title: Serotonin--a link between disgust and immunity?
abstract: Immune systems maintain the integrity of organisms by recognising and attacking foreign substances and/or pathogens. However, immune defences can only take place following direct contact with threats. Disgust can prevent infection before contact with potential pathogens: we propose that disgust is an evolved nervous response to a signal reliably co-occurring with infectious environmental disease threats, which motivates behaviour leading to the avoidance of infection. We hypothesize that disgust and immunity form a defensive continuum with overlaps: disgust acts prior to contact with the infectious agent and prevents it from getting into the body; emesis (vomiting) gets it out once inside the gastrointestinal tract, before penetration of the body boundaries; and immunity expels or kills infectious threats following penetration of the body proper. We further propose that serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) might be the link between disgust and immunity. 5-HT plays a central role in the induction of the emetic reflex and is possibly involved in the development of learned aversion; it is also a signal used by immune cells and modulates both innate and acquired immunity. We therefore propose 5-HT might mediate the interaction between these two defensive mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ecología, A.C., km 2.5 ant Carretera a Coatepec, Xalapa, Veracruz 91070, Mexico. mrubio@ecologia.edu.mx
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rubio-Godoy
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Aunger
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Curtis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001362:Avoidance Learning; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology*; D004924:Escape Reaction; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000276:immunology*; D018448:Models, Immunological; D008959:Models, Neurological; D012018:Reflex / Q000276:immunology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin