You may have heard of neuroplasticity, but what about synaptic plasticity? Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to change through growth and the latter refers to how the neurons in the brain connect to one another and process information. Plasticity also refers to the brain’s ability to recover and heal from trauma and stress. This also includes PTSD, OCD, chronic illness, anxiety, and psych med or drug use.
This process is critical when it comes to one of the most common symptoms I see clinically which is fondly known as brain fog. When the brain fog gets especially profound and the anxiety kicks in, it's easy to wonder if the brain can heal from the psych med use and the withdrawal.
Is the damage permanent?
Luckily, the brain is not as fragile as we once thought, you know…back in the days before we knew about this amazing concept of plasticity.
The synapses
Because synapses (the space between neurons) are massively affected by many psychiatric medications, it’s important we discuss what can happen and how they can heal. The truth is the brain can heal quite significantly if in an environment conducive to healing. So, no matter what type of stress the central nervous system has endured, there are some things to keep in mind.
For one, glutamate. Glutamate is the primary neurotransmitter involved with synaptic health. I know what you are thinking. “Not glutamate!” This neurotransmitter gets demonized a lot for contributing to anxiety, but when levels are low we see poor memory formation, poor cognitive function, and fatigue.
During times of stress and anxiety, many often do whatever they can to reduce glutamate levels which can also reduce some inflammation = win win! BUT, when the nervous system becomes less inflamed, the anxiety MIGHT be less, but the brain fog might be more. There comes a time when we need to rebuild the sensitivity of the synapses to support optimum neuronal transmission. So, how and when do we work on neuroplasticity if our receptors are still healing and there’s still anxiety in the picture?
Here are some ways we can support those lovely little synapses in gentle ways without overworking the glutamatergic system:
Exercise: Research shows that physical exercise is more powerful at encouraging proper brain function than mental exercise. Exercise is also a substantial way to increase BDNF (brain derived neurotrophic factor). BDNF promotes neuronal survival and is essential in the brain’s ability to be plastic.
Support healthy leptin levels: Leptin is a hunger hormone that is secreted from the pancreas, so making sure blood sugar is good along with avoiding sodium benzoate can help. Sodium benzoate is a food preservative that has been shown to interfere with leptin levels. This can support memory function.
Sleep: Critical for stimulating synaptic plasticity. Poor sleep or lack of sleep has been linked to lower levels of BDNF levels. Insomnia is often a primary concern with any mental health struggle, so sleep hygiene is key. Research shows that sleep hygiene is unlikely to cure insomnia, BUT that without proper hygiene, other modalities will be less likely to be effective.
Inflammation: Reducing inflammation first means removing inflammatory things like alcohol which is known to also kill nerve cells. The less chronic inflammation we have, the more neuronal protection we have.
Antioxidants: Berries, especially blueberries, promote neuronal survival and improve plasticity of the synapses.
Stress Response: Improving the body’s stress response is key. Stress has been shown to impair plasticity so this is where leaning on your support system and doing activities or therapies that make you feel better is essential.
Celexa: It is believed by some that antidepressants might increase BDNF levels. Based on a 2013 phase 2 clinical trial that evaluated 33 participants over 16 weeks. Over the study, participants showed improved cognition and memory formation. One hypothesis is that BDNF is decreased in the hippocampus of depressed patients. More research is needed.
The brain can heal
When we remove things from our lives that cause inflammation and stress, the brain has room to heal. When we do things that proactively support the nervous system, the brain will heal.
Sources
Citri A, Malenka RC. Synaptic plasticity: multiple forms, functions, and mechanisms. Neuropsychopharmacology. 2008 Jan;33(1):18-41. doi: 10.1038/sj.npp.1301559. Epub 2007 Aug 29. PMID: 17728696.
Giese M, Unternaehrer E, Brand S, Calabrese P, Holsboer-Trachsler E, Eckert A (2013) The Interplay of Stress and Sleep Impacts BDNF Level. PLoS ONE 8(10): e76050. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0076050
Gomez-Pinilla, F., Ying, Z., Roy, R., Molteni, R., & V. Edgerton. (2002). Voluntary exercise induces a BDNF-mediated mechanism that promotes neuroplasticity. J Neurophysiol. 88(5): 2187-95.
Grønli J, Soulé J, Bramham CR. Sleep and protein synthesis-dependent synaptic plasticity: impacts of sleep loss and stress. Front Behav Neurosci. 2014 Jan 21;7:224. doi: 10.3389/fnbeh.2013.00224. PMID: 24478645; PMCID: PMC3896837.
Covington HE 3rd, Vialou V, Nestler EJ. From synapse to nucleus: novel targets for treating depression. Neuropharmacology. 2010 Mar-Apr;58(4-5):683-93. doi: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2009.12.004. Epub 2009 Dec 17. PMID: 20018197; PMCID: PMC2821954.