Migraines, Seizures & Gluten Sensitivity

[Zoe]

Finally, Some of my articles on gluten sensitivity and seizure disorders are online at Suite 101.

Seizures, or migraines may be the only symptom of gluten sensitivity. Any feedback on the articles is much appreciated.



http://chronicillness.suite101.com/a...en_sensitivity
http://epilepsy.suite101.com/article...stant_seizures

[Dutch mom]

http://highwire.stanford.edu/cgi/medline/pmid;19244266



Hippocampal sclerosis in refractory temporal lobe epilepsy is associated with gluten sensitivity.

Maria Peltola, Katri Kaukinen, Prasun Dastidar, Katri Haimila, Jukka Partanen, Anna-Maija Haapala, Markku Maki, Tapani Keranen, and Jukka Peltola

J. Neurol. Neurosurg. Psychiatry, February 24, 2009; .

Previously coeliac disease (CD) and gluten sensitivity (defined as the presence of anti-gliadin antibodies and positive immunogenetics) has been associated with cerebellar degeneration and epilepsy with occipital calcifications. Hippocampal sclerosis (HS) in temporal lobe epilepsy (temporal lobe epilepsy) is a potentially progressive disorder with unknown aetiology, and autoimmunity has been implicated in temporal lobe epilepsy+HS as one of the possible mechanism leading to HS.The purpose of this study is to analyze CD associated antibodies and gluten sensitivity in well characterized group of patients with refractory focal epilepsy. We measured anti-gliadin, anti-tTG and anti-EMA and celiac type HLA (DQ2 and DQ in 48 consecutive patients with therapy resistant localisation-related epilepsy. The patients were categorised temporal lobe epilepsy+HS (N=16), temporal lobe epilepsy-HS (N=16) and extratemporal epilepsy (N=16) based on ictal eletro-clinical characteristics and high resolution MRI. Patients with suspected CD or gluten sensitivity underwent duodenal biopsies. Seven patients were gluten sensitive, all of these patients had temporal lobe epilepsy+HS whereas none of the patients without HS were gluten sensitive (p< 0.0002). In duodenal biopsies three of the patients had histological evidence of CD and four had inflammatory changes consistent with early developing CD without villous atrophy. Four of the patients with gluten sensitivity had evidence of dual pathology (HS + another brain lesion) whereas none of the rest of patients did (p< 0.0002). The present study demonstrates a previously unrecognized association between gluten sensitivity and temporal lobe epilepsy with hippocampal sclerosis. The association was very robust in this well characterised group of patients; thus gluten sensitivity should be added to the list of potential mechanism leading to intractable epilepsy and HS.

PMID: 19244266

[Zoe]

I've seen some of these reports. The chronic inflammation will start to damage the brain tissue, leading to the scarring-point where the seizure begins, seems to be the scenario. I think there is a connection between the sensitiviies that respond to the keto or modified Atkins diet and gluten sensitivity.

[dawn]

WOW i never knew there might be a connection between a gluten allergy and seizures.. All the women in my family have had a gluten sensitivity, yet my mum only suffers with absances, where as i have seizures and absances. My specialist has never mentioned anything about the possiblity of the connection.. I think i need to do more research on it so if u could name a few good books that might help i would appreciate it.

[Nakamova]

Here's a good book to start with. It does talk about the connection between gluten allergies and seizures.

http://thegluteneffect.com/

[RobinN]

(NaturalNews) New research shows that people with wheat allergies and gluten intolerance have a higher risk of heart disease, cancer and death. Gluten is a protein contained in many grains, including wheat, barley, rye, and oats. It is even found in more unusual grains, such as spelt and kamut. Gluten is also found in beer. Wheat or gluten intolerance plague many people and cause gastric disturbances, but research now shows chronic health conditions are triggered by gluten intolerance, gluten sensitivity, and the extreme form of wheat allergy called celiac disease.

Gluten sensitivity creates inflammation in the entire body, beginning in the gut. It is a form of autoimmune disease. Celiac disease, the chronic and most severe type of gluten intolerance, affects one in a hundred people. This is close to over three million in America alone. Less severe symptoms of gluten allergy or gluten sensitivity may affect as much as one third of the US population. Celiac disease is also called coeliac, nontropical sprue, celiac sprue, gluten intolerant enteropathy, or gluten sensitive enteropathy.

An article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reported on a study with over 30,000 patients. The data was collected from 1969 until 2008. Divided into three groups, the patients either had celiac, had intestinal inflammation but not full-blown celiac disease or had gluten sensitivity. Those individuals with full blown celiac disease had a 39% higher risk of death. The risk was 72% for those with intestinal inflammation, and 35% for those with gluten sensitivity.

Another study looked at the blood tests of ten thousand people from fifty years ago and compared them to tests on 10,000 people today. The study discovered a 400% increase in full-blown celiac disease. The results were measured by elevated antibodies in the blood, called TTG antibodies, which increase when there is a reaction to gluten.

Many people suffer from gluten intolerance and are not aware that this is the cause of their symptoms. Symptoms can include irritable bowel disease, canker sores, rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, osteoporosis, anemia, cancer, autoimmune disease, MS, and neurological problems such as depression, anxiety, dementia, schizophrenia, nerve damage, migraines, epilepsy, and autism.

The first step in eliminating gluten intolerance is to avoid all foods that contain gluten and see if symptoms go away. In addition to grains, gluten can be hidden in products such as soup, salad dressings, and even vitamins, stamps, and cosmetics. Gluten intolerance tests are available at doctor's offices as well. Alternative treatments involve liver cleansing, and digestive aids, such as probiotics.

http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/conten...
http://www.celiac.com/
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddis...
http://www.gluten.net/
http://www.naturalnews.com/027574_p...

http://www.naturalnews.com/028145_gl...ce_cancer.html

[Zoe]

Another option is to try the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, which was originally developed for celiac disease. The doc who developed it, Sidney Haas, around 1950, cure hundreds of patients who had been diagnosed with celiac.
Elaine Gottshall who wrote about the diet has passed away. However, her old website is still available and has tons of good information and recipes.
http://www.scdiet.org/
Zoe