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
Acute upon Chronic Stress
With a particular emphasis on the immune/inflammatory system — both kinds of stress together (modulated by many factors) can be significantly more damaging than their sum. This is, at present, a logical intuition, worthy of further scientific investigation. There is much vagueness to get through. Vaguenesses Of course, ‘stress’ is a vague – although pretty 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…
Whence the Rise of Autoimmune Disease?
Autoimmune diseases are spreading rapidly across the globe. In the US alone, estimates suggest that some 50 million people live with one or more of the more than a hundred autoimmune conditions, and worldwide, the prevalence is climbing year after year. This blog explores how diet, stress, meaning, and mind-body unity intersect to shed light Read the full article…