Immune System

2019 ◽  
pp. 409-461
Author(s):  
Graham A. W. Rook
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Human Genome ◽  
Natural Environment ◽  
Lifestyle Changes ◽  
Immune Systems ◽  
System P ◽  
Organ Systems ◽  
Urban Pattern ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Dual Functions

As humans move from the natural environment in which we evolved into modern urban settings, there are striking increases in chronic inflammatory and psychiatric disorders. To understand and eventually take control of this phenomenon we have to understand how humans, and in particular our immune systems, evolved in partnership with microorganisms in the environment and in our own bodies. Humans are holobionts, composed of human cells containing the human genome passed on via the germline, but also a much larger number of microbial cells acquired from mother, family members, and the environment. This microbiota provides signals involved in the development of essentially all organ systems, including the brain, and provides data and signals that regulate metabolism and the immune system. The immune system evolved to perform the dual functions of managing this microbiota, while simultaneously protecting us from pathogens. By considering the evolution of the immune system and the ways in which lifestyle changes have altered our exposures to, and colonisation by microorganisms, we can identify the crucial factors leading to the modern urban pattern of disease.

The Ouroboros of Inflammatory Signaling to the Brain for the Control of Neuroendocrine Function

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georgia E. Hodes
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Immune Regulation ◽  
The Body ◽  
Immune Disorders ◽  
Inflammatory Signaling ◽  
Late 20Th Century ◽  
Immune Systems ◽  
Neuroendocrine Function ◽  
The Brain

In the late 20th century, the discovery that the immune system and central nervous system were not autonomous revolutionized exploration of the mechanisms by which stress contributes to immune disorders and immune regulation contributes to mental illness. There is increasing evidence of stress as integrated across the brain and body. The immune system acts in concert with the peripheral nervous system to shape the brain’s perception of the environment. The brain in turn communicates with the endocrine and immune systems to guide their responses to that environment. Examining the groundwork of mechanisms governing communication between the body and brain will hopefully provide a better understanding of the ontogeny and symptomology of some mood disorders.

Microbes, the immune system, and the health benefits of exposure to the natural environment

2018 ◽  
pp. 63-70
Author(s):  
Graham Rook
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Natural Environment ◽  
Health Benefits ◽  
Modern Medicine ◽  
Metabolic Flexibility ◽  
Organ Development ◽  
Metabolic Disturbances ◽  
Inflammatory Disorders ◽  
System P

Humans, like essentially all complex multicellular animals, are ecosystems. We evolved in symbiosis with microorganisms, notably the ~1,014 organisms in the gut microbiota that provide signals for organ development, perform multiple digestive and metabolic services, and educate the immune system. Humans also evolved to tolerate certain ‘old infections’ that could persist for life in small hunter-gatherer groups. Modern medicine eliminates the ‘old infections’, while the urban lifestyle reduces our contact with organisms from other humans, animals, and the natural environment that contribute to the microbiotas, while increasing our exposure to the more recently evolved crowd infections. These changes compromise regulation of the immune system and increase the prevalence of chronic inflammatory disorders. Changes to the microbiota also predispose to metabolic disturbances. We need to restore our interaction with the natural environment because it is a reservoir of genetic and metabolic flexibility, and it fine-tunes regulation of the immune system.

scholarly journals Infection threat shapes our social instincts

2021 ◽  
Vol 75 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Kramer ◽  
Paola Bressan
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Immune Systems ◽  
Behavioral Immune System ◽  
Animal Domestication ◽  
System A ◽  
Current Review ◽  
Political Views ◽  
Social Animals ◽  
Personal Connections ◽  
The Brain

AbstractWe social animals must balance the need to avoid infections with the need to interact with conspecifics. To that end we have evolved, alongside our physiological immune system, a suite of behaviors devised to deal with potentially contagious individuals. Focusing mostly on humans, the current review describes the design and biological innards of this behavioral immune system, laying out how infection threat shapes sociality and sociality shapes infection threat. The paper shows how the danger of contagion is detected and posted to the brain; how it affects individuals’ mate choice and sex life; why it strengthens ties within groups but severs those between them, leading to hostility toward anyone who looks, smells, or behaves unusually; and how it permeates the foundation of our moral and political views. This system was already in place when agriculture and animal domestication set off a massive increase in our population density, personal connections, and interaction with other species, amplifying enormously the spread of disease. Alas, pandemics such as COVID-19 not only are a disaster for public health, but, by rousing millions of behavioral immune systems, could prove a threat to harmonious cohabitation too.

scholarly journals Infection threat shapes our social instincts

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Kramer ◽  
Paola Bressan
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Immune Systems ◽  
Behavioral Immune System ◽  
Animal Domestication ◽  
System A ◽  
Current Review ◽  
Political Views ◽  
Social Animals ◽  
Personal Connections ◽  
The Brain

We social animals must balance the need to avoid infections with the need to interact with conspecifics. To that end we have evolved, alongside our physiological immune system, a suite of behaviors devised to deal with potentially contagious individuals. Focusing mostly on humans, the current review describes the design and biological innards of this behavioral immune system, laying out how infection threat shapes sociality and sociality shapes infection threat. The paper shows how the danger of contagion is detected and posted to the brain; how it affects individuals’ mate choice and sex life; why it strengthens ties within groups but severs those between them, leading to hostility toward anyone who looks, smells, or behaves unusually; and how it permeates the foundation of our moral and political views. This system was already in place when agriculture and animal domestication set off a massive increase in our population density, personal connections, and interaction with other species, amplifying enormously the spread of disease. Alas, pandemics such as COVID-19 not only are a disaster for public health, but, by rousing millions of behavioral immune systems, could prove a threat to harmonious cohabitation too.

Potential immunotherapy for Alzheimer disease and age-related dementia

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-25 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Alzheimer Disease ◽  
Cross Talk ◽  
Immune Checkpoint ◽  
Short Review ◽  
Immune Checkpoint Blockade ◽  
Checkpoint Blockade ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Brain

Emerging results support the concept that Alzheimer disease (AD) and age-related dementia are affected by the ability of the immune system to contain the brain's pathology. Accordingly, well-controlled boosting, rather than suppression of systemic immunity, has been suggested as a new approach to modify disease pathology without directly targeting any of the brain's disease hallmarks. Here, we provide a short review of the mechanisms orchestrating the cross-talk between the brain and the immune system. We then discuss how immune checkpoint blockade directed against the PD-1/PD-L1 pathways could be developed as an immunotherapeutic approach to combat this disease using a regimen that will address the needs to combat AD.

Potential immunotherapy for Alzheimer disease and age-related dementia

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-25 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Alzheimer Disease ◽  
Cross Talk ◽  
Immune Checkpoint ◽  
Short Review ◽  
Immune Checkpoint Blockade ◽  
Checkpoint Blockade ◽  
New Approach ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The Brain

Emerging results support the concept that Alzheimer disease (AD) and age-related dementia are affected by the ability of the immune system to contain the brain’s pathology. Accordingly, well-controlled boosting, rather than suppression of systemic immunity, has been suggested as a new approach to modify disease pathology without directly targeting any of the brain’s disease hallmarks. Here, we provide a short review of the mechanisms orchestrating the cross-talk between the brain and the immune system. We then discuss how immune checkpoint blockade directed against the PD-1/PD-L1 pathways could be developed as an immunotherapeutic approach to combat this disease using a regimen that will address the needs to combat AD.

Non-pharmacological Strategies Against Systemic Inflammation: Molecular Basis and Clinical Evidence

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (22) ◽  
pp. 2620-2629 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rita Del Pinto ◽  
Davide Pietropaoli ◽  
Annalisa Monaco ◽  
Giovambattista Desideri ◽  
Claudio Ferri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Genome ◽  
Systemic Inflammation ◽  
Clinical Evidence ◽  
Metabolic Diseases ◽  
Lifestyle Changes ◽  
Common Denominator ◽  
Active Lifestyle ◽  
Systemic Impact ◽  
Public Health Strategies

Systemic inflammation is a common denominator to a variety of cardiovascular (CV) and non-CV diseases and relative risk factors, including hypertension and its control, metabolic diseases, rheumatic disorders, and those affecting the gastrointestinal tract. Besides medications, a non-pharmacological approach encompassing lifestyle changes and other complementary measures is mentioned in several updated guidelines on the management of these conditions. We performed an updated narrative review on the mechanisms behind the systemic impact of inflammation and the role of non-pharmacological, complementary measures centered on lowering systemic phlogosis for preserving or restoring a good global health. The central role of genetics in shaping the immune response is discussed in conjunction with that of the microbiome, highlighting the interdependence and mutual influences between the human genome and microbial integrity, diversity, and functions. Several plausible strategies to modulate inflammation and restore balanced crosstalk between the human genome and the microbiome are then recapitulated, including dietary measures, active lifestyle, and other potential approaches to manipulate the resident microbial community. To date, evidence from high-quality human studies is sparse to allow the unconditioned inclusion of understudied, though plausible solutions against inflammation into public health strategies for global wellness. This gap claims further focused, well-designed research targeted at unravelling the mechanisms behind future personalized medicine.

Art and the Brain’s Reward System

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Henrik Hogh-Olesen
Keyword(s):  
Human Brain ◽  
Reward System ◽  
Human Existence ◽  
Brain Scans ◽  
System P ◽  
The Aesthetic ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Reward Circuit

Chapter 7 takes the investigation of the aesthetic impulse into the human brain to understand, first, why only we—and not our closest relatives among the primates—express ourselves aesthetically; and second, how the brain reacts when presented with aesthetic material. Brain scans are less useful when you are interested in the Why of aesthetic behavior rather than the How. Nevertheless, some brain studies have been ground-breaking, and neuroaesthetics offers a pivotal argument for the key function of the aesthetic impulse in human lives; it shows us that the brain’s reward circuit is activated when we are presented with aesthetic objects and stimuli. For why reward a perception or an activity that is evolutionarily useless and worthless in relation to human existence?

scholarly journals Cytomegalovirus Infection and Inflammation in Developing Brain

Viruses ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1078
Author(s):  
Fran Krstanović ◽  
William J. Britt ◽  
Stipan Jonjić ◽  
Ilija Brizić
Keyword(s):  
Cytomegalovirus Infection ◽  
Hcmv Infection ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Intraperitoneal Administration ◽  
Inflammatory Factors ◽  
Mcmv Infection ◽  
Newborn Mice ◽  
Organ Systems ◽  
Congenital Hcmv Infection ◽  
The Brain

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a highly prevalent herpesvirus that can cause severe disease in immunocompromised individuals and immunologically immature fetuses and newborns. Most infected newborns are able to resolve the infection without developing sequelae. However, in severe cases, congenital HCMV infection can result in life-threatening pathologies and permanent damage of organ systems that possess a low regenerative capacity. Despite the severity of the problem, HCMV infection of the central nervous system (CNS) remains inadequately characterized to date. Cytomegaloviruses (CMVs) show strict species specificity, limiting the use of HCMV in experimental animals. Infection following intraperitoneal administration of mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV) into newborn mice efficiently recapitulates many aspects of congenital HCMV infection in CNS. Upon entering the CNS, CMV targets all resident brain cells, consequently leading to the development of widespread histopathology and inflammation. Effector functions from both resident cells and infiltrating immune cells efficiently resolve acute MCMV infection in the CNS. However, host-mediated inflammatory factors can also mediate the development of immunopathologies during CMV infection of the brain. Here, we provide an overview of the cytomegalovirus infection in the brain, local immune response to infection, and mechanisms leading to CNS sequelae.

scholarly journals FOXP1 syndrome: a review of the literature and practice parameters for medical assessment and monitoring

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Reymundo Lozano ◽  
Catherine Gbekie ◽  
Paige M. Siper ◽  
Shubhika Srivastava ◽  
Jeffrey M. Saland ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neurodevelopmental Disorder ◽  
Autism Spectrum ◽  
Medical Assessment ◽  
Forkhead Box ◽  
Organ Systems ◽  
Practice Parameters ◽  
Assessment And Monitoring ◽  
Multidisciplinary Group ◽  
The Brain

AbstractFOXP1 syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations or deletions that disrupt the forkhead box protein 1 (FOXP1) gene, which encodes a transcription factor important for the early development of many organ systems, including the brain. Numerous clinical studies have elucidated the role of FOXP1 in neurodevelopment and have characterized a phenotype. FOXP1 syndrome is associated with intellectual disability, language deficits, autism spectrum disorder, hypotonia, and congenital anomalies, including mild dysmorphic features, and brain, cardiac, and urogenital abnormalities. Here, we present a review of human studies summarizing the clinical features of individuals with FOXP1 syndrome and enlist a multidisciplinary group of clinicians (pediatrics, genetics, psychiatry, neurology, cardiology, endocrinology, nephrology, and psychology) to provide recommendations for the assessment of FOXP1 syndrome.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document