Stress influences the brain via the immune system
Stress increases the migration of white blood cells called monocytes into the vascular system of the brain, particularly into the reward centre regions.
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Stress increases the migration of white blood cells called monocytes into the vascular system of the brain, particularly into the reward centre regions.
The study shows that stress-related psychiatric diseases are linked to immune system abnormalities. | Health
Mount Sinai researchers have shown for the first time that immune cells called monocytes, derived in the bone marrow and released into the bloodstream, can be drawn during stress into sites in the brain that control emotional behaviors.
In the event of stress, immune cells channel harmful enzymes into the brain, where it influences certain neurons, according to a Zurich study.
<p><strong>Chronic stress affects the immune system and the brain. UZH researchers now show that a particular enzyme found in cells of the immune system enters the brain under stress. In mice, it causes them to withdraw and avoid social contact. This newly discovered connection between body and mind in stress-related mental illnesses could lead to new treatments for depression.</strong></p>