The Structural Foundation
Scientists estimate that the human brain contains nearly 1 million miles
of cerebral pathways between an approximate 100 billion neurons and their
corresponding 100 trillion synapses. To get a mental picture of the sheer
vastness of these numbers, consider that the earth is a mere 238,863 miles from
the moon, or that a stack of 100 billion pieces of paper would be about 5,000
miles high, the distance from San Francisco to London.
In the space of a single heartbeat, trillions of combined electrical
and neuronal action-potential-transmitting impulses abound throughout this galaxy
of 100 billion neurons. Many of these neurons and their associated pathways
control our ability to concentrate and remember. Their efficiency determines
how well an individual perceives and learns, ultimately determining the
character and quality of that individual’s life.
Stress Check
The brain’s remarkable ability to perceive, perform, remember and
learn is severely challenged by today’s stressful emotional, mental and physical
environments. Left unchecked, these environmental factors may significantly
accelerate the decline in nerve cell activity that normally occurs with age.
Phosphatidyl Serine is a potent supplement that helps provide the
brain with the support and energy it needs to deal with the physical and mental
stresses of an ever-changing environment.
The brain’s response to stress also appears to be related to
phosphatidyl serine. Increased circulating concentrations of phosphatidyl
serine also may attenuate endocrine responses to acute stress.
Phosphatidyl Serine, the Major Phospholipid
As a key bio-structural molecule, phosphatidyl serine provides vital
support for membrane proteins that enable nerve cells to communicate, survive
and grow.
Within the healthy human brain, phosphatidyl serine is a basic
structural component of the endoplasmic reticulum, nuclear envelope, Golgi
apparatus, inner (cytosolic) leaflet of the plasma membrane, outer
mitochondrial membrane and myelin.
Adequate intramembrane phosphatidyl serine content is required for the
fusion of intraneuronal secretory granules within the presynaptic membrane, and
for subsequent release of neurotransmitter molecules into the synaptic cleft.
· Within the brain, phosphatidyl serine is
incorporated into neuronal cell membranes, influencing metabolism of the
neurotransmitters acetylcholine, norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine.
· Adequate intramembrane phosphatidyl serine
content is required for efficient neurotransmission throughout the human
nervous system.
· Dietary supplementation with phosphatidyl serine
supports intracellular communication by increasing the fluidity of cell
membranes.
· Adequate intramembrane phosphatidyl serine
content is required for proper postsynaptic neurotransmitter receptor
interactions.
· Increasing supply of phosphatidyl serine to the
human brain supports acetylcholine synthesis, which in turn supports human
cognitive functioning.
