The mind and chronic inflammation
Recent research has revealed that certain social, environmental and lifestyle factors, including psychological stress, can promote systemic chronic inflammation that can, in turn, lead to diseases that represent the leading causes of disability and mortality worldwide, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, cancer, chronic kidney disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and neurodegenerative and autoimmune disorders [Furman et al., 2019]. The association between chronic disease and inflammation is widely recognized. Healthcare systems are buckling due to the cost of treating a worldwide population burdened by these chronic health problems.
Psychological stress also leads to inflammation in the brain. This can impact the regulation of mood and cognition, with possible connections to Alzheimer’s disease.
Psychological stress induces many of the same inflammatory signals as injury and disease. This raises questions: How and why does mental stress activate inflammation?
Related Posts
The Mind in PNIE
Over the years, the role of the mind in Psycho-Neuro-Immuno-Endocrinology (PNIE) has become increasingly apparent. This trend is bound to continue, and Lisa is bound to play a significant role in this evolution. PNIE shows the intricate connections between different systems in the human being as a whole. Regarding the mind (psyche), one can go Read the full article…
Is Gluten Sensitivity an Expectation Effect?
Many people avoid gluten in their diet because they see them as the cause for gastrointestinal and other symptoms and unwellness. Although this field receives a lot of media attention, there has been little science about mental causality up till now. Gluten (named after ‘glue’) is what makes dough elastic and bread chewy. It also Read the full article…
Lisa for Pandemic Preparedness
The blogs “Mind on Infections“ and “Why Subconceptual Influences on Infections Matter Most“ explore how stress and deeper mental processes affect the body’s ability to fight infections. The present blog ties these insights together to explain how preparing for the next viral pandemic should go beyond the physical and include deeper mental layers. By integrating Read the full article…