How Inflammatory Disease Causes Fatigue

[n2doc]

ScienceDaily (Feb. 17, 2009) — New animal research in the February 18 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience may indicate how certain diseases make people feel so tired and listless. Although the brain is usually isolated from the immune system, the study suggests that certain behavioral changes suffered by those with chronic inflammatory diseases are caused by the infiltration of immune cells into the brain. The findings suggest possible new treatment avenues to improve patients' quality of life.

Chronic inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, and liver disease cause "sickness behaviors," including fatigue, malaise, and loss of social interest. However, it has been unclear how inflammation in other organs in the body can impact the brain and behavior.

The researchers found that in mice with inflamed livers, white blood cells called monocytes infiltrated the brain. These findings support previous research demonstrating the presence of immune cells in the brain following organ inflammation, challenging the long-held belief that the blood-brain barrier prevents immune cells from accessing the brain.

"Using an experimental model of liver inflammation, our group has demonstrated for the first time the existence of a novel communication pathway between the inflamed liver and the brain," said the study's senior author Mark Swain, MD, Professor of Medicine at the University of Calgary.

more:

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090217173034.htm


Image showing a brain blood vessel (outlined in red) and a monocyte within the blood vessel and adherent to the vessel wall (yellow), and a monocyte within the brain after being recruited from the blood (green) in a mouse with liver inflammation. (Credit: The Journal of Neuroscience)

[hlthe2b]

1. Interesting....

[xchrom]

2. recommend

[Gregorian]

3. This is the kind of stuff I want my tax dollars funding. Very helpful.

A world of healthy people is far more important than a world of people who feel that being well armed with nuclear weapons is a good thing.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

4. This ties in with all the autoimmune stuff people suffer from.

Autoimmune diseases are quite common. I think many of them are not even recognized yet.

I have Hashimoto's thyroiditis, which is the most common form of low thyroid. I inherited this tendency from my mother. My cousins have had rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

In February/March and September/October, I have serious fatigue from my body trying to deal with allergies. That's when things bloom where I live. A prednisone pill can literally take me from asleep in bed to vertical, talking, and interested in the world in an hour.

[Kurovski]

5. K&R.

It's good to see some proof about the whole blood/brain barrier mishegas.