Negative Ions to Help Treat Mania
Last year I talked about some of the nasty problems that can be caused by the hot dry winds that blow in many parts of the planet.
I have just seen that a paper that I was asked to look at a few months ago has just appeared in print, though according to the journal it came out in February!
The investigators used a negative ionizer to augment the treatment of 20 acutely manic people. It was a standard double-blind crossover study with raters who did not know who had received what treatment.
The negative ions did indeed produce a significant improvement in manic symptoms. We already know that atmospheric ions can have an impact on serotonin levels in some parts of the brain, and that could be the mechanism of action.
It is surprising that there has been so little research into such a simple intervention, though it is important to note that the patients were also receiving medications. But it would be valuable to see if such a simple environmental change could modulate serious mood problems before they get to the level of needing hospitalization.
Dr. Richard G. Petty, MD is a world-renowned authority on the brain, and his revolutionary work on human energy systems has been acclaimed around the globe.
He is also an accredited specialist in internal and metabolic medicine, endocrinology, psychiatry, acupuncture and homeopathy. He has been an innovator and leader of the human potential movement for over thirty years and is also an active researcher, teacher, writer, professional speaker and broadcaster. He is the author of five books, including the groundbreaking and best selling CD series Healing, Meaning and Purpose. He has taught in over 45 countries and 48 states in the last ten years, but spends as much time as possible on his horse farm in Georgia.
