Our mitochondria are essentially our most advanced yet simultaneously most ancient environmental sensors within our cells, and our modern indoor (sun fearing) environment and lifestyles are severely compromising to them. Combined with the prolific westernized, ultra processed convenience foods that are dangerously nutrient deficient, as are our soils from conventional farming practices, then you literally have malnutritioned individuals with primeval alarm bells ringing!
They are indeed looking for something, their internal sensors (including the microbiome) are also looking for nourishment- nourishment includes food, drink, connection and spirit.
I would say, your theory and theirs are both correct, coming at the problem from different directions, but arriving in the same place😉👏👏👏
I have often thought those I know with dementia have been through some stressful times in their lives, and or have experienced extreme loneliness. In both cases, the outcome is the same. Gary, life is difficult no matter who you are or where you live. And obviously life is extremely hard in some instances.
Very interesting assessment. In essence, the brain’s coping mechanism blocks what it perceives as debilitating. I’m thinking of my grandfather who, the last six or so years of his life, was totally deaf and blind. The only communication with him was through touch which totally nonverbal. I wondered what he was thinking about, or was he in a quasi hibernation state. Thank you for this very interesting post.
May 28, 2023·edited May 28, 2023Liked by Gary Sharpe
I think you are correct. "If I am correct about this, that the triggering of ancient hibernation circuits helps to explain some fraction of cases of dementia due to chronic loneliness/separation being the main chronic stressor which is switching these circuits on, then they way we treat and care for folks suffering due to this, requires a massive paradigm shift. This would include providing therapies like grief counselling, and making anyone with early signs feel embedded and valued in a supportive community, as a priority."
From what I have observed in Australia (and in Europe), the society has decided to shorten the life of people and not to facilitate the life of people with different abilities including people in a state of dementia. Life as a wholistic experience is no longer supported by the Modern concept of society (and its policies, including how care is manged, financed and provided at all levels). Thank you for your very insightful and soothing articles.
Finally got to this post Gary, very interesting hypothesis.
I've yet to listen to the podcast, but will.
My mother is in the early (diagnosed) stages of dementia - loss of short term memory - living at home with her spouse. She is sharp in the moment, very good long term and would drive if legally able to. Our (family) concern is not that she could not navigate traffic, but that she would forget where she was going or confuse directions and/or where she ended up - then be stuck/lost. Your post prompted me to review the history of her illness, to look for signs of hibernation.
The only factor that made foraging sense, might have been the socialization and contact. However, she has always been independent and at the early recognizable memory "slips" (keys purse, phone, appointments) she lived close to my brother and his family (to include grand/great grandkids), who made sure she was part of their lives and days...calls, visits, invites to meals during the week and more. Honestly, what I would expect the ideal situation would be, for an ageing parent. So it seemed there was no lack there, she would need to forage for...maybe.
She has since moved and as her illness as progressed and driving was lost (which is HUGE to her - as it'd be for many), I wonder if your hypothesis kicks in. She sees the driving as her connection to socialization and the outside world. Although, her husband would drive her anywhere, anytime and there are plenty of city/county programs that offer shuttle service. She herself recognizes, that the lack of larger socialization, is affecting her memory. Indeed during week long visits, she livens up, conversations are deeper and fuller, her mood changes and she is "happier". But she's stuck on the loss of independence and so all outside interaction (aside from medical appointments) are unattainable to her. It all makes sense, with the research I've done.
General thought:
As you point out, your theory may not apply to everyone. I wonder what the factors are, that predispose certain people to the hibernation phenomenon. Since we have seen huge stressors in individual and collective societies, but not wide spread dementia - what are the markers for this...more rhetorical, than asking for a checklist.
I wonder what changes to the care model, could be made to deal with this possibility?
I also wonder how mini-strokes play into this...would they mimic this theory, as small parts of the brain are shutdown/killed. Especially since few ever know they've had multiple strokes. I was made aware of these, via my mother's neurology work-up.
According to Ian McGilcrest who I have been listening to on Youtube University , he says we have two sides to our mind - one is out reach and survival , with the focus being limited to the goal , and on the other side , the state of being , observant to what is happening , and maintaining the status quo . Mr McGilcrest says that in Males , the two lobes are not balanced , the reach and grab is more 'Large" than the Sit and share and be side . IN the female , the two sides are more evenly balanced . However , we have been all living in a grab for it culture and most of our systems are structured on access , rather than providence . In a world where , as Jaine Benson wrote , the management of needs is being done harmoniously , the patient is able to easily function . My mom's Alzheimers is fake , and I can tell it , because it is a game she is playing to get everybody under her control. This sounds so strange to say , but she always was living in that grab grab world , and it is obvious to me after all these years . IF she can remember tuna or ham , but can't remember the name of her grand daughter , ever , no . I do not accept this . I did watch a cool tictoc of a bride who's dad did not know her , but she sat him down with a canvas and paints , and suddenly he was able to see her . I believe that this was NOT fake . Inside of the practice of art , writing , and lets say putting on makeup , or feeding the self with utensils - fork spoon , whatever , there is a GRAB HOLD element , that meets with the I AM ME BEING ME element . In the Montessori school that I did a tiny gig teaching french and spanish and japanese , ha ha , it was FUN , the genius head mistress Patricia Fozdik said " Put something in their hands , then they can THINK ." - So , this getting a GRIP on something with the grabbing hand , that itself refers to self managment and care , is the WAY to go with getting people back in a balanced brain state . I have watched a woman talk about her traumatizing cult experience on a podcast , all the while knitting a very very complex pattern , when asked about it , she said
"If I did not knit I would be tearing at my face with my fingernails " -- I am personally on this facinating quest for that intermediary pathway that allows us to FUNCTION , and also to BE . As always , Gary , thank you for the air space here in this little comment box , and THANK YOU for being you , for writing and sharing and doing as you are doing . Keep Going Strong !
I have had a pet theory about dementia, born out of some caring experiences. Every one of them had been under anaesthetics just prior to displaying dementia signs. My own father was the most noticeable change. He was firing on all channels just fine when he went into hospital for an operation on his prostate. Thereafter, he rapidly lost his memory and slowly declined until he hardly knew who anyone was..... I wonder if anaesthetics should be scrutinised?
i really appreciate the depth of your research and integration here Gary, and i never gave much thought to hibernation in this respect. i also didn't know that small animals killed and regenerated their brain cells using hibernation!
Fascinating article, Gary. I do question the evolutionary efficacy of short-term memory loss in foraging though. Wouldn't we need that to remember where we had just foraged? Also, my father suffered from dementia and exhibited a number of similar symptoms along with the short-term memory loss (sugar cravings, sleeping a lot, mood changes) but he was not moved to a care home and had a very loving wife and friends around him almost up to the time he died. It is a very complex subject but I sense there is definitely something to this, and linked to the dorsal vagus shutdown trauma response.
Much thanks for peering over my shoulder while over at Mathew's place. I had opened your stack here almost as soon as you had posted, but gotten so absorbed in the implications for a teaching gig I have in Japan, I had failed to come back and comment.
Intuitively, the importance of community for we social primates, and the lack of those bonds sound like they should have a high correlation with dementia. I had not read of the studies, or the article about children sleeping as a traumatic response, but in thinking about some volunteer experiences in rural Cambodia, as tough as their lives were, the communal sharing of burdens seemed to leave them psychologikcally healthier than many of the Japanese volunteers that accompanied me.
Sunlight is also something many of us, esp elderly in care homes, do not get much of. We need it, really more than even food - on our bodies as naked as possible with no sunscreen, and even a little in our eyes, especially at sunrise when the atmosphere protects the eyes from too much.
Perhaps, its both.
Our mitochondria are essentially our most advanced yet simultaneously most ancient environmental sensors within our cells, and our modern indoor (sun fearing) environment and lifestyles are severely compromising to them. Combined with the prolific westernized, ultra processed convenience foods that are dangerously nutrient deficient, as are our soils from conventional farming practices, then you literally have malnutritioned individuals with primeval alarm bells ringing!
They are indeed looking for something, their internal sensors (including the microbiome) are also looking for nourishment- nourishment includes food, drink, connection and spirit.
I would say, your theory and theirs are both correct, coming at the problem from different directions, but arriving in the same place😉👏👏👏
I have often thought those I know with dementia have been through some stressful times in their lives, and or have experienced extreme loneliness. In both cases, the outcome is the same. Gary, life is difficult no matter who you are or where you live. And obviously life is extremely hard in some instances.
Very interesting assessment. In essence, the brain’s coping mechanism blocks what it perceives as debilitating. I’m thinking of my grandfather who, the last six or so years of his life, was totally deaf and blind. The only communication with him was through touch which totally nonverbal. I wondered what he was thinking about, or was he in a quasi hibernation state. Thank you for this very interesting post.
I think you are correct. "If I am correct about this, that the triggering of ancient hibernation circuits helps to explain some fraction of cases of dementia due to chronic loneliness/separation being the main chronic stressor which is switching these circuits on, then they way we treat and care for folks suffering due to this, requires a massive paradigm shift. This would include providing therapies like grief counselling, and making anyone with early signs feel embedded and valued in a supportive community, as a priority."
From what I have observed in Australia (and in Europe), the society has decided to shorten the life of people and not to facilitate the life of people with different abilities including people in a state of dementia. Life as a wholistic experience is no longer supported by the Modern concept of society (and its policies, including how care is manged, financed and provided at all levels). Thank you for your very insightful and soothing articles.
Finally got to this post Gary, very interesting hypothesis.
I've yet to listen to the podcast, but will.
My mother is in the early (diagnosed) stages of dementia - loss of short term memory - living at home with her spouse. She is sharp in the moment, very good long term and would drive if legally able to. Our (family) concern is not that she could not navigate traffic, but that she would forget where she was going or confuse directions and/or where she ended up - then be stuck/lost. Your post prompted me to review the history of her illness, to look for signs of hibernation.
The only factor that made foraging sense, might have been the socialization and contact. However, she has always been independent and at the early recognizable memory "slips" (keys purse, phone, appointments) she lived close to my brother and his family (to include grand/great grandkids), who made sure she was part of their lives and days...calls, visits, invites to meals during the week and more. Honestly, what I would expect the ideal situation would be, for an ageing parent. So it seemed there was no lack there, she would need to forage for...maybe.
She has since moved and as her illness as progressed and driving was lost (which is HUGE to her - as it'd be for many), I wonder if your hypothesis kicks in. She sees the driving as her connection to socialization and the outside world. Although, her husband would drive her anywhere, anytime and there are plenty of city/county programs that offer shuttle service. She herself recognizes, that the lack of larger socialization, is affecting her memory. Indeed during week long visits, she livens up, conversations are deeper and fuller, her mood changes and she is "happier". But she's stuck on the loss of independence and so all outside interaction (aside from medical appointments) are unattainable to her. It all makes sense, with the research I've done.
General thought:
As you point out, your theory may not apply to everyone. I wonder what the factors are, that predispose certain people to the hibernation phenomenon. Since we have seen huge stressors in individual and collective societies, but not wide spread dementia - what are the markers for this...more rhetorical, than asking for a checklist.
I wonder what changes to the care model, could be made to deal with this possibility?
I also wonder how mini-strokes play into this...would they mimic this theory, as small parts of the brain are shutdown/killed. Especially since few ever know they've had multiple strokes. I was made aware of these, via my mother's neurology work-up.
According to Ian McGilcrest who I have been listening to on Youtube University , he says we have two sides to our mind - one is out reach and survival , with the focus being limited to the goal , and on the other side , the state of being , observant to what is happening , and maintaining the status quo . Mr McGilcrest says that in Males , the two lobes are not balanced , the reach and grab is more 'Large" than the Sit and share and be side . IN the female , the two sides are more evenly balanced . However , we have been all living in a grab for it culture and most of our systems are structured on access , rather than providence . In a world where , as Jaine Benson wrote , the management of needs is being done harmoniously , the patient is able to easily function . My mom's Alzheimers is fake , and I can tell it , because it is a game she is playing to get everybody under her control. This sounds so strange to say , but she always was living in that grab grab world , and it is obvious to me after all these years . IF she can remember tuna or ham , but can't remember the name of her grand daughter , ever , no . I do not accept this . I did watch a cool tictoc of a bride who's dad did not know her , but she sat him down with a canvas and paints , and suddenly he was able to see her . I believe that this was NOT fake . Inside of the practice of art , writing , and lets say putting on makeup , or feeding the self with utensils - fork spoon , whatever , there is a GRAB HOLD element , that meets with the I AM ME BEING ME element . In the Montessori school that I did a tiny gig teaching french and spanish and japanese , ha ha , it was FUN , the genius head mistress Patricia Fozdik said " Put something in their hands , then they can THINK ." - So , this getting a GRIP on something with the grabbing hand , that itself refers to self managment and care , is the WAY to go with getting people back in a balanced brain state . I have watched a woman talk about her traumatizing cult experience on a podcast , all the while knitting a very very complex pattern , when asked about it , she said
"If I did not knit I would be tearing at my face with my fingernails " -- I am personally on this facinating quest for that intermediary pathway that allows us to FUNCTION , and also to BE . As always , Gary , thank you for the air space here in this little comment box , and THANK YOU for being you , for writing and sharing and doing as you are doing . Keep Going Strong !
Hi Gary,
Fascinating ideas about dementia. Thank you!
I have had a pet theory about dementia, born out of some caring experiences. Every one of them had been under anaesthetics just prior to displaying dementia signs. My own father was the most noticeable change. He was firing on all channels just fine when he went into hospital for an operation on his prostate. Thereafter, he rapidly lost his memory and slowly declined until he hardly knew who anyone was..... I wonder if anaesthetics should be scrutinised?
i really appreciate the depth of your research and integration here Gary, and i never gave much thought to hibernation in this respect. i also didn't know that small animals killed and regenerated their brain cells using hibernation!
Fascinating article, Gary. I do question the evolutionary efficacy of short-term memory loss in foraging though. Wouldn't we need that to remember where we had just foraged? Also, my father suffered from dementia and exhibited a number of similar symptoms along with the short-term memory loss (sugar cravings, sleeping a lot, mood changes) but he was not moved to a care home and had a very loving wife and friends around him almost up to the time he died. It is a very complex subject but I sense there is definitely something to this, and linked to the dorsal vagus shutdown trauma response.
Hi Gary!
Much thanks for peering over my shoulder while over at Mathew's place. I had opened your stack here almost as soon as you had posted, but gotten so absorbed in the implications for a teaching gig I have in Japan, I had failed to come back and comment.
Intuitively, the importance of community for we social primates, and the lack of those bonds sound like they should have a high correlation with dementia. I had not read of the studies, or the article about children sleeping as a traumatic response, but in thinking about some volunteer experiences in rural Cambodia, as tough as their lives were, the communal sharing of burdens seemed to leave them psychologikcally healthier than many of the Japanese volunteers that accompanied me.
As a proxy, I just took a look at the world suicide rate by countries, but knowing what I know about 'official' statistics coming out of Japan, can only take this with a couple of spoons of salt. https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/suicide-rate-by-country
Cheers Gary, and sorry to be such a poor correspondent lately. Life just has a way of sneaking up on ya.
steve
It's amazing how often "scarcity" is made to play a role in our understanding of the life of our distant ancestors...It effin' tells us nothing...
It is an essential ingredient in economic models, since 'life is brutish and short" became an argument for capitalist economics...
As for 'chronic loneliness, isolation/seperation, abandonment and loss/grief' - there's certainly a lot of Emotional Scarcity these days...
Although "With a cellphone - You are Never Alone" seems to compensate the many young...
There's an even bigger factor. Aluminum.
Dr Chris Exley was doing a study on brains in the brain bank that had Alzheimer's and autism and found most had high levels of aluminum in the brain.
I appreciate these other discoveries, but they ignore the elephant in the room, toxicity.
Sunlight is also something many of us, esp elderly in care homes, do not get much of. We need it, really more than even food - on our bodies as naked as possible with no sunscreen, and even a little in our eyes, especially at sunrise when the atmosphere protects the eyes from too much.