Rewire Your Brain: Think Your Way to a Better Life

second - messenger system.
This system is activated 
when a neurotransmitter successfully penetrates the fatty mem-
brane of a cell and sends signals into the nucleus of the cell, where 
they turn genes on or off. These genes then send chemicals to the 
outside of the cell, which creates more reactions. 
Both EPA and DHA prevent excess
arachidonic acid
(AA), an 
omega - 6 fatty acid, from accumulating in your tissues. Although AA 
is found throughout your body and brain, you can get too much of 
it through the fat in beef, pork, chicken, and turkey. AA is a precur-
sor of many highly infl ammatory conditions. For instance, high AA 
intake later in life increases the risk of developing dementia by more 
than 40 percent (Morris, 2006).
Prostaglandins 
When fatty acids are triggered by viruses, bacteria, free radicals, 
or toxic chemicals, these fatty acids are released from the cell 
membrane and converted into compounds called
prostaglandins
, 
hormonelike substances that exert a variety of functions within your 
brain. 
Specifi c prostaglandins are formed from dietary fatty acids 
through a series of steps. There are three prostaglandins (PGs) that 
you should know about: 
1.
PGE1:
Formed from the dietary LA found in sunfl ower, corn, 
saffl ower, and sesame oils, PGE1 is important in the release 
of neurotransmitters. It possesses some anti - infl ammatory 
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properties, reduces fl uid accumulation, and enhances the 
immune system.
2.
PGE2:
Formed largely by the AA in animal fats, PGE2 is 
rarely found in plants. It is a highly infl ammatory substance 
and causes swelling and increased sensitivity to pain. PGE2 
can cause increased blood viscosity (which decreases blood 
fl ow), blood platelet clumping (which increases blood clot-
ting), and spasms in the blood vessels. It can also cause 
an overactive immune system, which attacks the body and 
brain.
3.
PGE3 :
Formed from the ALA found in fl axseed, walnuts, and 
pumpkin seeds, PGE3 is somewhat anti - infl ammatory and 
immune - enhancing. It counters many of the effects of 
PGE2.
A dietary imbalance in fats alters brain activity and can cause 
multiple problems with the blood supply to the brain, including the 
following: 
•
Poor tone in the blood vessel walls
•
Blood vessel spasms
•
Increasing blood viscosity, causing the blood to be sludgelike 
and form clots
All the factors that impede the fl ow of blood to the brain interfere 
with the delivery of oxygen and nutrients to the brain cells. This 
decreases your clarity of thinking, dampens your mood, and slows 
down your behavioral responses. 
An omega - 6 fatty acid known as gamma - linolenic acid (GLA) 
is used in forming brain structure, even though it is not a brain fat 
itself. Nevertheless, GLA appears to help in neurological conditions 
when it is converted into PGE1, which can reduce the production 
of infl ammatory conditions caused by excessive AA. Some people 
with multiple sclerosis who have been treated with GLA derived 
from primrose oil have been reported to have fewer symptoms. 
High levels of isoprostanes, the free radical products of damaged 
fatty acids that were mentioned earlier in this chapter, are found 
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in the cerebral spinal fl uid, the plasma, and the urine of people 
with brain - related cognitive impairment, including Alzheimer ’ s dis-
ease. The higher level of isoprostanes that is found in people with 
Alzheimer ’ s disease implies that these substances are a possible 
predictor of the disease. 
An increase in isoprostanes has also been found in the cerebro-
spinal fl uid of children with traumatic brain injury. One study found 
that the level of isoprostanes was nine times higher one day after the 
injury than in people without brain injury. 
Studies are increasingly showing that omega - 3 fatty acids can 
lower the oxidative stress (the cellular damage that results from free 
radicals) and the infl ammation that are associated with neurological 
and psychiatric conditions. Omega - 3 has also been shown to pro-
mote the critical neural chemical BDNF, which, as you learned in 
chapter 1 , plays an essential role in neuroplasticity and is a neuro-
protective agent, a sort of Miracle Grow for brain cells. It is critical 
for memory and new learning, and a low level of BDNF has been 
associated with neurological and psychiatric conditions. Both infl am-
mation and oxidative stress interfere with BDNF production. 
Essential fatty acids balance the infl uences of cytokine activity. 
Cytokines
are proteins, peptides (a derivative of amino acids), and 
glycoproteins (proteins with carbohydrates). When essential fatty 
acids are not balanced, cytokines can cause infl ammation and turn 
your immune system against your own cells, attacking and killing 
them. An increase in cytokines has been associated with depression, 
anxiety, and cognitive problems. 
The brain has both gray matter and white matter. The gray mat-
ter contains the neurons, whereas the white matter contains
glial 
cells
, which are more numerous than neurons and are regarded 
as support cells. Glial cells coat the nerve fi bers, and this coating is 
called
myelin
. Along with its many other functions, myelin makes 
your neurons fi re more effi ciently. Myelin is made up of various fats, 
fatty acids, phospholipids (see below), and cholesterol. As much as 
75 percent of myelin is fat. 
Cholesterol makes up one - fourth of myelin and is essential 
for its development. Contrary to the oversimplifi ed bad rap that 
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cholesterol has received in popular culture, one type of choles-
terol is actually good. High - density lipoprotein (HDL) is considered 
good cholesterol. Low - density lipoprotein (LDL) is considered bad 
cholesterol. 
When myelin is inadequate or damaged, this impedes the nerve 
impulses. Damaged myelin is a factor in multiple sclerosis. This 
devastating neurological disease results in multiple impairments, 
including an inability to walk, memory problems, and depression.
Phospholipids 
Phospholipids
are another family of brain fats. They are actually 
both fat and mineral:
phospho
refers to the mineral phosphorus and 
lipid
refers to fat molecules. Phospholipids are important in forming 
nerve membranes and protecting them from toxic injury and free 
radical attack. 
The phospholipid
phosphatidylserine
(PS) is one of the structural 
molecules of the nerve cell membranes. PS is formed when the 
phospholipid complex combines with the amino acid serine. PS 
infl uences the fl uidity of the nerve cell membranes and fosters the 
incorporation of membrane proteins that bind neurotransmitters in 
the brain. A good source of PS is soy. 
Another phospholipid,
phosphatidylcholine
(PC), is an important