Tag Archives: allergies

How Histamine Affects Allergies and Boosts Memory Function

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Polarized light micrograph of histamine crystals

Polarized light micrograph of histamine crystals

Alfred Pasieka/Science Photo Library

Individuals suffering from hay fever understand that histamine stimulates an immune response in various parts of the body. Interestingly, recent research shows that histamine plays a distinct role in the brain, where elevated levels can enhance memory accuracy by approximately 10%.

“We believe it enhances something known as excitement associated with novelty,” explains
Michael Colwell from Oxford University. “It affects how alert we are when encountering new stimuli in our environment.”

There’s substantial evidence that the brain contains receptors specifically for histamine. “These receptors are concentrated around areas crucial for learning and memory,” Colwell notes. Animal studies further support the correlation between
histamine and learning.

This link may clarify some side effects associated with early antihistamines, as elaborated in
academic research. “Many older antihistamines penetrated the brain,” Colwell explains. “Consequently, they appeared to impair memory, which is a common issue for long-term users.”

But what happens when histamine levels rise in the brain? Previously, there was no method to examine this in humans until Colwell and his team discovered that an existing narcolepsy medication, pitolisant, could achieve this. It binds to histamine-3 receptors, raising histamine levels throughout the brain.


In their study, the team enlisted 60 volunteers, administering pitolisant to half of them, while the others received a placebo. MRI scans revealed that subjects treated with pitolisant exhibited enhanced connectivity between the histamine-producing regions and the hippocampus, an essential area for memory. These volunteers were also 11% more accurate in recalling learned information during scanning.

However, Colwell cautions against using pitolisant as a “smart drug.” “It significantly impacts sleep, and I suspect that prolonged use might ultimately worsen memory.”

Roland Seifert
from Hannover Medical University in Germany suggests the rarity of pitolisant misuse as a cognitive enhancer, given the difficulty in accessing it. He emphasizes that findings in animal models likely reflect similar trends in humans, signaling potential for targeting histamine receptors in treating neurological disorders.

Those using pitolisant for genetic conditions such as narcolepsy or Prader-Willi syndrome have reported increased alertness.
Holger Stark, who collaborated on the drug’s development at Heinrich-Heine University in Düsseldorf, states, “In cases where cognitive function suffers due to illness, pitolisant has shown promise in reversing cognitive decline and enhancing alertness. However, in most scenarios, the goal was to normalize function rather than to exceed typical cognitive levels.”

The dual effects of histamine in the body illustrate evolution’s resourcefulness. “This reflects how economical the human body can be,” Colwell concludes.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Simple New Method Can Prevent Fatal Peanut Allergies

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A recent study brings hope for adults living with severe peanut allergies, revealing that they can develop tolerance in just a few weeks.

Researchers gradually introduced 21 adults with severe allergies to peanut products.

By the conclusion of the trial, 14 participants could safely consume a handful of peanuts without experiencing any allergic reactions.

This method, known as oral immunotherapy, has shown success in previous studies involving children and infants, marking the first instance it has been tested in adults.

Chief Investigator Professor Stephen Till, a leading adult allergy expert from King’s College London, expressed satisfaction with the results, stating he was “very pleased.”

“The constant fear of potentially life-threatening reactions places a significant burden on individuals with peanut allergies,” he commented. “Currently, the only management strategy for these allergies is strict avoidance and the treatment of reactions, including the use of adrenaline.”

Peanut allergies affect around 2% of the population in Western countries. According to a 2021 survey, this condition appears to be on the rise.

The trial indicated “preliminary evidence” that adults with severe allergies could achieve desensitization, thereby enhancing their quality of life.

Participants in the study were aged 18 to 40 and diagnosed with severe peanut allergies through the Guy and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.

They began with small amounts of peanut flour mixed into food, monitored closely. The initial dose was 0.8 mg, equivalent to less than 0.3% of a peanut.

If tolerated, the participants moved on to 1.5 mg after 30 minutes, and then 3 mg after another 30 minutes, representing 1% of a peanut.

Those who could handle 1.5 or 3 mg continued consuming that amount daily for two weeks before returning to the clinic for supervision while attempting higher doses.

Participants prepared peanut flour each day, gradually increasing the dosage until they could tolerate 50 mg to 1 g of peanut protein, which translates to 2-4 peanuts.

Once they reached this level, they transitioned to real peanuts, peanut butter, or other peanut products.

Participants in this study gradually increased their intake, under strict clinical supervision, from a small portion of peanut flour to full peanuts. – Credit: Helen Camacaro via Getty

Chris, a 28-year-old participant in the study, remarked: “My entire life was consumed by the fear associated with peanuts. I started with a little peanut flour in yogurt. By the end of the trial, I could sit down and eat four peanuts.”

Chris now includes four peanuts in his breakfast daily to maintain his immunity, stating: “Although minor mistakes can have grave consequences, I no longer fear collapsing or dying during takeout.”

Professor Adam Fox, chairman of the National Allergy Research Group and professor of pediatric allergy at King’s College London, called the study “important evidence of the principle,” which could be beneficial in treating adult allergies, although he was not involved in the research.

He cautioned, however: “This treatment must be conducted under careful medical supervision and should never be attempted independently.”

This study was published in the scientific journal Allergy.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Continuous peanut consumption can cause desensitization in adults with allergies.

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Peanuts are one of the most common foods that people have allergies

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Adults with peanut allergies reduced the risk of a reaction by eating small peanut proteins every day as part of their trials. This approach has already been approved in the US for children with this condition.

Peanut allergies occur when the immune system mistakenly identifies legume proteins as threats. It reacts by producing more IgE antibodies. This is an important part of the immune response, but an allergic reaction causes overdrive. As a result, inflammation increases, causing symptoms such as swelling, itching, and vomiting. In extreme cases, it can lead to anaphylactic shock, a life-threatening response that can affect someone’s breathing or heart rate.

Until recently, the only solution was to avoid peanuts, but an intervention called oral immunotherapy was approved in 2020 for children with allergies in the US. This involves exposing the immune system to peanut protein, which gradually increases allergens.

However, it was unclear whether this approach worked in adults as well. “Although most of the life of an individual with a peanut allergy is spent as an adult, there was no treatment that reduced the fundamental reactivity to peanuts,” he says. Stephen Till King’s College London. “There are some grounds for suspecting that adults are more difficult to fall out than children, as your immune system is easy to fix when you’re young.”

To fill this knowledge gap, Till and his colleagues recruited 21 adults with peanut allergies. At the start of the study, participants on average only 1/8 of the peanuts were eaten before they developed an allergic reaction.

The team fed each participant a protein equivalent to one-fourth of peanuts each day for two weeks. This dose increased slightly every two weeks for several months, but was able to safely and consistently eat the equivalent of four large peanuts of protein every day.

Three participants dropped out of the study due to an allergic reaction, while three other participants left for reasons not related to treatment. “This dropout number is acceptable for this type of treatment.” Cezmi Akdis At the Swiss Allergy and Asthma Institute.

The remaining 15 participants participated in an allergy test for eating an increase in peanut protein under the supervision of the researchers. All but one of them were able to eat five peanut equivalents without an allergic reaction.

In another part of the experiment, the team analyzed blood samples collected from participants before and after receiving oral immunotherapy. This revealed that the intervention had high levels of IgG antibodies that counteract the effects of IgE antibodies.

“It’s very promising,” Akudith says. “This approach means that adults with peanut allergies may be relieved of the anxiety of eating peanut-contaminated foods.”

However, this is a relatively early stage test, and a larger test is needed to verify the results and establish how long the protection will last, he says. “I think you need to take peanuts daily or regular over the long term to maintain resistance to allergens,” Aqudith says. “People take pills every day, so I think people affected by peanut allergies are following this type of method.”

Do not try to treat allergies without medical supervision.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Study suggests nasal fungus may be the cause of your allergies

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It’s that time of the year again when runny nose season has already arrived. However, for some people, runny noses are a year-round struggle due to allergies. In fact, an estimated 25-40% of people worldwide are affected by allergic rhinitis, a condition that causes inflammation of the nose’s mucous membranes.

So, what’s behind this constant sniffing? Scientists may have an answer: individuals with allergies harbor a variety of fungi in their noses.

Despite this discovery, the presence of any fungus in our noses is quickly countered by our immune system. We all have fungi in our nasal mycobiome, a diverse community of fungal microorganisms that reside in our nostrils and sinuses, contributing to our overall microbial diversity essential for maintaining a healthy immune system and fighting off harmful pathogens.

In a study on nasal mycobiome, researchers collected nasal swabs from 214 allergic patients and 125 healthy individuals. The swabs showed significant differences in the prevalence and diversity of nasal fungi between the two groups, with allergic patients exhibiting more abundant and diverse mycobiomes.

“These findings suggest that the nasal cavity serves as a reservoir for fungi that may contribute to allergic rhinitis,” said Dr. Luis Delgado, a Professor at the University of Porto, Portugal, and one of the authors of a new study published in 2006 in the journal Frontiers of Microbiology.

The study also identified specific metabolic pathways more common in the fungal communities of allergic rhinitis patients, potentially paving the way for future allergy treatments.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com