Naked Science Forum
General Discussion & Feedback => Just Chat! => Topic started by: Anin on 10/03/2013 16:24:20
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I have read various descriptions of models for magnetoreception in various animal and plants species, and I am aware there are theories in relation to magnetoreception in humans.
But is anyone aware of research on cryptochrome in relation to human health conditions and a possible relationship with magnetoreception (e.g activation of cryptochrome through blue light and associations with calcuim channel activity, relationship with the pineal gland, multi-modal sensory integration, etc)?
I have found some commonalities which connect into theories about magnetoreception across various human physical and cognitive health conditions, including specific learning difficulties, mental health conditions - and to a lesser degree autoimmune/neurological conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, etc.
1) Self reported sensitivity to blue light, UV, and flicker including energy saving light bulbs (see reference to EU scientific research findings below).
2) Genetic differences which related to SNPs within two L type voltage gated calcium channel subunits, CACNAIC and CACNB2. Calcium channel blockers are also used to treat some of the conditions I have mentioned above.
3) Genetic differences, some of which link directly to cryptochrome. These include a direct link to Cry 1, and to 3p21 (which is the human counterpart of Murine BV8 or PK2 which is severely blunted in mutant mice deficient in clock or cryptochrome genes). See reference to recent research findings below.
4) Cryptochrome1 (Cry1), located in a chromosomal region 12q23-q24.1, performs predominantly regulatory function in circadian clock and which is close to a linkage hotspot (12q24) of schizophrenia and has a close correspondence to a linkage hotspot for bipolar disorder. Recent studies have also found that the Cryptochrome 1 gene interacts with antipsychotic drugs and dopamine systems which play a core role in the pathophysciology of schizophrenia (see references below).
5) Differences in melatonin levels and circadian rhythm have been associated in people with schizophrenia, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, autism, dyslexia, depression, Parkinson’s Diseases, and other conditions.
6) Differences in the magnocellular system (and pathways to superior colliculus) are associated with various specific learning difficulties and mental health issues, and other conditions. These differences in the magnocelluar system are thought to influence differences in fixation and eye movement. I have read that the superior colliculus is the suggested locus of the processing of magnetoreception in mammals.
6) Differences in sensory perception and integration. For example differences in smell, hearing, and vision (particularly visual crowding and peripheral vision). These can result in anything from sensory overload to synaesthesia for people with specific learning difficulties and mental health conditions - and in the case of multiple sclerosis it can result in phosphenes.
7) Differences in responses to optical illusions (i.e not being fooled by these illusions), including through contrast sensitivity. Interestingly I have read that some species e.g European Robins are thought to use contrast sensitivity to distinguish ordinary vision from magnetoreception.
8) Omega oils deficiency, which could potentially influence photoreception.
9) Prevalent in particular parts of the world, and in some cases there is some hard evidence of the effects of geomagnetism e.g Multiple Sclerosis. In other cases it is harder to find this evidence as the focus of research on geographical prevalance has been on other issues e.g language differences (e.g with dyslexia), vitamin D (autism), etc.
I have gathered together a lot of other material, but realise I would need input from zoologists, biophysicists and neurologists to better understand the dynamics of this.
ANY CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK ON THIS WOULD BE WELCOMED. :)
References.
http://ec.europa.eu/health/opinions/en/energy-saving-lamps/l-3/4-cfl-non-skin-diseases.htm.
www.autism.org.uk/about-autism/research/light-sensitivity-and-autism-survey-results.aspx
www.doctorslounge.com/index.php/news/pb/36106 (it would be interesting to check out any association between all the genes identified in this recent research study and cryptochrome and the processes theorised for magnetoreception)
http://www.medical-hypotheses.com/article/S0306-9877(12)00253-8/fulltext
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15722957
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2010/07/08/robins-can-literally-see-magnetic-fields-but-only-if-their-vision-is-sharp/
www.vitatec.com/docs/referenz-umgebungsstrahlung/palmer-2006.pdf
www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2377/12/100
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I have been undertaking some further web research on the above and pulled it all together as a presentation on Prezi (see link below).
As yet this only exists as a series of connections that hint at the possibility of a complex adaptive system, but I thought it would be worth posting it.
http://prezi.com/t21wmxl0l-ts/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy&rc=ex0share
You can also google search it with "magnetoreception and neurodiversity"
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9) Prevalent in particular parts of the world, and in some cases there is some hard evidence of the effects of geomagnetism e.g Multiple Sclerosis. In other cases it is harder to find this evidence as the focus of research on geographical prevalance has been on other issues e.g language differences (e.g with dyslexia), vitamin D (autism), etc.
Geographical distribution of an illness could be due to genetics : ethnicity, rather than an environmental factor in that region.
I suppose the Earth's magnetic field would allow more cosmic rays at higher latitudes ...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmic_ray#Cosmic-ray_flux
but no reason these would cause specific rare diseases like MS, (an increased incidence in cancer perhaps ... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Health_threat_from_cosmic_rays ).
MS and Autism have familial and gender patterns, consistent with them being at least in part genetic.