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
Mind on Cancer
This is still not a straightforward or easy-to-digest correlation for many people, including many colleague-physicians. Meanwhile, in research, a lot has happened over the last decennia. No longer a question of ‘belief,’ things have turned scientific. Using Lisa will enable us to go further in theory, turn this into practice, and let millions of people Read the full article…
Can Stress Cause MS?
MS = Multiple Sclerosis, an autoimmune disorder that specifically affects the brain and spinal cord. Its symptoms and prognosis are pretty diverse, making causal research challenging but not impossible. According to the National MS Society, almost one million people are living with MS in the United States. Most are diagnosed between the ages of 20 Read the full article…
Multiple Sclerosis
Since the first description of MS in 1877, psychological stress has been suggested as a trigger for exacerbations [Charcot, 1877]. Until recently, the clinical evidence for a causal relationship was weak. A systematic meta-analysis from 2004 of 14 prospective studies found a significant relationship between the occurrence of stressful life events and a higher risk Read the full article…