This article discusses how an electrical shock given to a nerve that travels from the brainstem to all the organs, called the vagus nerve, can help to stop autoimmune diseases. In the past, stimulation of the nerve was used to treat epilepsy and depression. In 1998, a neurosurgeon by the name of Kevin Tracy at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research found that the stimulation of the vagus nerve in rats greatly reduced the production of TNF-a which is a protein that helps the process of inflammation. Basically, when this nerve is stimulated, it releases increased noradrenaline in the spleen to immune T cells. In turn, the T cells release more acetylcholine to the macrophages. Last, these macrophage release less of the pro-inflammatory TNF-a. To carry on Tracy’s work, Akiko Nakai at the Osaka University in Japan found that nerve stimulation limited what T cells could do in the bloodstream in the process of inflammation. Over …show more content…
Although there is no cure for autoimmune disease, this treatment could potentially be very effective and efficient. The power of the electrical shock needed to stimulate the nerve is miniscule relative to its effects on all the organs it connects to, including the most important one to this treatment, the spleen. Unlike other treatments, all this requires is an electrical shock that is accessible at any medical center.
This article interests me personally because I find that the interdependence of the nervous and the immune system is fascinating. Two different organ systems that have only one common goal: to maintain homeostasis. In all other aspects, they are prodigiously different on how they work, why they work, and what they do for the body. This article also shows how humans these days are brilliant enough to think of these techniques that would have been
As described by the Centers for Disease Control, chronic disease is the leading cause of death and disability in the United States. A The body is so well designed in some areas yet so poorly designed in others. Why has selection left us so vulnerable to disease? (Nesse, 2005.) Cancer, Diabetes, Cardio vascular,and Respiratory disease. (Infectious and Chronic Disease, 2015.) The immune system is the first line of defense against diseases and infections it a system of organs, tissue cells, and cell products such as antibodies. These antibodies neutralize potentially pathogenic organisms or substances. Signs of our immune system at work are coughing, fever, pain, nausea, vomiting, anxiety and fatigue; these are not abnormalities yet people seek medical help. The presence of these symptoms are fighting mechanisms of our immune system, thus being beneficial since they are aversive and are not themselves problems but a solution. The evolution significance of a disease like sickle cell, creates an immunity to malaria. “Sickle Cell Anemia, as long as carried heterozygous (AS), serve as an effective preventable took against the largest infectious disease killer in the world.” (Understanding our
Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an adjunctive treatment for certain types of intractable epilepsy and treatment-resistant depression .
A spinal cord stimulation trial is a test to see whether a spinal cord stimulator reduces your pain. A spinal cord stimulator is a small device that is attached to your back. The stimulator has small wires (leads) that connect it to your spinal cord. The stimulator sends electrical pulses through the leads to the spinal cord. These electrical pulses block the nerve impulses that cause pain.
For a trial period, the stimulator is placed on your skin, not under it. Only the leads that connect the stimulator to the spinal cord are implanted under your skin. The exact location of the stimulator depends on where you have pain.
According to Rosenberg (1988), the field of immunotherapy has become an area of significant and increasing interest within the field of medical science, prompted by the recent advances in knowledge of both biotechnology and cellular immunology. The field of immunology has produced revolutionary developments such as vaccines, which have prevented and decreased the occurrence of numerous infectious diseases over the past two centuries (Oviedo-Orta et al. 2013). Vaccine development has in turn combined immunology and drug design, resulting in a great deal of innovation over the last four decades endeavouring to expand the benefit of immunology past vaccines against foreign pathogens, and towards the treatment of chronic debilitating diseases.
Vagus profiling details the functions of the vagus nerve and the responsibilities it has in the body. The vagus nerve is crucial and performs essential roles in the body. It's responsible for preventing and controlling acute inflammation. It's also responsible for boosting immunity. Past researchers have shown that in inflammation the vagus nerve can work miracles on the body.
As a partial conclusion, it is important to maintain the idea from the beginning of the above quoted review that at least these three systems - cardiovascular, neuroendocrine and immune – appear to interact in a complex manner. (ibidem, p.
The cytokines partake in secreting the inflammatory response in the body and instigate the communication process to the central nervous system(Garg& Agostinis, 2014). They amass in the veins and in so doing travel to the brain. The central nervous system and the immune system are interconnected in some few known ways. The hormones and chemical secreted by cells of these two systems are another connection. Furthermore, the brain is able to use the nerve cells to directly connect with the immune system. The immune system is in charge of defending the body from viruses, bacteria, as well as other foreign pathogens that try to attack. The nervous system on the other hand transmits information to the brain from the whole body permitting movement speech and organ function. Inflammation may affect moods and behaviors. The pro-inflammatory cytokine normally enters the brain and affect the behavior and the mood. These mood changes and behaviors can as well be found in all mammals. If the inflammatory response is prolonged, this can lead to sickness behavior syndrome (Randall,
The effects of these movements identify with therapeutic mitigation, upgraded prosperity, and a long lifespan. Diseases, for instance, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADHD), Alzheimer's contamination, Autism, Bipolar Disorder, and OCD have distinctive signs and restorative treatment identifying with each patient. Belkin notes "If Fanconi patients were given a fundamentally bring down measurements of chemotherapy medication Cytoxan they could survive. The odds of their survival were expanded much further if the giver was a kin who was an impeccable match" (4). The effective rate of kin transplant could bring about positive inputs. Additionally, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) helps the resistant system and if that supporter is close to the individual tolerating it, there is a likelihood of it rejecting the new body. The movement of this restorative advancement displays a conflict of good challenges. Specifically, this new framework harms the newborn child that will have less danger of survival. Basically, neural additions may treat a broad assortment of restorative ailments. Experts assume that DBS will allow patients to take an interest in helpful treatment. Slater refers to, "They gauge a day when neural inserts will treat a wide assortment of psychiatric issues, from dietary issues to substance misuse to schizophrenia" (242). Neural supplements will duplicate and furthermore the ethical issues joined to it. This
Medicine is an ever-changing and improving field of study that consists of a variety of specialized parts and various aspects. There are always diseases, conditions, and health-related problems around the world. Despite the improvements in medicine, treatment, and hygiene, people are still losing their lives to diseases. The complexity of the human body fascinates me because I think it is an amazing factory consisting of different components from large body systems to every individual microscopic cell that all work together. They all have functions, and it is unbelievable how they all come together to encompass each and every individual. Much like cells, tissues, and organs of the body, every individual has an active role in society.
Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is the most-established member of the family of therapies known as neuromodulation, it is technology that acts upon nerves and alter nerve activity by delivering electrical stimuli directly to a target area (Chakravarthy et al. 2016). SCS is a clinical application arising directly from the revolutionary “gate-control” theory proposed by Melzack and Wall (1965) published in Science, a theory which proposed a hypothesis for an intrinsic pain control mechanism (Lazorthes et al. 2006). Spinal cord stimulation involve the placing a series of electrodes(4-16) mainly in epidural space overlying the dorsal columns at a vertebral level innervating painful area (Spincemaille GH 1999). A small extension cable carries low stimulus electrical current supplied from the pulse generator to the nerve fibre of the spinal cord which is connected to the electrode and power source, the generates the electrical stimulation, can either inhibit pain signals or stimulate neural impulses where they were
What doctors have no idea is that often there are numerous ways that are much better getting rid of this sickness naturally. The human body was designed using a sophisticated system of all natural protection systems in which counteract disease and health problems, plus they are easy to use. The ability for the curing must be used, popularly known as the defense mechanisms, that every one comes with.
As we all know, chronic illness is the number one health care problem in the United States; however, it is important to be aware of the capability of acute illness.Frequently, acute illnesses happen only in one part of the body and respond to treatment. Nevertheless, chronic illnesses are long- term conditions that usually involve multiple system, and there is no guarantee of a future where the condition will be cured completely. The similarity of these two type of illnesses have is that they both cope with any health problem depending of the severity of the condition. The biggest difference is that chronic illness usually requirement more treatment and care in order to maintain the homeostasis (Murrow & Oglesby, 1996).
Neuropathic pain is a widespread health[1]. It is a complex disorder that leads to chronic illness. Although considerable progress has been made, the mechanisms of neuropathic pain have not been fully elucidated[2]. Accumulating evidence indicates that neuroinflammatory may play a critical role in the initiation and maintenance of neuropathic pain, which is now considered to be a neuroimmune disorder[3-6]. Researches showed that activation of glial cells (microglia and astrocytes) contributes to central nervous system neuroinflammation and promotes central sensitization, as well as subsequent development and maintenance of neuropathic pain[7-9]. In addition, several studies have shown that inhibiting microglial and astrocytic activation have analgesic effects in neuropathy[10-12]. Whereas, currently available drugs are either insufficiently effective, or produce undesirable side effects[6].
Injury or inflammation of a bodily tissue can lead to profound changes in the internal chemical environment. Damaged cells discharge their intracellular components, releasing substances, notably ATP, potassium ions (K+) and acetyl chloine (ACh). Some of these contents act on nociceptors directly, triggering an action potential which will end up in the brain. Other components released from the cells can sensitize the terminals, making them hypersensitive to further stimuli. This allows a pain signal to be transmitted when a seemingly