"Following the hypothesis above, learning how the immune system works under chronic stress is key to discovering new treatments that can benefit patients experiencing this issue. Note, however, that within this field of study, animal testing is used due to ethical concerns. That said, the knowledge gleaned from the analysis will still positively impact mental health care."
"Immune Cells at the Brain's Border Are Driving Stress According to the study, repeated social stress sets off a specific immune reaction that alters behavior. Researchers used a well-established model called chronic social defeat stress, which mimics the emotional toll of repeated social pressure, and tracked what happened in the protective layers around the brain - the meninges."
"In a report from the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation, Peter Tarr, Ph.D., explains how stress-related immune activation rewires the brain's emotional control systems and shifts behavior in ways that mimic depression. Instead of focusing only on hormones like cortisol, the researchers examined how cytokines communicate directly with brain circuits."
Chronic, repeated stress chronically activates the body's stress-response systems and drives low-grade systemic inflammation. Immune cells accumulate around the brain's protective meninges and generate signaling molecules that alter neural circuits controlling emotion. Repeated social stress triggers specific immune reactions that change behavior and keep the nervous system in a prolonged high-alert state. Cytokines directly communicate with brain circuits, rewiring emotional-control networks and producing depression-like behavior. Modulating immune activity or reducing chronic stress may therefore prevent immune-driven alterations in the brain and reduce risk of developing depressive symptoms.
Read at Natural Health News
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