Neural modulation of immunity: Conditioning phenomena and the adaptability of lymphoid cells

Zvi Grossman, Ronald B. Herberman*, Shmuel Livnat

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

18 Scopus citations

Abstract

The behavioral conditioning of alterations in the immune response is one pillar supporting the growing edifice of central nervous system (CNS) modulation of immunity. The mechanisms underlying such conditioning phenomena are not understood. In this communication, we attempt to develop a theoretical position based on the concept of phenotypic and functional adaptability of lymphoid cells. We propose that these cells can learn to associate responsiveness to antigens and to other immunoactive" agents, with responsiveness to signals originating in the CNS delivered via neuroendocrine or autonomic nervous channels. Neural/endocrine signals act on the immune system in conjunction with immunological stimuli, in a way that leads to storage" of the association (memory) of these two kinds of stimuli in the immune system rather than in the brain.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)275-290
Number of pages16
JournalInternational Journal of Neuroscience
Volume64
Issue number1-4
DOIs
StatePublished - 1992

Keywords

  • Adaptive differentiation
  • Associative learning
  • CNS
  • Conditioning
  • Immunity
  • Neural modulation
  • Pattern recognition

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