 |
|
Scientists discover a direct route from the brain to the immune system
October 24, 2007It used to be dogma that the brain was shut away from the actions of the immune system, shielded from the outside forces of nature. But that's not how it is at all. In fact, thanks to the scientific detective work of Kevin Tracey, MD, it turns out that the brain talks directly to the immune system, sending commands that control the body's inflammatory response to infection and autoimmune diseases. Understanding the intimate relationship is leading to a novel way to treat diseases triggered by a dangerous inflammatory response.
Dr. Tracey, director and chief executive of The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, will be giving the 2007 Stetten Lecture on Wednesday, Oct. 24, at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, MD. His talk - Physiology and Immunology of the Cholinergic Anti-inflammatory Pathway - will highlight the discoveries made in his laboratory and the clinical trials underway to test the theory that stimulation of the vagus nerve could block a rogue inflammatory response and treat a number of diseases, including life-threatening sepsis.
With this new understanding of the vagus nerve's role in regulating inflammation, scientists believe that they can tap into the body's natural healing defenses and calm the sepsis storm before it wipes out its victims. Each year, 750,000 people in the United States develop severe sepsis, and 215,000 will die no matter how hard doctors fight to save them. Sepsis is triggered by the body's own overpowering immune response to a systemic infection, and hospitals are the battlegrounds for these potentially lethal conditions.
The vagus nerve is located in the brainstem and snakes down from the brain to the heart and on through to the abdomen. Dr. Tracey and others are now studying ways of altering the brain's response or targeting the immune system itself as a way to control diseases.
Dr. Tracey is a neurosurgeon who came into research through the back door of the operating room. More than two decades ago, he was treating a young girl whose body had been accidentally scorched by boiling water and she was fighting for her life to overcome sepsis. She didn't make it. Dr. Tracey headed into the laboratory to figure out why the body makes its own cells that can do fatal damage. Dr. Tracey discovered that the vagus nerve speaks directly to the immune system through a neurochemical called acetylcholine. And stimulating the vagus nerve sent commands to the immune system to stop pumping out toxic inflammatory markers. "This was so surprising to us," said Dr. Tracey, who immediately saw the potential to use vagus stimulation as a way to shut off abnormal immune system responses. He calls this network "the inflammatory reflex."
Research is now underway to see whether tweaking the brain's acetylcholine system could be a natural way to control the inflammatory response. Inflammation is key to many diseases - from autoimmune conditions like Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis to Alzheimer's, where scientists have identified a strong inflammatory component.
Dr. Tracey has presented his work to the Dalai Lama, who has shown a great interest in the neurosciences and the mind-body connection. He has also written a book called "Fatal Sequence," about the double-edge sword of the immune system.
North Shore-Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Health System
The vagus nerve is located in the brainstem and snakes down from the brain to the heart and on through to the abdomen. Dr. Tracey and others are now studying ways of altering the brain's response or targeting the immune system itself as a way to control diseases.
Dr. Tracey is a neurosurgeon who came into research through the back door of the operating room. More than two decades ago, he was treating a young girl whose body had been accidentally scorched by boiling water and she was fighting for her life to overcome sepsis. She didn't make it. Dr. Tracey headed into the laboratory to figure out why the body makes its own cells that can do fatal damage. Dr. Tracey discovered that the vagus nerve speaks directly to the immune system through a neurochemical called acetylcholine. And stimulating the vagus nerve sent commands to the immune system to stop pumping out toxic inflammatory markers. "This was so surprising to us," said Dr. Tracey, who immediately saw the potential to use vagus stimulation as a way to shut off abnormal immune system responses. He calls this network "the inflammatory reflex."
Research is now underway to see whether tweaking the brain's acetylcholine system could be a natural way to control the inflammatory response. Inflammation is key to many diseases - from autoimmune conditions like Crohn's disease and rheumatoid arthritis to Alzheimer's, where scientists have identified a strong inflammatory component.
Dr. Tracey has presented his work to the Dalai Lama, who has shown a great interest in the neurosciences and the mind-body connection. He has also written a book called "Fatal Sequence," about the double-edge sword of the immune system.
North Shore-Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Health System
Immune System Current Events and Immune System News RSSEvolution in action: Our antibodies take 'evolutionary leaps' to fight microbes
With cold and flu season in full swing, the fact that viruses and bacteria rapidly evolve is apparent with every sneeze, sniffle, and cough. A new report in the January 2009 issue of The FASEB Journal, explains for the first time how humans keep up with microbes by rearranging the genes that make antibodies to foreign invaders. This research fills a significant gap in our understanding of how the immune system helps us survive.
Understanding Extinct Microbes May Influence the State of Modern Human Health
The study of ancient microbes may not seem consequential, but such pioneering research at the University of Oklahoma has implications for the state of modern human health. Cecil Lewis, assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology, says results of this research raise questions about the microbes living on and within people.
Lung cancer cells activate inflammation to induce metastasis
A research team from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine has identified a protein produced by cancerous lung epithelial cells that enhances metastasis by stimulating the activity of inflammatory cells.
Researchers engineer pancreatic cell transplants to evade immune response
In a finding that could significantly influence the way type 1 diabetes is treated, researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have developed a technique for transplanting insulin-producing pancreatic cells that causes only a minimal immune response in recipients.
Salk researchers develop novel glioblastoma mouse model
Researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies have developed a versatile mouse model of glioblastoma-the most common and deadly brain cancer in humans-that closely resembles the development and progression of human brain tumors that arise naturally.
Immune cells contribute to the development of Parkinson's disease
Parkinson disease is a neurodegenerative disorder that impairs movement, balance, speech, and other functions. It is characterized by the loss of nerves in the brain that produce a substance known as dopamine.
Redesigned protein accelerates blood clotting
Researchers have made several, subtle changes in the structure of a key protein, dramatically increasing its ability to drive blood clotting, according to a study published in a December edition of the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis.
Biomedical researchers create artificial human bone marrow in a test tube
Artificial bone marrow that can continuously make red and white blood cells has been created in a University of Michigan lab.
Peering inside the skull of a mouse to solve meningitis mystery
NYU Langone Medical Center scientists and their collaborators at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, Calif., have discovered an unexpected cause for the fatal seizures seen in mice with viral meningitis, an infection of the central nervous system, according to a study published in the journal Nature.
Breathing life into injured lungs: World-first technique will expand lung donor organ pool
For the first time in the world, transplant surgeons at Toronto General Hospital, University Health Network used a new technique to repair an injured donor lung that was unsuitable for transplant, and then successfully transplanted it into a patient.
More Immune System Current Events and Immune System News Articles
 | The Immune System by Peter Parham The Immune System, Second Edition has been designed for use in immunology courses for undergraduate, medical, dental, and pharmacy students. This class-tested and successful textbook synthesizes the established facts of immunology into a comprehensible, coherent, and up-to-date account of how the immune system works, rather than presenting immunology as a chronology of experiments and ... |
 | How the Immune System Works (Blackwell's How It Works) by Lauren M. Sompayrac Understanding the immune system is crucial for both medical and bioscience students, with new research revealing yet more secrets year on year. Many books offer in-depth introductions to the subject, but How the Immune System Works remains uniquely popular for its personable and practical overview of the nuts and bolts of the immune system.This third edition provides a perfect introduction to the... |
 | 90-Day Immune System Makeover by Janet C. Maccaro No matter how your health has been in the past, there is something you can do right now—a complete makeover to give you the vitality and energy to embrace life at your best! In just ninety days, Janet Maccaro will enable you to build and strengthen your immune system to bring your body into proper balance and experience disease-free living. Birthed out of Maccaro’s twenty-year struggle with... |
 | The Immune System Cure: Optimize Your Immune System in 30 Days-The Natural Way! |
 | Basic Immunology: Functions and Disorders of the Immune System by Abul K. Abbas, Andrew H. Lichtman Univ. of California, San Francisco. Revised edition presents new advancements in the understanding of the immune system. Topics covered include effector mechanisms of cell-mediated immunity, humoral immune responses, innate immunity, antigen recognition, and more. Utilizes case studies. Previous edition not cited.... |
 | Boost Your Child's Immune System: A Program and Recipes for Raising Strong, Healthy Kids by Lucy Burney Ideal for all parents, whatever their children's age—how to help kids be fit and strong for life, from a top nutrition specialist. Making the most of superfoods and nutrients, this powerful guide gives parents the building blocks and a clear plan to raise kids who are fit and strong for life and capable of fighting off bugs and infections. Top nutrition specialist Lucy Burney walks parents... |
 | Maximum Healing: Improve Your Immune System and Optimize Your Natural Ability to Heal by H. Robert Silverstein, Tom Monte If you suffer from—allergies, asthma, high blood pressure or cholesterol, cancer, chronic fatigue, headaches, heart disease, joint pain, skin disorder, or rheumatoid arthritis—then this may be the most important book you will ever read. Inspiring case histories demonstrate successful treatment and prevention of these and many other... |
 | The Top 100 Immunity Boosters: 100 Recipes to Keep Your Immune System Fighting Fit by Charlotte Haigh A vigorous immune system is vital to good health, both physical and mental. Research has long shown that the nutrients present in common foods can help strengthen the body’s natural defenses and provide unbeatable protection against infection, disease, and allergy. This handy guide lists the most potent of these immune-boosting foods – profiling each one, highlighting its unique benefits, and... |
 | Double the Power of Your Immune System by John Heinerman This layperson's guide tells how to combat the threats of diets loaded with processed foods, polluted environments, and stressful life styles with immunity-building foods, herbs, spices, and life style and environmental changes. From the common cold to arthritis, Double the Power of Your Immune System gives specific advice on overcoming a host of ills through enhanced immune... |
 | Artificial Immune Systems: 7th International Conference, ICARIS 2008, Phuket, Thailand, August 10-13, 2008, Proceedings (Lecture Notes in Computer Science) This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Artificial Immune Systems, ICARIS 2008, held in Phuket, Thailand, in August 2008. The 40 revised full papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 67 submissions. The papers are organized in topical sections on computational immunology, applied AIS, and theoretical AIS. Position papers and... |
| © 2009 BrightSurf.com |