Psychoneuroimmunology - Psyche and Autoimmunity

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

Psychoneuroimmunology is a relatively young field of research that investigates interactions between central nervous and immune system. The brain modulates the immune system by the endocrine and autonomic nervous system. Vice versa, the immune system modulates brain activity including sleep and body temperature. Based on a close functional and anatomical link, the immune and nervous systems act in a highly reciprocal manner. From fever to stress, the influence of one system on the other has evolved in an intricate manner to help sense danger and to mount an appropriate adaptive response. Over recent decades, reasonable evidence has emerged that these brain-to-immune interactions are highly modulated by psychological factors which influence immunity and autoimmune disease. For several diseases, the relevance of psychoneuroimmunological findings has already been demonstrated.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)4485-4488
Number of pages4
JournalCurrent Pharmaceutical Design
Volume18
Issue number29
Publication statusPublished - 2012
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 22612750

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • Autonomic nervous system, HPA axis, Psychoneuroimmunology, Stress