Endorphins effects and signs?

[mycrofft]

Silly dumb question, but does extreme endorphin release (such as obstacle racing) cause pinpoint pupils?

 

[MrJones]

According to the book New Horizons in the Neuroscience of Consciousness yes, endorphins cause pinpoint pupils.

...The "runner's high" has been described by athletes as "pure happiness, elation, a feeling of unity with oneself and/or nature, endless peacefulness, inner harmony, boundless energy, and reduction in pain sensation" (Dietrich and McDaniel, 2004). These sensations have previously been attributed to release of endorphins (endogenous opioids) by exercise, but the evidence is equivocal since it is based entirely on measurement of endorphins in circulating blood and endorphins do not cross the blood-brain barrier. Also, endorphins depress respiration and cause pinpoint pupils, changes not seen in runners.

 

[mycrofft]

According to the book New Horizons in the Neuroscience of Consciousness yes, endorphins cause pinpoint pupils.

If endorphins don't cross the blood brain barrier, how do they cause pinpoint pupils?

Had a runner who didn't eat and took an unknown "cleanse" product over two days, bailed the race and showed up hypothermic (despite 73 degrees ambient) with leg and lower abd cramps, pinpoint pupils, altered LOC. Weak salt water plus a banana, sitting rest, thermal blanket and trashbag poncho restored her in 30 minutes. No VS,. it's race first aid, but her pulse was around 84/reg and slight tremor (shivering?).

 

[MrJones]

If endorphins don't cross the blood brain barrier, how do they cause pinpoint pupils?

Well, if I were a guessing man, I'd say that the authors were more than a bit sloppy by not differentiating between the endorphins released into the blood from the pituitary gland and the endorphins released into the CNS from hypothalamic neurons. The former cannot cross the blood-brain barrier, while the latter are likely responsible for the pinpoint pupils about which you were asking.

 

[mycrofft]

Well, if I were a guessing man, I'd say that the authors were more than a bit sloppy by not differentiating between the endorphins released into the blood from the pituitary gland and the endorphins released into the CNS from hypothalamic neurons. The former cannot cross the blood-brain barrier, while the latter are likely responsible for the pinpoint pupils about which you were asking.

Maybe a sloppy editor...
Agreed.

THanks!

 

[berkeman]

Had a runner who didn't eat and took an unknown "cleanse" product over two days, bailed the race and showed up hypothermic (despite 73 degrees ambient) with leg and lower abd cramps, pinpoint pupils, altered LOC. Weak salt water plus a banana, sitting rest, thermal blanket and trashbag poncho restored her in 30 minutes. No VS,. it's race first aid, but her pulse was around 84/reg and slight tremor (shivering?).

Sounds a bit like hyponatremia. How much was she drinking? How much was she peeing and what color? Did she say she was hungry when you were assessing her?

 

[mycrofft]

Sounds a bit like hyponatremia. How much was she drinking? How much was she peeing and what color? Did she say she was hungry when you were assessing her?

She was being treated at a first aid level, I was nearby keeping an eye on things. As she was getting much better after the polyethylene poncho was applied, I let it run its course. So, no answer to those questions. If she had been using a "cleansing" (scream/pulling my remaining hair out) oral product, I assume she had been experiencing a laxative effect, likely wasting potassium. Very nice lady, very earnest, sorry she couldn't finish this year's event.

This is one issue about staffing only first aiders at such events. Yes, 90% of cases involve first aid, but some will either obviously exceed first aid limitations (such as giving material orally to a person with ALOC), or go unrecognized because they are mistaken for less-serious conditions.

 

[berkeman]

She was being treated at a first aid level, I was nearby keeping an eye on things. As she was getting much better after the polyethylene poncho was applied, I let it run its course. So, no answer to those questions. If she had been using a "cleansing" (scream/pulling my remaining hair out) oral product, I assume she had been experiencing a laxative effect, likely wasting potassium. Very nice lady, very earnest, sorry she couldn't finish this year's event.

This is one issue about staffing only first aiders at such events. Yes, 90% of cases involve first aid, but some will either obviously exceed first aid limitations (such as giving material orally to a person with ALOC), or go unrecognized because they are mistaken for less-serious conditions.

Understood. Hey, any idea why she was "cleansing" before the event? I volunteer at a number of triathlons (including ironman triathlons), half/full marathons, etc. during the summer, and haven't heard any athletes mentioning cleansing so far. Have you heard it mentioned before?

 

[mycrofft]

Understood. Hey, any idea why she was "cleansing" before the event? I volunteer at a number of triathlons (including ironman triathlons), half/full marathons, etc. during the summer, and haven't heard any athletes mentioning cleansing so far. Have you heard it mentioned before?

I haven't, but one could get a better idea by searching sites like Muddernation, etc. There is sort of a subcultural folk medicine thing going on, with advice like drink the juice off of bottled pickles so you won't cramp up (can be rich in calcium chloride, sodium chloride, preservatives, etc), so that might be there.

EDIT Here's one off the top of my Google:
http://muddernation.com/forum/topic...53058:Comment:519633&x=1#6453058Comment519633

Last year I was stricken by the number of hypothermia pts who were not eating properly in advance, depending upon "power bars" and "sports shakes" and whatever. (Do astronauts drink Cosmic Concoctions? Or surgeons gnaw on "Tremor-killer Treats"? I think not).