Neuroendocrinimmunology

This chapter broadly describes the field of neuroendocrinimmunology (NEI). NEI encompasses a number of complementary subdisciplines that seek to elucidate the bidirectional regulatory relationships that exist between the nervous system, the endocrine system, and the immune system. Each component of this field focuses on the molecules of communication operating between these three systems that will maintain whole-body homeostasis and thus health. Examples are cytokines, lymphokines, and chemokines in the immune system; hormones of the hypothalamic–pituitary–peripheral gland axes; and neurotransmitters of the central and peripheral nervous systems. An understanding of these relationships facilitates a comprehension of stress responses and stress-related diseases. Subareas of interest include the actions of cytokines in the central nervous system; autonomic innervation and regulation of immune organs; neuroendocrine regulation of immune cells; immune cell production of neuroendocrine peptides and their functions; and the autoimmune mechanisms of neural destruction leading to conditions such as myasthenia gravis and multiple sclerosis.