I have stopped using monaural beats, binaural beats, and Isochronic Tones

 

I have stopped using monaural beats, binaural beats, and Isochronic Tones. I think they were making my REM Sleep Behavior Disorder worse:

I told Claude: "I was listening to monaural beats 250 hz pulsed at 40 hz for an hour before bed to improve brain plasticity and I think that might have been triggering episodes. I stopped that a month ago and have not had an event since."

Claude said: "That's a fascinating observation and could very well be connected. The timing correlation - stopping the monaural beats a month ago and having no episodes since - is quite suggestive.**Why 40 Hz might be problematic for RBD:**40 Hz stimulation is specifically targeting gamma brain waves, which are associated with heightened awareness, cognitive processing, and sensory integration. While this frequency is being researched for potential benefits in Alzheimer's disease (improving clearance of amyloid plaques), it could theoretically be counterproductive for RBD.**The RBD mechanism:**RBD involves a failure of the normal muscle atonia (paralysis) that should occur during REM sleep. Your brain needs to "shut down" motor pathways during dreams. Stimulating heightened neural activity and connectivity right before sleep might interfere with this natural dampening process.**Sleep architecture concerns:**Gamma wave entrainment before bed could also potentially alter your sleep staging or the transitions between sleep phases, which might make RBD episodes more likely. The brainstem circuits that control REM atonia are delicate, and external stimulation might disrupt their normal function.**Your detective work:**This is exactly the kind of careful self-observation that can be incredibly valuable. You've potentially identified a modifiable trigger that many neurologists wouldn't think to ask about.It seems like your multi-pronged approach (niacin, diet, avoiding problematic stimulation) is creating a beneficial environment for your brain. The absence of episodes for a full month after stopping the beats is compelling evidence."

Now... maybe I could still listen to brainwave entrainment files earlier in the day, but I am currently feeling great and having no RBD episodes so I am just going to not do any brainwave entrainment at all.

Investigating Neuroprotective Effects of Berberine on Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Autophagy Impairment in Parkinson’s Disease

I take 600 mg twice a day for a number of reasons.

Here is this paper. It is free to read: Investigating Neuroprotective Effects of Berberine on Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Autophagy Impairment in Parkinson’s Disease 2025 - https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/26/15/7342

"Animal experiments were conducted based on the results of the cell experiments. Following a 4-week oral administration of berberine, its effectiveness was assessed through behavioral experiments conducted with a mouse model induced with 6-OHDA. The rotarod test, pole test, wire hang test, and balance beam test were utilized to evaluate motor skills associated with endurance, balance, and hand grip strength. The findings indicated an enhancement in exercise capacity across all tests, implying that berberine has the potential to alleviate pathological symptoms associated with PD. Consistent with our in vitro findings, in vivo results confirmed that berberine exerted its effects by activating AMPK and upregulating key downstream targets, including SIRT1, PGC-1α, LC3B, and P62. These results indicate that berberine can modulate similar molecular pathways in both cellular and animal models. Furthermore, AST and ALT analyses revealed no significant hepatotoxicity of berberine in mice. Favorable effects observed for body weight further support the in vivo safety profile of berberine.

Taken together, these findings suggest that berberine not only can alleviate pathological features of PD but also can exert disease-modifying effects. Given its efficacy and low toxicity, berberine represents a promising therapeutic candidate for treating PD and potentially other neurodegenerative disorders."

 ========================= 

Here is some info on Berberine as an iron chelator:

Berberine Is a Promising Alkaloid to Attenuate Iron Toxicity Efficiently in Iron-Overloaded Mice 2022 https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1934578X211029522

The results of this study show that the natural compound berberine demonstrates a superior ability to reduce excess iron and chelate it in tissues, including liver, kidney and lung. By reducing oxidative stress, it can also improve the activity of the antioxidant enzymes catalase and superoxide dismutase. This remarkable ability of berberine is comparable to and often superior to that of deferoxamine as a common chelator. Berberine was equally capable of reducing malondialdehyde and lipid peroxidation resulting from an iron overdose. Therefore, we recommend further in vivo studies on berberine as an iron chelator and an antioxidant compound in diseases associated with iron-overload.

Is Chelation Therapy a Potential Treatment for Parkinson’s Disease? 2021 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8036775/

• In recent clinical trials, iron chelation therapy has been shown to open the way to a treatment of Parkinson’s disease, PD, which potentially slows the disease progression. Many of these neurological disorders, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, appear to be related to focal accumulation of iron in specific regions of the brain.

 

Catching It Early - One Woman's Quest for Early Detection and Treatment

 Catching It Early - One Woman's Quest for Early Detection and Treatment

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL-U9Wlfp818wsCh6xGksb2gHp-zCSOnbw

This is a powerful and informative vodcast series from an established vodcaster that has recently been diagnosed with REM Sleep Behavior Disorder:

"Vodcast for the second Cool Gray in Studio A series. Deeply personal vlog journey following me as I try to understand what lies ahead after learning I probably have Parkinson's Disease or Dementia with Lewy Bodies developing in my brain. I'm documenting my journey in a raw and unfiltered way as I make sense of this new information and try to plan for the future as well as create a documented account of my research that I hope will help others making their way through this mess now and in the future. Uploads will come as I can create and produce them."

Long-Term Consumption of Ultraprocessed Foods and Prodromal Features of Parkinson Disease

Long-Term Consumption of Ultraprocessed Foods and Prodromal Features of Parkinson Disease - 2025: https://www.neurology.org/doi/10.1212/WNL.0000000000213562
"higher UPF consumption was associated with increased odds of individual prodromal features, including pRBD, constipation, body pain, and depressive symptoms."
Bolt Note: The fact that RBD is included, to me, is a smoking gun.
The paper only has the abstract but The Daily Mail has more information: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-14687307/popular-food-parkinsons-disease-link-doctor-urgent-warning.html
"Chinese scientists found people who ate 11 or more servings of ultraprocessed foods a day were 2.5 times more likely to have early signs of the progressive movement disorder Parkinson's disease than those eating three or fewer servings.
However, even three or fewer raised the risk by up to 60 percent, depending on the specific food.
One serving is the equivalent of a can of soda or tablespoon of ketchup, but other foods considered healthy like salads and sliced meat can also be ultraprocessed."
"Writing in a medical journal this week, the researchers suggested artificial additives in these foods like emulsifiers, sweeteners and preservatives may promote inflammation and oxidative stress. This damages neurons in the brain that create dopamine, a neurotransmitter that controls movement.
Additionally, the foods quickly get absorbed into the bloodstream and attack the microbiome, a community of 'friendly' bacteria that live in the gut and communicate with the brain. Harmful bacteria creates inflammation in the brain that destroys dopamine-producing neurons.
The experts believe cutting down on ultraprocessed food consumption may slash the risk of developing Parkinson's years or decades before it would be diagnosed."
"The researchers believe additives in ultraprocessed foods like emulsifiers and sweeteners promote oxidative stress, an imbalance between disease-fighting antioxidants and harmful free radicals.
Free radicals attack the body's cells and tissues. In Parkinson's disease, they damage neurons that produce dopamine, a neurotransmitter that regulates movement.
Ultraprocessed foods are also thought to induce inflammation in the brain, which further attacks the neurons responsible for dopamine production."

40 HZ Brainwave Entrainment

So... on today's Zoom call I was asked to re-post the link to the 40 HZ brainwave entrainment audio file I created and have been using. So here it is, plus some info:

I apologize for going off of memory, but there are a number of reasons for using this audio file (or something like it or something better). If you search HU Cure Parkinson's for "40 HZ" you will find a number of posts on this topic: https://healthunlocked.com/cure-parkinsons/search/posts?query=40+hz

So... benefits:

1: There is research that meditation helps PD. And they say that when you meditate you get your brain into the Gamma frequency range. Well I have never been able to meditate. Or if I do meditate I can't tell that I am. I just sit there bored. But something else gets your brain into the Gamma frequency range: Brainwave entrainment at 40 HZ. Listening to this file should accomplish the goal of getting your brain to 40 HZ (I would stake my High School Diploma on it!).

2: A normal brain has multiple different frequencies going on at once. One of the symptoms of PD is those multiple different frequencies becoming similar and lower. I think all of the various frequencies kind of congeal at around 15 HZ. Brainwave Entrainment can pull your brain out of that rut and get you up to Gamma (40 HZ range).

3: There have been a number of studies showing some benefits, nothing rock solid, of using 40 hz flashing lights and synchronized 40 HZ sounds. (FYI: If you find the audio file MIT used in their study, well, it was designed for the mouse hearing range, so I would skip that one).

Okay: I listen to the audio file, it is 50 minutes long, once during the day and once in the evening, every day. With bone conduction headphones I can listen to to the pulsed tone while I do other things, even watch TV.

Oh! Another thing about bone conduction headphones: I think it was @House2that clued me onto bone conduction headphone and he thought these types of headphones were actually better for brainwave entrainment.

I use these $35 Bone Conduction Headphones to listen to the beats. They do not cover your ears so you can walk around and listen to beats and still be able to hear people and watch TV: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0B15FN1Z2?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1 (These particular bone conduction headphones are no longer available, but hopefully you get the idea).

Monaural Beats Files: There is only one. This is my favorite file now. It is 250 HZ pulsed at 40 HZ (Gamma). I chose 250 HZ because I think that is the frequency of the Tass gloves. Here is the file: 250hz pulsed at 40hz Isochronic.mp3 https://drive.google.com/file/d/14XgHquGwa7DsFP9-kg4k7CmSunPjc8oB/view?usp=sharing

PS: I also try to entrain my brainwaves to 40 HZ Gamma I use a 40 HZ flickering light for about an hour a day: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08X4W6N5M?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

Effects of Traditional Japanese Massage Therapy on Various Symptoms in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease:A Case-Series Study

Effects of Traditional Japanese Massage Therapy on Various Symptoms in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease:A Case-Series Study 2012 https://sci-hub.st/10.1089/acm.2011.0148

Abstract:

Objectives: Massage therapy is one of the most commonly used complementary therapies for patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). The aim of this preliminary study was to evaluate the effects of traditional Japanese massage therapy on various symptoms of patients with PD.

Design: The study design was a case series study. Setting: The study was conducted at the Center for Integrative Medicine, Tsukuba University of Technology, Japan.

Subjects: The subjects were 10 patients with idiopathic PD (mean age, 69.6 – 7.7 years; range, 55–85 years) who presented for consultation with a neurologist between February and April 2009 and who desired massage therapy in conjunction with standard pharmaceutical treatment.

Intervention: The intervention comprised a 30-minute session of traditional Japanese massage in conjunction with standard conventional medication.

Outcome measures: The outcome measures were as follows: Gait speed in the 20-m walk test (10-m walk and return) for gait disturbance, angular range of shoulder joint motion for frozen shoulder, and a visual analogue scale (VAS) for assessing the severity of each of various symptoms (hypophonia, shoulder stiffness, muscle pain, heaviness or lassitude of a body part, and fatigue), as determined before and after the massage session.

Results: (1) Patients with gait disturbance showed improved gait speed, (2) those with frozen shoulder showed improved range of motion of the shoulder joint, and (3) VAS scores for assessing the severity of other subjective symptoms were improved.

Conclusions: These results suggest that traditional Japanese massage therapy used in combination with medication is effective for alleviating various symptoms in patients with PD and may contribute to enhancing their health-related quality of life. Larger studies with a control group are required to verify these findings.

TauRx Parses Subgroups to Make the Case for Methylene Blue Derivative, Again

I just added an edit to my old pro Methylene Blue post: Interesting Methylene Blue Dosing Story https://healthunlocked.com/cure-parkinsons/posts/edit/147878332

According to this paper, TauRx Parses Subgroups to Make the Case for Methylene Blue Derivative, Again https://www.alzforum.org/news/conference-coverage/taurx-parses-subgroups-make-case-methylene-blue-derivative-again some researchers are not really buying the effectiveness of LMTM (a stable reduced form of MB) for AD. Apparently this drug company goes through a lot of statistical and analytical gymnastics to find the silver lining in their trial results.

For the record, I have been off MB for over a month. I don't plan on re-starting it, but you never know.