Your Brain Is Watching You
It controls more than you think
It has been known for a long time that the brain can affect the course of disease in the body, and some people believe they can “think themselves well”.
There is a basis in fact for this belief, and although it is not known the exact extent that brain processes can alter the way that any illness can progress or diminish within our body, latest research has revealed a direct connection between a certain area of the brain, and control of inflammation.
There is so much about the brain we still don’t understand, but a new study has discovered some of the hidden connections that could soon help people suffering from various immune disorders.
Recent research
Researchers from Columbia University’s Zuckerman Institute have discovered that the brain possesses a remarkable ability to detect, amplify, and suppress inflammation in mice, and this finding sheds new light on the intricate relationship between the brain and the immune system, potentially paving the way for new therapies targeting a wide range of autoimmune diseases and inflammatory disorders.
The study, published in the journal Nature, builds upon recent work revealing the importance of the body-brain axis. This vital pathway allows for the exchange of information between various organs and the brain, enabling the brain to monitor and control the body’s biological processes.
The team discovered that a specific region of the brainstem, known as the caudal nucleus of the solitary tract (cNST), plays a crucial role in regulating inflammatory responses. By chemically suppressing the cNST in mice, the researchers observed an uncontrolled inflammatory response, with levels of pro-inflammatory molecules more than tripling and anti-inflammatory compounds decreasing by roughly two-thirds.
Conversely, artificially activating the cNST resulted in a significant reduction in pro-inflammatory molecule levels and a nearly ten-fold increase in anti-inflammatory chemical levels.
So there appears to be a direct correlation between that part of the brain and the inflammatory process, albeit in bodies of mice where the research was done.
This might change your response when asked “are you a man or a mouse! Only kidding!
By identifying the specific groups of neurons in the vagus nerve and the cNST responsible for detecting and controlling pro- and anti-inflammatory activity, researchers have opened up new avenues for exploring how the brain monitors and modulates body physiology.
This breakthrough could lead to the development of innovative therapies for a wide range of autoimmune diseases and inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, Type 1 diabetes, multiple sclerosis, lupus, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s disease, and even long COVID syndrome.
Similar to a thermostat, this newfound brain circuit helps increase or decrease inflammatory responses to keep the body responding in a healthy manner, and in retrospect, it makes sense to have a master arbiter controlling this vital response.
The implications of this discovery extend beyond mice, as previous research involving vagus nerve stimulation in humans suggests similar mechanisms may be at play. The findings also align with long-held beliefs about the mind’s influence on the body.
“A lot of psychosomatic effects could actually be linked to brain circuits telling your body something,” notes Dr. Jin, one of the researchers involved.
Thanks to current advances in circuit tracking and single-cell technology, we now know the brain does far more than idly fill that space between the ears. It is monitoring the function of every system in the body.
References: https://studyfinds.org/brain-circuit-immune-inflammation/
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