The Perrin Technique
The Science
A physical disorder, not a psychological condition with physical symptoms.
This section is designed to explain the science behind The Perrin Technique theory by breaking down the different body parts, systems and their functions, which when not working properly can cause ME/CFS, FMS and long-Covid.
Since the 1980s Dr Perrin has hypothesised ME/CFS and FMS were a biophysical disorder rather than the accepted view at the time of the conditions being psychosomatic.
Dr Perrin hypothesises a breakdown in the automatic nervous system which causes a breakdown in the lymphatic system, leading to a build up of toxins within the body and central nervous system. These toxins interfere neurologically with every day brain functions and cause a range of physical symptoms.
Thankfully, modern medicine is in agreement now that these conditions are a biophysical disorder with a host of research that, whilst independent of Dr Perrin, backs up his hypothesis.
For more detailed information please see Dr Perrin’s published works.
Blood Brain Barrier
The blood brain barrier prevents potentially harmful compounds (toxins) in the blood entering the brain. It supplies brain tissues with nutrients, and helps maintain a healthy homeostasis of the brain’s microenvironment .
Historically the BBB challenged the idea of a glymphatic system. It is now proven there are 7 areas where the brain does not have this protection. In some circumstances the barrier’s integrity can be weakened, increasing permeability to toxicity.
CVOs
Circumventricular organs are extremely permeable and enable hormones and substances that trigger changes in brain function safe passage into the brain and through or around the blood brain barrier.
Hormones, for example, can be too large a molecule to pass through the blood brain barrier. So CVOs enable these larger molecules passage in and out of particular areas of the brain like the hypothalamus.
Biofeedback
The hypothalamus is vital in controlling many bodily functions like the release of hormones e.g. responding to increased blood glucose by sending signals from the brain to the pancreas to increase the body’s level of insulin.
This process is called biofeedback and is only possible by circumventricular organs allowing larger molecules like hormones to bypass the blood brain barrier. Yet, biofeedback also enables larger toxin molecules to pass into the brain.
Glymphatic System
Dr Perrin hypothesised this since 1989 which was discounted due to there being the blood brain barrier. Now it is widely accepted there is a system of drainage of toxins from the brain.
Named in 2013 due to its dependence upon glial cells and its similarities with the lymphatic system, the glymphatic system is a drainage system within the central nervous system.
Central Nervous System
Your brain and spinal cord make up the central nervous system, controlling everything you do such as, muscle movement, organ function, complex thinking and planning.
Cerebrospinal fluid protects this system and removes waste products from the brain, draining toxins through paravascular and perivascular spaces to deposit in the lymphatic system.
Drainage Channels
Paravascular spaces are gaps next to blood vessels and perivascular spaces are in arterial walls. Toxins pass through these, into the lymphatic system via perforations in the skull.
Drainage channels exist round the cribriform plate of the skull, and cranial nerves; the olfactory (nose) optic (eye), auditory (ear) and trigeminal (cheek) nerves, and down the spinal cord.
Lymphatic System
The lymphatic system is part of the immune system, consisting of tissues, lymph fossils and organs which are all connected by lymph nodes. It is a one-way drainage system pumping lymph around the body.
Lymph consists of white blood cells which fight infection, carrying bacteria or toxins to lymph nodes where lymphocytes break down bacteria, viruses, damaged and cancer cells.
Lymphatic Pump
Lymphatic vessels which transport lymph have walls like fish gills, engulfing and dispelling waste products and destroyed bacteria back into the bloodstream which is transferred to the liver to process.
The thoracic duct, located in the thoracic spine, controls and regulates the pumping of the lymphatic system and itself is controlled by the sympathetic nervous system.
SNS
The sympathetic nervous system originates in the spinal cord, traveling through the thoracic and upper lumbar spine. It controls involuntary actions like breathing, heart rate and our fight or flight response in dangerous or stressful situations.
The SNS can crash under sustained stress, disrupting the pumping mechanism and leading to toxins building up. It can even pump lymph the wrong way round the lymphatic system.
