Re: glucocorticoids - Dura/Matt

[Guest guest]

I have't had time to research this area.. (brain -

corticoid steroids)

But here are a few interesting looking papers.

________________________________________________________________

Viral Immunology

Immune Modulation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis

during Viral Infection

Mar 2005, Vol. 18, No. 1: 41-78

_______________________________________________________________

Autonomic innervation of immune organs and neuroimmune modulation

Authors: Mignini F.1; Streccioni V.1; Amenta F.1

Source: Autonomic & Autacoid Pharmacology, February 2003, vol. 23,

no. 1, pp. 1-25(25)

Publisher: Blackwell Publishing

Abstract:

Summary

1 Increasing evidence indicates the occurrence of functional

interconnections between immune and nervous systems, although data

available on the mechanisms of this bi-directional cross-talking are

frequently incomplete and not always focussed on their relevance for

neuroimmune modulation.

2 Primary (bone marrow and thymus) and secondary (spleen and lymph

nodes) lymphoid organs are supplied with an autonomic (mainly

sympathetic) efferent innervation and with an afferent sensory

innervation. Anatomical studies have revealed origin, pattern of

distribution and targets of nerve fibre populations supplying

lymphoid organs.

3 Classic (catecholamines and acetylcholine) and peptide transmitters

of neural and non-neural origin are released in the lymphoid

microenvironment and contribute to neuroimmune modulation.

Neuropeptide Y, substance P, calcitonin gene-related peptide, and

vasoactive intestinal peptide represent the neuropeptides most

involved in neuroimmune modulation.

4 Immune cells and immune organs express specific receptors for

(neuro)transmitters. These receptors have been shown to respond in

vivo and/or in vitro to the neural substances and their manipulation

can alter immune responses. Changes in immune function can also

influence the distribution of nerves and the expression of neural

receptors in lymphoid organs.

5 Data on different populations of nerve fibres supplying immune

organs and their role in providing a link between nervous and immune

systems are reviewed. Anatomical connections between nervous and

immune systems represent the structural support of the complex

network of immune responses. A detailed knowledge of interactions

between nervous and immune systems may represent an important basis

for the development of strategies for treating pathologies in which

altered neuroimmune cross-talking may be involved.

Keywords: ANS; lymphoid organs; neuroimmune modulation;

neurotransmitters

Language: Unknown

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1046/j.1474-8673.2003.00280.x

Affiliations: 1: Sezione di Anatomia Umana, Dipartimento di Scienze

Farmacologiche e Medicina Sperimentale, Università di Camerino, Via

Scalzino 3, 62032 Camerino, Italy

__________________________________________________________

Coemergence of Insomnia and a Shift in the Th1/Th2 Balance toward Th2

Dominance

Shotaro Sakamia,b, Toshio Ishikawaa, Norito Kawakamic, Takashi

Haratanid, Akira Fukuie, Fumio Kobayashif, Osamu Fujitag, Shunichi

Arakid, Noriyuki Kawamuraa

http://content.karger.com/ProdukteDB/produkte.asp?

Aktion=ShowPDF & ProduktNr=224176 & Ausgabe=229366 & ArtikelNr=71474 & filenam

e=71474.pdf

The therapeutic potential of regulation of the Th1/Th2 balance

Author: Rook G.1

> > Wanted to review the work of one of my fav neuroscientists,

>

> > Sapolsky today... among other things, he investigates how

> hippocampal

> > cell death occurs and I do work on how the hippocampus

> works

> > and " breaks " at a " higher " level -- he does cellular stuff, I do

> > functional/systems level stuff.

> >

> > ANYWAY, came across the abstract to one of his papers and

> thought folks

> > here might be interested in it -- it suggests an interesting

> mechanism

> > why folks with MS and other CNS-related diseases have what

> are often

> > understood to be " contradictory " reactions to steroids... It is

> > sufficiently intriguing that I am actually considering spending

> the $30

> > to get the full text online. Without further ado, I present:

> >

> > http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?

> >

> cmd=Retrieve & db=pubmed & dopt=Abstract & list_uids=12476346

> & query_hl=16