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Signature Series:


The Pharmasan Labs, Inc. Signature Series includes neurotransmitters, stimulated cytokines, Immune Tolerance Testingฎ - Cytokines, and melatonin. The Research and Development arm of Pharmasan Labs, Inc. developed these tests to define the link between the Neuro-Endocrine-Immune connections in the body.


Urinary Neurotransmitters

The nervous system serves as the central control mechanism for nearly every bodily process. The brain maintains homeostasis within the body through the use of neurotransmitters, which act as chemical messengers for the trillions of connections between the brain and all other organs.

Despite the critical functions it governs, the nervous system is not impervious to disruption. Stress, infections, poor diet, toxins, and genetics have a direct impact on nervous system function and can negatively affect proper neurotransmission.

Disruption of communication within the nervous system, due to neurotransmitter imbalances, may lead to the manifestation of psychological, somatic and mood disorders, and related clinical complaints.

• Early effects of paroxetine on serotonin storage, plasma levels, and urinary excretion: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Kotzailias, N., Marker, M., & Jilma, B. (2004). J.Clin.Psychopharmacol., 24, 536-539. PMID: 15349011

• Increased urine phenylethylamine after methylphenidate treatment in children with ADHD. Kusaga A., Yamashita Y., Koeda T., Hiratani M., Kaneko M., Yamada S., Matsuishi T. (2002). Ann Neurol 52:372-374. PMID: 12205654

• Initial urinary epinephrine and cortisol levels predict acute PTSD symptoms in child trauma victims. Delahanty, D., Nugent, N., Christopher, N., Walsh, M. (2004). Psychoneuroendocrinology. 30(2):121-128. PMID: 15471610

• Nocturnal urinary dopamine excretion is reduced in otherwise healthy subjects with periodic leg movements in sleep. Cohrs, S., Zhenghua, G., Pohlman, K., Jordan, W., Pilz, J., Ruther, E., Rodenbeck, A. (2004). NeuroScience Letters. 360:161-164. PMID: 15082158

• Simple, rapid and sensitive determination of epinephrine and norepinephrine in urine and plasma by non-competitive enzyme immunoassay, compared with HPLC method. Westermann, J., Hubl, W., Kaiser, N., Salewski, L. (2002). Clinical Laboratory. 48(1-2):61-71. PMID: 11833678

• Szabo, S. T., Gould, T. D., & Manji, H. K. (2009). Neurotransmitters, receptors, signal transduction, and second messengers in psychiatric disorders. In The American Psychiatric Publishing Textbook of Psychopharmacology (4th ed.), (pp. 28). Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc.

• Chronic insomnia and activity of the stress system: a preliminary study. Vgontzas AN, Tsigos C., Bixler E.O., Stratakis C.A., Zachman K., Kales A., Vela-Bueno A., Chrousos G.P. (1998). J Psychosom Res 45:21-31. PMID: 9720852


Stimulated Cytokines

Cytokines secreted by white blood cells (WBC) affect cellular activation, suppression, differentiation, and migration. Different WBC types secrete and respond to different cytokines, so that assessing cytokine production patterns can help identify a skewed, activated, or impaired immune response. Measuring cytokine levels secreted by unstimulated WBCs provides clues about the current state of immune activation, while PHA and LPS stimulation indicate the WBCs' capacity to respond to immune challenges. JJ Oppenheim, JL Rossio, AJH Gearing. (1993). Clinical applications of cytokines: role in pathogenesis, diagnosis, and therapy. New York: Oxford University Press; NP Plotnikoff. (2007). Cytokines: stress and immunity. Boca Raton: CRC Press.


Immune Tolerance Test® (ITT®)-Cytokines Cytokines

ITT®-Cytokines measures both a cellular immune and cytokine response. The cellular response indicates the presence of an immune memory, while the cytokine assessment determines its activity. This two part assessment (presence and activity) is critical to understanding the root cause behind neuro-endo-immune system disturbances. Pharmasan Labs currently offers the MY Lyme Immune I.D.™ test utilizing the ITT® - Cytokines platform.

• MY Lyme Immune I.D.™ measures T cell proliferation and white blood cell cytokine production in response to provocation by recombinant Borrelia burgdorferi antigens. Reactivity can provide an indication of an inflammatory response to Borrelia infection that complements information provided by serological testing (ELISA, Western blot). Chronic Lyme disease can result in musculoskeletal pain, neurocognitive impairments, and psychomotor disorders. Valentine-Thon E, Ilsemann K, Sandkamp M. (2007). A novel lymphocyte transformation test (LTT-MELISA®) for Lyme borreliosis. Diagn Microbiol Infect Dis. 57:27–34; Berende A, et al. (2010). Activation of innate host defense mechanisms by Borrelia. Eur Cytokine Netw. 21(1):7-18; Fallon BA, et al. (1998). The underdiagnosis of neuropsychiatric Lyme disease in children and adults. Psychiatric Clinics North Am. 21(3):693-703.


Melatonin

Pharmasan Labs, Inc. offers the most used melatonin assay found in published research (n=26). Melatonin Research
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