Neurons act on the immune system

2002/01/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Osasuna

It is often said that there is a relationship between the mind and the body and, for example, that the joy of living protects us from illness or that the behavior itself has a great influence on the evolution of the healing process. It has now been shown that certain chemicals that serve to communicate between neurons affect the immune system.

Researchers at the University of California have studied with mice the neuropeptide that controls the sleep cycle. This neuropeptide, in addition to performing neurological functions, has detected that it affects the T-lymphocytes of the immune system. The intensity of the signal conditions the balance of two types of lymphocytes, and the imbalance produces diseases: the excess of one of them causes autoimmune problems, while if the other prevails there appear allergies. However, researchers still do not know to what extent the incidence of neuropeptide is such that neuropeptide can be used to cure these diseases.