Neuroendocrinoimmunology.
Interest in neuroendocrinoimmunology has increased greatly in the last decade. The most important evidence of neuroendocrine-immune system interactions is that spleen, thymus, bone marrow and lymph nodes are innervated by neurons of the autonomic nervous system; changes in brain functions can affect different immune responses; immune and neuroendocrine cells share receptors (e.g., lymphocytes and macrophages have receptors for a vast number of hormones and neuropeptides); hormones and neuropeptides can alter the functional activity of immune system cells; several hormones and neuropeptides can be synthesized by leukocytes; cytokines produced by leukocytes are able to modulate neuroendocrine system activity, behaviour, sleep and thermoregulation. The recent literature on neuroendocrinoimmunology has laid the physiopathological groundwork for a new clinical approach which perceives and treats the patient as a psychic and somatic whole.
Falaschi
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P
Dipartimento di Internistica Clinica e Sperimentale, II Università degli Studi di Napoli.
Martocchia
A
A
Proietti
A
A
Pastore
R
R
D'Urso
R
R
Barnaba
V
V
D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D006728:Hormones / Q000096:biosynthesis; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000503:physiopathology
D006728:Hormones; D009479:Neuropeptides