Article by Lisa Jersey
Growth hormone is more than just a chemical in the body that stimulates linear growth and maturation during puberty. It is a substance necessary throughout one’s life and has a significant impact on the brain. Growth hormone receptors in regions of the brain associated with learning, cognition, and memory keep mental functions sharp. The impact of growth hormone on central nervous activity is currently undergoing studies throughout the world to ascertain future benefits from treatment with human growth hormone therapy.
The following regions of the brain contain growth hormone receptors:
Choroid plexus
Hippocampus
Hypothalamus
Spinal cord
In the early years of adulthood, the pituitary gland secretes a significant amount of growth hormone to target the body’s many GH receptors. As a person ages, the volume declines; reducing the signals that each receptor receives. This impacts central nervous activity and brain functions in many ways.
The choroid plexus implements the transport of growth hormone across the crucial blood-brain barrier, allowing the signals of GH, and its mediator – insulin growth factor 1 – to enter the brain and reach the targeted growth hormone and IGF-1 receptors.
The hypothalamus provides crucial signals that regulate hormone secretion. Its messages go to the pituitary gland, where growth hormone is then released.
The hippocampus is an area of the brain that plays a vital role in both cognitive functions and memory recall. If its GH receptor cells do not receive an adequate signal of growth hormone, a person may experience difficulty in processing and committing to memory newly learned information, as well as being able to recall previously stored memories.
The spinal cord is the least studied area of GH impact at this time, but the future may hold clues to using human growth hormone as a way to help in the repair of spinal cord injuries. Please see the final section for additional information.
Growth hormone deficiency
In reports of the effect of HGH in adults treated for growth hormone deficiency, beneficial improvements in mental alertness, memory, working capacity, and motivation have been documented. Positive psychological changes including improved mood, the perception of quality of life, and emotional well-being have been shown. Since growth hormone levels are typically low in patients with Alzheimer’s disease, there is hope that treatment with HGH will bring positive improvements in these situations, as well. Some small studies with growth hormone releasing hormone have shown positive improvements, but more research is still needed on the use of HGH for patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
HGH Therapy and Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injury affects the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. It impairs production of specific chemicals, especially growth hormone. GH deficiency is well-documented in cases of TBI, increasingly so when the damage is labeled moderate to severe. This is also one of the reasons why people with severe traumatic brain injury tend to put on weight at a rapid pace. Growth hormone plays a significant role in food metabolism. TBI affects emotion, attention, memory, and executive functioning. GH is neuroprotective, meaning that it can promote nerve tissue regeneration and increase the survival of damaged nerve cells.
Current studies are assessing the benefits of HGH therapy in patients with traumatic brain injury. One study included patients at least one year after their TBI. Pituitary functions, attention, memory, and executive function were all assessed. 23 patients were treated with human growth hormone therapy, and 27 did not receive HGH treatment. Comparing the measurements at baseline to those one year later showed that most of the cognitive parameters, verbal memory recall, and spatial orientation had improved in the GH-treated patients.
HGH and Nerve Regeneration: Is it Possible?
Additional research is showing incredible results for men and women suffering from the effects of spinal cord injury. A study on growth hormone-treated rats with left sciatic nerve damage showed enhanced functional recovery of the damage nerves. There was increased cellularity at the lesion site, including an abundant proliferation of Schwann cells and immunoreactive axons.
National HRT already told us that bone fractures heal faster from treatment with HGH. This is due to growth hormone’s role in cellular regeneration. Again, GH works together with IGF-1 to stimulate the process of reproducing new cells. With more cells able to target the damaged areas, repair can occur at an increased rate.
Ongoing studies of various hormones for the treatment of central nervous system injuries and diseases will likely bring positive changes in the way patients are treated in the future. The first thing to do if any form of cognitive impairment is noted is to contact a hormone replacement therapy specialists for comprehensive diagnostic blood analysis to check each of the crucial blood hormone levels. Treatment for hormonal imbalance should only be conducted by an experienced medical specialist in the field of hormone replacement.
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