The study of interactions between neuroendocrinology and immunology, or immunoendocrinology, is a recent field with the majority of its development in the last 30 years that involves communication between the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems. Homeostasis, development, aging, metabolism, infection, and inflammation are all influenced by the cross talk between these systems via hormones, cytokines, and neurotransmitters. The nervous system affects the immune system through either the hypothalamus-pituitary axes (adrenal, gonadal, thyroid, growth-hormone) neuropeptide and hormone signals or autonomic nervous system signals of norepinephrine and acetylcholine. On the other hand, the immune system passes feedback through cytokine type and concentration in the blood. Imbalance of any of these systems leads to increased risk in severity of metabolic, psychiatric, inflammatory or autoimmune diseases. These two systems are complex standalone and even more so in their interaction. Thus, the relationship between the immune system and the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis is necessary to be reviewed.
展开▼
