How to Stimulate the Nucleus Basilis

The nucleus basalis, also known as the Nucleus basalis of Meynert (NBM) is a group of neurons in the forebrain that have been found to be in degenerated condition when Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease are present. Several studies that involve deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the NBM have shown that stimulating this group of nerve cells helps to activate neurons and may help to alleviate symptoms of these disorders, such as memory loss and cognitive dysfunction. Although DBS is a highly invasive procedure that is done in a medical setting, several natural herbs and substances may help you to stimulate the NBM on your own and help improve the conditions of those suffering from a neurological disorder.

Instructions

• 1

  Take Huperzine A. An extract of the Chinese herb Huperzia serrata, which was traditionally used to treat memory loss, Huperzine A is now being marketed as a natural anti-Alzheimer's drug. One of the primary functions of the nucleus basilis is the storage of acetylcholine and choline acetyltransferase, chemicals that are important for proper brain function. In Alzheimer's patients, plaques form on the nucleus basilis that are believed to inhibit the transmission of this important chemical and cause the behavioral impairments characteristic of this disease. A study published in the Journal of Cellular and Molecular Biology found that Huperzine A helps to activate choline production in the brain and reversed the effects of damage to the nucleus basilis caused by plaque.

• 2

  Drink Chinese Senega tea. Also known as Polygala tenuifolia or Yuan-zhi, this is also a Chinese herb with a long history of use as a treatment for cognitive disorders including memory loss and depression. A study published in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology gave a water extract (tea) of Chinese Senega to rats that were suffering from neurological impairments due to damage to their nucleus basalis. The researchers found that the rats given the tea showed improvements in memory and other cognitive function when compared to a control group of rats that were not given the tea. They concluded that the tea was able to repair some of the damage done to the nucleus basalis.

• 3

  Eat choline-rich foods. A study published in the Journal of Neural Transmission found that the levels of choline in the brain was inversely associated with the level of neuron loss in the nucleus basalis in patients suffering from dementia. What this means is that the more choline in the brain of these patients, the less damage was found to the nucleus basalis. Choline-rich foods include egg yolks, organ meats, dairy products, legumes and whole grains like oatmeal and rice bran.