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AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File
University of Iowa scientists have found the chemical relationship that exists between anxiety disorders and carbon dioxide. A brain protein known as acid-sensing ion channel 1a (ASIC1a) found in the amygdala - the part of the brain that process fear and directs fear behavior - is activated by variations in levels of carbon dioxide.
CO2 produces a low pH (acid) in the body and activates the fear response. The deep breathing exercises recommended to alleviate panic attacks increases the level of oxygen in the body and raises the pH. 1a (ASIC1a) is activated by low pH.
The researchers have found a molecular basis for the fear response in anxiety disorders and postulate the existence of 1a (ASIC1a) to be an evolutionary development to protect people from the dangers of high levels of CO2.
Is there a relationship between increasing levels of CO2 and increasing cases of panic disorders? Is there a relationship between increasing levels of CO2 and the generalized level of fear displayed by the majority of the United States population?
The answers to these questions may be beyond a rational approach. One would have to assume that the majority of panic disorder prognoses are chemically legitimate. This would involve the release of personal health information records that is presently deemed sacrosanct.
Just suppose, there is a higher level of fear chemical in everyone as a result of higher levels of CO2. That would do much to explain the readiness to accept the "worst first cause" that news media thrives on. A causal relationship would also explain the popularity of "bad" news.
The researchers who made this discovery are John Wemmie, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry and neurosurgery at the UI Carver College of Medicine and a staff physician and researcher at the Iowa City, Adam Ziemann, M.D., Ph.D., Jason Allen; Nader Dahdaleh, M.D.; Iuliia Drebot, Ph.D.; Matt Coryell, Ph.D.; Amanda Wunsch; Cynthia Lynch; Frank Faraci, M.D., professor of internal medicine; Matthew Howard, M.D., professor and head of neurosurgery; and Michael Welsh, M.D., who is a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator and UI professor of internal medicine and molecular physiology and biophysics.
The results were reported in the November, 25 issue of the journal Cell.
http://download.cell.com/pdf/PIIS0092867409014202.pdf?intermediate=true
The background for this development was also done at Iwoa but the knowledge was available in the early 1900’s.
http://www.asic1a.com/
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