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Immune System & Chronic Inflammatory Illnesses

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Informational:
This talks more about chronic inflammatory illnesses (like IBD), but I think it is related to RSD since we fall under autoimmune diseases. I have added some comments in maroon.

Reta

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5hod1DonhqPHW6pRoNJ0h5HH1YoUg

Immune system 'can affect brain'

Immune cells in the brain may explain why chronic illness can make people feel tired and listless, say researchers. (They call this sickness behaviour.)  The findings, from animal studies, challenge the long-held belief that the brain is isolated from the immune system. They pave the way to new treatments to improve the quality of life of patients with chronic inflammatory disorders.

Conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis and liver disease have long been associated with fatigue, malaise and de-motivation. But until now it has been unclear how such inflammatory diseases can affect the brain and behaviour.

The Canadian-led researchers found that in mice with inflamed livers, white blood cells called monocytes which are part of the immune system infiltrate the brain.  It used to be thought this was impossible, because of the "blood-brain barrier" which prevents potentially dangerous substances entering the brain while allowing free passage of essential nutrients.

The new research provides more evidence that immune cells are not necessarily blocked by the blood brain barrier. Professor Mark Swain, from the University of Calgary, said: "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."

The findings, reported in The Journal of Neuroscience, suggest that people with chronic inflammatory diseases might benefit from treatments that limit monocyte access to the brain.

"Sickness behaviour significantly impacts quality of life," said Prof Swain. "Our findings further our understanding and may generate potential new avenues for treatment of these often crippling symptoms."

British expert Dr Nancy Rothwell, from the University of Manchester, who was not involved in the study, said: "This study starts to explain the peripheral communication signals that activate the brain."

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