Petra Buchanan
Abstract:
Down Syndrome (DS) is the most common genetic disorder and has been characterized as a
neurogedenerative disease, leading to early aging and Alzheimer’s development in over 97% of
affected individuals.
Numerous mechanistical studies have determined the biochemical changes that the
addititional chromosome 21 causes, but only very few clinical studies on treating trisomy 21 with
TNI exist. Individuals with DS show systemic oxidative stress, due to SOD1 overexpression, which
contributes to early aging and loss of neurons. Due to alterations in the blood-brain barrier, certain
minerals can be deposited in the brain, leading to local inflammation processes. Since DS can also
be characterized as an immune disorder, with chronicly elevated levels of proinflammatory
cytokines such as IL-6, brain inflammation can be sustained. Furthermore, changes in
neurotransmitter levels in the brain of individuals with DS involve overactivity of
acetylcholinesterase, leading to lower levels of acetylcholine in the brain, further adding to the
development of early Alzheimer’s disease.
TNI attempts to counterbalance many of the prominent genes involved in neurodegeneration
and cognitive development, such as SOD1, CBS, DYRK1A, MECP2, miRNA-155 and others.
Normalization of systemic oxidative stress, one-carbon metabolism, methylation, mitochondrial
dysfunction, as well as neurotrantsmitter levels of histamine and acetylcholine in the brain can lead
to improvements in speech, memory, learning, neurogenesis as well as fine motor abilities and may
prevent early development of Alzheimer’s.
Treating trisomy 21 early and comprehensively can improve quality of life of people with
DS and should be part of their medical care.
Biography:
Petra Buchanan has completed her PhD from the Friedrich-Alexander-University in Erlangen,
Germany and continued her postdoctoral studies in translational cancer research at the University of
California, San Francisco and the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, USA. She finished her
naturopathic training in 2019 and has a successful practice in Freiburg, Germany since May 2019,
where she is specializing in Funtional Medicine for children with Down Syndrome and other
neurodevelopmental diseases and chromosomal disorders. She develops individual treatment plans
based on the individual genetic and biochemical makeup.
