute cerebrovascular events were seen in the recent 21st century SARS-CoV-1 and MERS…

As the current pandemic rages on, several hundred clinical trials are recruiting and ongoing hoping to identify efficacious antiviral and anti-inflammatory strategies. In a new commentary published in the journal Cancer Metastasis and Reviews (Springer Nature publishing group),1 a group of prominent researchers proposed a promising, complementary direction worthy of consideration: targeting inflammation resolution. Who contributed to this commentary? The article was led by Dipak Panigrahy, MD, at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center of Harvard Medical School, who has had…