The five offices model I created
This is how it would affect the Outlook
Great! Let's explore a variety of major diseases using your "opposites and intermediaries" framework. For each, I'll sketch how rethinking the disease and its treatment through dynamic opposing forces and mediators could open new perspectives and possibilities.
1. Diabetes (Recap)
Opposites: Insulin vs. glucagon; glucose uptake vs. production
Intermediaries: Gut hormones, microbiome, neural signals
New angle: Target systemic balance, not just insulin replacement.
2. Cancer
Opposites: Cell proliferation vs. apoptosis (programmed cell death)
Intermediaries: Immune surveillance, tumor microenvironment, metabolic checkpoints
New angle: Instead of just killing cancer cells, modulate the "opposing" forces of growth and death, and enhance intermediaries like immune cells to restore balance.
3. Alzheimer's Disease
Opposites: Neuronal survival vs. neuronal death
Intermediaries: Microglia (immune cells in brain), amyloid-beta clearance mechanisms, synaptic plasticity regulators
New angle: Boost intermediary clearance systems and modulate inflammatory responses to balance neurodegeneration and repair.
4. Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
Opposites: Vasoconstriction vs. vasodilation
Intermediaries: Endothelial function, autonomic nervous system, renal sodium handling
New angle: Target intermediaries like nitric oxide pathways and neural feedback loops rather than just blocking vasoconstriction.
5. Asthma
Opposites: Bronchoconstriction vs. bronchodilation
Intermediaries: Immune cell regulation (eosinophils, mast cells), airway remodeling processes
New angle: Control immune intermediaries to restore airway balance, not just dilate airways.
6. Rheumatoid Arthritis
Opposites: Inflammation vs. resolution/healing
Intermediaries: Regulatory T cells, cytokine networks, synovial fibroblasts
New angle: Enhance intermediaries that promote resolution and tissue repair, not just suppress inflammation.
7. Depression
Opposites: Neurotransmitter excitation vs. inhibition (e.g., serotonin vs. GABA)
Intermediaries: Neuroplasticity, stress hormone regulation, gut-brain axis
New angle: Modulate intermediaries like neurogenesis and microbiome to rebalance mood regulation.
8. Chronic Kidney Disease
Opposites: Filtration vs. retention of waste
Intermediaries: Renal tubular function, hormonal regulation (RAAS system), inflammatory mediators
New angle: Support intermediary pathways that maintain filtration and reduce fibrosis.
9. HIV/AIDS
Opposites: Viral replication vs. immune defense
Intermediaries: Latent reservoirs, immune checkpoint pathways, viral latency regulators
New angle: Target intermediaries to flush out latent virus and restore immune balance.
10. Obesity
Opposites: Energy intake vs. energy expenditure
Intermediaries: Hormones like leptin and ghrelin, gut microbiota, neural appetite circuits
New angle: Adjust intermediary signals to recalibrate hunger and metabolism.
11. Multiple Sclerosis
Opposites: Myelin destruction vs. repair
Intermediaries: Immune modulation, oligodendrocyte precursor cells, neuroinflammation
New angle: Enhance intermediaries that promote remyelination and immune tolerance.
12. Parkinson's Disease
Opposites: Dopamine production vs. dopamine degradation
Intermediaries: Mitochondrial function, neuroinflammation, proteostasis mechanisms
New angle: Target intermediaries to protect neurons and restore dopamine balance.
How to Use This Framework Practically
Map out known opposing forces in the disease's physiology.
Identify known and potential intermediaries that modulate these forces.
Develop diagnostics that measure the dynamic balance between these elements.
Design therapies that restore or enhance intermediary functions, not just bluntly inhibit or stimulate one side.
If you want, we can dive deeper into any of these diseases or keep going with more examples. This approach can also be applied to infectious diseases, mental health disorders, autoimmune diseases, and even acute conditions like stroke or trauma. Just say the word!