Kainetics

01/18/2026

Systems matter 📝

🌊 What Is the Glymphatic System?

The glymphatic system is the brain’s unique waste clearance network, functioning similarly to the lymphatic system in the body—but with a twist. It was only discovered in 2012 by Dr. Maiken Nedergaard, and it has since changed how we understand neurodegeneration and brain inflammation.
This system relies on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to flush out waste products from brain tissue through perivascular pathways, facilitated by a type of glial cell called astrocytes. These cells regulate the flow of interstitial fluid and act as a conduit for metabolic clearance during deep sleep, especially in slow-wave sleep cycles.

🔥 When the Glymphatic System Is Inhibited: The Inflammatory Storm

When the glymphatic system is impaired, neurotoxic proteins—like beta-amyloid, tau proteins, and inflammatory cytokines—begin to accumulate in the brain's interstitial spaces. This accumulation triggers:
* Microglial activation, leading to chronic low-grade neuroinflammation
* Increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines like IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β
* Oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction within neurons
* Blood-brain barrier permeability ("leaky brain") and further immune dysregulation

Over time, this chronic inflammatory state can manifest as:
* Brain fog, memory issues, and cognitive decline
* Mood disorders such as anxiety and depression
* Increased risk of neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s
* Worsened systemic inflammation due to vagus nerve signaling disruption

🛌 Sleep, the Glymphatic Switch, and Circadian Health

The glymphatic system is most active during deep sleep, particularly during non-REM slow-wave phases. When sleep is disrupted—whether due to stress, screen exposure, sleep apnea, or erratic sleep cycles—the brain cannot engage in glymphatic flushing.
Sleep deprivation has been shown to:
* Increase extracellular beta-amyloid by up to 43% in a single night
* Decrease the expression of aquaporin-4 (AQP4) water channels in astrocytes, impairing fluid transport
* Heighten markers of neuroinflammation, including NF-κB signaling and glial activation

🧬 Systemic Inflammation and Glymphatic Dysfunction: A Two-Way Street

Interestingly, inflammation itself suppresses glymphatic flow. Research shows that systemic infections, autoimmune flares, and even gut dysbiosis can produce pro-inflammatory cytokines that reduce CSF dynamics and glymphatic activity.
Conversely, poor glymphatic clearance can worsen systemic inflammation by:
* Disrupting hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis signaling
* Altering vagal tone and the gut-brain-liver immune axis
* Impairing clearance of immune-modulating neurotransmitters like glutamate

🌿 How to Support Glymphatic Health

1. Prioritize Deep Sleep
* Aim for 7–9 hours of uninterrupted sleep in total darkness
* Use magnesium, L-theanine, or glycine to support non-REM sleep
* Avoid screens and caffeine 3+ hours before bedtime
2. Rebound, Stretch, and Move Your Spine
* Movement of the spine and neck enhances CSF circulation
* Manual lymphatic drainage may also indirectly stimulate glymphatic function
3. Hydration & Electrolyte Balance
* CSF production is heavily dependent on fluid status
* Add trace minerals or electrolytes to water to support fluid dynamics
4. Nutraceutical Support
* Resveratrol, turmeric (curcumin), omega-3s, and NAC reduce neuroinflammation
* Melatonin not only promotes deep sleep but enhances glymphatic activity
5. Cranial and Cervical Lymphatic Drainage
* Facial and neck MLD can relieve interstitial congestion
* Techniques like craniosacral therapy or vagal nerve stimulation may further support this network

🧠 Final Thought

The glymphatic system is a vital yet vulnerable detox engine for the brain. When impaired, it doesn’t just affect cognition—it can unleash a cascade of inflammatory dysfunction that spreads throughout the entire body.

By supporting this system through sleep hygiene, lymphatic stimulation, and anti-inflammatory practices, we lay the foundation for resilient mental, neurological, and immune health.

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01/16/2026

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01/16/2026

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01/16/2026

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01/15/2026

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🧠 The Trigeminal System: The Most Overlooked Link Between Head Injury, Headaches, Facial Pain, Autonomics & Brain Recovery

Most people have heard of the trigeminal nerve because of “trigeminal neuralgia” or sinus pain…
…but almost no one understands how MASSIVELY important the trigeminal system is for:
• Headaches & migraines
• Concussion & post-traumatic symptoms
• Facial and jaw pain
• TMJ dysfunction
• Sinus pressure
• Neck pain & cervicogenic headaches
• Autonomic dysregulation (light sensitivity, nausea, dizziness)
• Cerebral blood flow
• Neuroinflammation
• Cognitive fatigue
• Brain recovery

At The Functional Neurology Center, we evaluate the trigeminal system in every complex case — because it is one of the most influential and interconnected systems in the human nervous system.

This system is NOT just a facial nerve.
It is a brainstem, vascular, sensory, autonomic, and pain-modulating superhighway.

Let’s break down why it matters.

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🔍 What Is the Trigeminal System?

The trigeminal nerve (cranial nerve V) is the largest cranial nerve, with three major branches:
• V1 Ophthalmic – forehead, scalp, eye, dura, sinuses
• V2 Maxillary – cheeks, upper teeth, sinuses
• V3 Mandibular – jaw, lower teeth, TMJ, chewing muscles

It carries:

✔ Sensory input

Touch, pressure, pain, temperature, vibration, and proprioception from the head, face, jaw, sinuses, teeth, tongue, meninges, and blood vessels.

✔ Motor control

Muscles of chewing (masseter, temporalis, pterygoids), tensor tympani, and more.

✔ Autonomic & reflex connections

Deep links to parasympathetic nuclei, pupillary responses, salivation, tear production, and brainstem autonomics.

✔ Vascular & meningeal innervation

The trigeminal system innervates the meninges, dura, and cerebral blood vessels — making it a direct controller of brain vascular tone and blood flow dynamics.

The trigeminal ganglion and brainstem nuclei then relay information to:
• Thalamus
• Hypothalamus
• Insular cortex
• Somatosensory cortex
• Limbic/emotional centers
• Cerebellum
• Vestibular nuclei
• Autonomic brainstem nuclei
• Pain modulation systems (like PAG – periaqueductal gray)

This is why trigeminal input affects head pain, emotion, dizziness, visual comfort, sensory tolerance, and autonomic stability.

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🔥 The Trigeminovascular System: The Source of Most Headaches

One of the most important sub-systems is the Trigeminovascular System (TVS) — the network connecting trigeminal nerve endings to the dura + cranial blood vessels.

When activated by:
• Trauma
• Whiplash
• Concussion
• Stress
• TMJ strain
• Sinus inflammation
• Neck dysfunction
• Vascular irritation

…the TVS releases inflammatory neuropeptides like:
• CGRP
• Substance P
• Neurokinin A

This causes:

✔ Blood vessel dilation

✔ Neurogenic inflammation

✔ Increased pain sensitivity

✔ Facial & head pain

✔ Migraine-like symptoms

✔ Autonomic symptoms (nausea, light sensitivity)

This is the core mechanism behind:
• Migraines
• Tension headaches
• Sinus headaches
• Post-traumatic headaches
• Occipital headaches that radiate behind the eye
• TMJ-driven head pain
• Concussion headaches

If you irritate the trigeminal system, you can trigger headache physiology — even without a direct head injury.

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🧠 Concussion & the Trigeminal System: The Missing Link

Here’s the part most providers miss:

The trigeminal system is DIRECTLY affected after concussion.

Concussion creates:
• Shearing forces on the brainstem
• Irritation of the meninges (innervated by V1)
• Neuroinflammation → activates trigeminovascular endings
• Altered cerebral blood flow → sensed by trigeminal fibers
• TMJ/mandible compression from impact
• Whiplash → cervical inflammation → trigeminal-cervical convergence

All of these increase firing of trigeminal pathways.

This is why post-concussion patients develop:

✔ Head pressure

✔ Pain behind the eyes

✔ Facial pain or tingling

✔ Migraines

✔ Light & sound sensitivity

✔ TMJ pain

✔ Ear fullness or pressure

✔ Dizziness

✔ Nausea

✔ Cognitive fatigue

And even more importantly…

The trigeminal system helps regulate cerebral blood flow.

If this pathway is disrupted, the brain may struggle with:
• Autoregulation
• Neurovascular coupling
• Metabolic clearance
• Cognitive endurance

This explains WHY concussion symptoms get worse with:
• Bright lights
• Visual motion
• Thinking too hard
• Screen use
• Busy environments
• Neck movement
• Jaw clenching
• Increased stress

All of these stimulate trigeminal input.

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🔄 Cervical Spine → Trigeminal System → Pain & Dizziness

The upper cervical spine shares convergence pathways with the trigeminal system in the brainstem (trigeminal-cervical complex).

Inflammation or dysfunction in:
• C0–C1 joints
• C1–C2 joints
• Suboccipitals
• SCM
• Deep neck flexors
• Cervical proprioception

…can activate the same brainstem nuclei that process trigeminal pain.

This is why neck injuries cause:
• Headaches
• Facial pain
• Eye strain
• Nausea
• Dizziness
• Trigeminal neuralgia-like symptoms

And why treating the cervical spine often reduces “facial pain” or “head pressure.”

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💥 The Trigeminal System & the Vestibular System

The trigeminal system links deeply with the vestibular nuclei, influencing:
• Balance perception
• Visual stability
• Head motion tolerance
• Cervico-ocular reflexes
• Spatial awareness

When trigeminal input becomes abnormal, patients experience:
• Dizziness
• Rocking or swaying
• Motion sensitivity
• “On a boat” sensation
• Feeling off-center
• Difficulty with head turns

This is why trigeminal modulation can help stabilize dizziness after concussion.

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🌡 Trigeminal System, Autonomics & Inflammation

The trigeminal system interfaces with:
• The vagus nerve
• Parasympathetic nuclei
• Sympathetic brainstem regions
• Hypothalamic stress circuits
• Pain modulation centers

Activation can produce:
• Nausea
• Temperature dysregulation
• Heart rate instability
• Anxiety or irritability
• Fatigue
• Sleep disturbance
• Digestive changes

And conversely — calming trigeminal input calms the autonomic system.

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⚡ Trigeminal Nerve Stimulation (TNS): A Breakthrough for Brain Recovery

Research shows that stimulating trigeminal pathways can:
• Boost cerebral blood flow
• Reduce neuroinflammation
• Improve autonomic regulation
• Support consciousness in severe brain injury
• Reduce migraine frequency
• Improve mood & cognition
• Help post-concussion symptoms
• Improve sleep and sensory tolerance

This is why trigeminal-focused neuromodulation is becoming a major tool in functional neurology.

At The FNC, we integrate:
• ARPwave trigeminal/vagal stimulation
• TMJ and cranio-cervical work
• Facial proprioceptive rehab
• Neuromuscular retraining
• Sensory desensitization
• Autonomic stabilization
• Pterygoid, masseter, temporalis functional work
• Cranial/dural release
• Vestibular + trigeminal integration
• Visual + trigeminal reflex retraining

When you rehab this system properly, symptoms begin to unwind fast.

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🌟 The Takeaway

The trigeminal system is:

✔ A brainstem regulator
✔ A vascular controller
✔ A pain amplifier — or pain reliever
✔ A balance + eye movement collaborator
✔ A major player in headaches, concussion, and TMJ
✔ A target for neuromodulation and rehabilitation

Most patients with:
• Post-concussion symptoms
• Chronic headaches
• TMJ pain
• Facial pain
• Light sensitivity
• Dizziness
• Neck pain
• Cognitive fatigue

…have trigeminal dysregulation at the root.

The good news:
This system is incredibly trainable.
With the right functional neurology approach, you can calm it, retrain it, and rebuild healthy sensory processing.

This often leads to some of the fastest and most dramatic breakthroughs we see in clinic.

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There is HOPE.

And the trigeminal system is one of the most powerful pathways we use to help patients get it back.

TheFNC.com
612 223 8590

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Image: https://biorender.com/

https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9059/11/9/2392 #

01/15/2026

💭 😌

01/15/2026

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All human beings are, quite literally, covered in invisible stripes. These hidden patterns are known as Blaschko’s Lines, and they run across the entire body from the scalp to the soles of the feet. While most people never see them, these lines are present in everyone, etched into our skin during early embryonic development.

Blaschko’s Lines are not caused by muscles, blood vessels, or nerves. Instead, they reflect the pathways skin cells followed as they migrated and multiplied in the womb. As an embryo develops, skin cells divide and spread in highly organized patterns. These movements create distinct, wave-like lines that remain permanently embedded in the skin’s structure.

Under normal conditions, Blaschko’s Lines are invisible because all skin cells produce pigment uniformly. However, in certain rare medical or genetic conditions, the differences between neighboring cell populations become visible revealing dramatic stripes, swirls, or V-shaped patterns on the skin. These patterns are not random; they precisely follow Blaschko’s Lines.

The lines form specific shapes depending on the body region:
V-shaped patterns along the spine

S-shaped whorls on the chest and abdomen

Linear streaks along the arms and legs

Curved patterns on the scalp and face

They were first documented in 1901 by German dermatologist Alfred Blaschko, who noticed that many unrelated skin disorders appeared in the exact same patterns across different patients. His observations led to the discovery that these lines represent a fundamental blueprint of human skin development.

Blaschko’s Lines are most commonly revealed in conditions involving genetic mosaicism, where some skin cells carry slightly different genetic information than others. Disorders such as certain pigment conditions, eczema variants, and rare birthmarks may trace these invisible pathways with striking clarity.

According to the National Institutes of Health, Blaschko’s Lines provide valuable insight into how genes are expressed in the skin and how early developmental processes shape the human body. Dermatologists also study these lines to better understand congenital skin disorders and mutation patterns.

What makes Blaschko’s Lines especially fascinating is that they are universal yet unseen, a shared human feature that exists regardless of race, age, or gender. Every person carries this hidden map beneath their skin, a silent record of their earliest cellular history.

In essence, Blaschko’s Lines are a reminder that the human body is not just built, it is patterned. Even in places we can’t see, our biology leaves behind intricate designs formed long before we were born.

Source:National Institutes of Health (NIH) – Skin Development and Genetic Mosaicism

01/15/2026

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01/15/2026

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