This is exciting research into the brain receptors to food allergens. In many ways, it’s what I already know and practice daily. But every bit of science helps support our efforts in reaching the neurologists, medical physicians that care for our loved ones.
In the journal, “An unusual case of infant seizures with anaphylaxis to wheat”, the authors identified the history of an infant consuming wheat, reacting with anaphylaxis, being treated for the immune response and then developing seizures. The authors did question whether anaphylaxis caused the onset of seizures or was it the medication used for treatment of the anaphylaxis. The purpose of the report was to explore that anaphylaxis led to the manifestation of seizures.
The particular infant referenced, tested positive IgE antibodies to wheat. NO underlying root causes were found to cause seizures. The infant was born healthy with normal development prior to the wheat exposure, anaphylaxis and seizures. The infant was discharged, with strict avoidance to wheat, with no further seizures reported.
The authors postulate that the disruption of the blood brain barrier can occur with pro-inflammatory cytokines causing a peripheral spread to the central nervous system. In more detail, they explain, once the blood brain barrier is permeated, there is substantial risk for neurons to be vulnerable to immunological insults. The authors suggest that the cause of the child’s seizures resulted from an immune response to a food, in this child’s case, wheat.
Complex immunological mechanisms that regulate the allergic reaction may play a key role in central nervous system manifestations. One important area studied is the alteration of blood-brain barrier as a result of immune dysfunction and inflammation. The disruption of the blood-brain barrier by the activation of brain mast cells can lead to local neuronal inflammation that could constitute an epileptogenic focus [6].
Likewise, the authors reference this study “Epileptic seizures as a manifestation of cow’s milk allergy: a studied relationship and description of our pediatric experience“. A similar experience occurred.
In addition, several cases of cow’s milk protein allergy in the literature have documented neurological involvement, manifesting with convulsive seizures in children. This may be due to CNS spread of a peripheral inflammatory response. Furthermore, there is evidence that pro-inflammatory cytokines are responsible for disrupting the blood-brain barrier, causing focal CNS inflammation thereby triggering seizures, although further studies are needed to clarify the pathogenic relationship between atopy and its neurological manifestations. This review aims to analyze current published data on the link between cow’s milk protein allergy and epileptic events, highlighting scientific evidence for any potential pathogenic mechanism and describing our clinical experience in pediatrics.
Both of these papers discuss a child’s immediate reaction to a food, wheat or dairy. However, the emphasis of this discussion is the pro-inflammatory response that can permeate the blood brain barrier and expose the neurons to inflammation that can cause an epileptigenic focus, from a FOOD! In the functional world, inflammation can occur immediately, as in these two referenced journals, and/or over time due to delayed inflammatory responses. Regardless of the response time in an individual, this science reinforces that foods can cause seizures.
Bringing much light,
Lynn
