The neuroendocrine-immune interface

Abstract

In an era of increased specialization where the trend has been for the individual scientist to delve ever deeper into smaller pools, effectively knowing more and more about less and less, one area of research in particular has bucked the trend. The increasing interest in the bidirectional interactions of the immune and the neuroendocrine systems and the importance of these systems in relation to sickness, inflammation, and immune-mediated diseases has required a sea change to the reductionist approach. Susceptibility to a number of autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and multiple sclerosis (MS) has clear genetic components. However, it is also evident that not all individuals with a genetic predisposition develop these diseases nor are the diseases of equal severity in all individuals. Answering the question, Which factors are responsible for increasing susceptibility to and/or the severity of disease? Has led to the implication of a whole host of neuroendocrine factors. © 2005 Humana Press Inc.