Found: The dial in the brain that controls the immune system

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01259-2
  • NEWS
  • 01 May 2024

Scientists identify the brain cells that regulate inflammation, and pinpoint how they keep tabs on the immune response.

By

  1. Giorgia Guglielmi
    1. Giorgia Guglielmi is a science journalist in Basel, Switzerland.

Scientists have long known that the brain plays a part in the immune system — but how it does so has been a mystery. Now, scientists have identified cells in the brainstem that sense immune cues from the periphery of the body and act as master regulators of the body’s inflammatory response.

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doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-01259-2

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"author": "Giorgia Guglielmi",
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"description": "Scientists identify the brain cells that regulate inflammation, and pinpoint how they keep tabs on the immune response.",
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"title": "Found: the dial in the brain that controls the immune system",
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{
"url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01259-2",
"title": "Found: the dial in the brain that controls the immune system",
"description": "Scientists identify the brain cells that regulate inflammation, and pinpoint how they keep tabs on the immune response. Scientists identify the brain cells that regulate inflammation, and pinpoint how they keep tabs on the immune response.",
"links": [
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"content": "<div>\n <article>\n<div>\n <div>\n <ul>\n <li><span>NEWS</span></li>\n <li>01 May 2024</li>\n </ul>\n <div>\n <p>\n Scientists identify the brain cells that regulate inflammation, and pinpoint how they keep tabs on the immune response.\n </p>\n </div>\n </div>\n <div>\n <p><span>By</span></p><ul>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01259-2#author-0\">\n Giorgia Guglielmi</a><sup><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01259-2#Aff0\">0</a></sup></li>\n</ul>\n<div>\n <ol>\n <li>\n <span>Giorgia Guglielmi</span>\n <ol>\n <li>\n <p>Giorgia Guglielmi is a science journalist in Basel, Switzerland.</p>\n </li>\n </ol>\n </li>\n </ol>\n</div>\n </div>\n <div>\n <ul>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Found%3A+the+dial+in+the+brain+that+controls+the+immune+system&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fd41586-024-01259-2\">\n <span>Twitter</span>\n </a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fd41586-024-01259-2\">\n <span>Facebook</span>\n </a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"mailto:?subject=Found:%20the%20dial%20in%20the%20brain%20that%20controls%20the%20immune%20system&amp;body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fd41586-024-01259-2\">\n <span>Email</span>\n </a>\n </li>\n</ul>\n </div>\n</div>\n <p>Scientists have long known that <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-00509-z\">the brain plays a part in the immune system</a> — but how it does so has been a mystery. Now, scientists have identified cells in the brainstem that sense <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01396-y\">immune cues from the periphery of the body</a> and act as master regulators of the body’s <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-00871-6\">inflammatory response</a>.</p>\n <div>\n <h2 id=\"access-options\">Access options</h2>\n <section><div>\n <p>\n Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals\n </p>\n <p>\n Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription\n </p>\n <div>\n <p>\n <span>$32.99<span> / 30 days</span></span>\n </p>\n <p>cancel any time</p>\n </div>\n </div><div>\n <p>Subscribe to this journal</p>\n <p>\n Receive 51 print issues and online access\n </p>\n <div>\n <p>$199.00 per year</p>\n <p>only $3.90 per issue</p>\n </div>\n </div><div>\n <p>Rent or buy this article</p>\n <p>Prices vary by article type</p>\n <p><span>from</span>$1.95</p>\n <p><span>to</span>$39.95</p>\n </div><p>Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout</p></section>\n <h3>Additional access options:</h3>\n <ul>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://idp.nature.com/authorize/natureuser?client_id=grover&amp;redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fd41586-024-01259-2\">Log in</a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.springernature.com/gp/librarians/licensing/license-options\">Learn about institutional subscriptions</a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://support.nature.com/en/support/home\">Read our FAQs</a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.springernature.com/gp/contact\">Contact customer support</a>\n </li>\n </ul>\n </div>\n <p><em>doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-01259-2</em></p>\n <div><h2 id=\"Bib1\">References</h2></div>\n <h2 id=\"related-articles\">Related Articles</h2>\n <ul>\n <li>\n <p>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00509-z\">\n <img src=\"https://media.nature.com/lw100/magazine-assets/d41586-024-01259-2/d41586-024-01259-2_24096670.jpg\" />\n Your brain could be controlling how sick you get — and how you recover\n </a>\n </p>\n </li>\n <li>\n <p>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01502-8\">\n <img src=\"https://media.nature.com/lw100/magazine-assets/d41586-024-01259-2/d41586-024-01259-2_24045344.jpg\" />\n Guardians of the brain: how a special immune system protects our grey matter\n </a>\n </p>\n </li>\n <li>\n <p>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-00169-7\">\n <img src=\"https://media.nature.com/lw100/magazine-assets/d41586-024-01259-2/d41586-024-01259-2_26671374.jpg\" />\n Can autoimmune diseases be cured? Scientists see hope at last\n </a>\n </p>\n </li>\n <li>\n <p>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00584-2\">\n <img src=\"https://media.nature.com/lw100/magazine-assets/d41586-024-01259-2/d41586-024-01259-2_24096666.jpg\" />\n Anxiety can be created by the body, mouse heart study suggests\n </a>\n </p>\n </li>\n </ul>\n <h2 id=\"subjects\">Subjects</h2>\n <ul>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/subjects/brain\">Brain</a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/subjects/immunology\">Immunology</a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/subjects/neuroscience\">Neuroscience</a>\n </li>\n </ul>\n <section>\n <h2 id=\"tablist-heading\">Latest on:</h2>\n</section>\n <div>\n <div>\n <h2>\n <img src=\"https://www.nature.com/static/images/logos/nature-careers-logo-f6ff1c1c64.svg\" alt=\"Nature Careers\" />\n </h2>\n </div>\n <h3>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/\">Jobs\n </a>\n </h3>\n <ul>\n <li>\n <p><img src=\"https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/getasset/af77ec33-6d71-4e79-a272-b982eea3db44/\" />\n </p>\n </li>\n <li>\n <p><img src=\"https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/getasset/3b1a1822-9b6b-4616-a78b-746b4febb208/\" />\n </p>\n </li>\n <li>\n <div>\n <h4><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/job/12844408/lab-technician-position/?TrackID=62&amp;utm_source=widget&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=62\">Lab Technician Position</a></h4>\n <div>\n <p>Opportunity for skilled hands and sharp minds—at any career stage</p>\n <p>Vienna BioCenter, Austria</p>\n <p>Max Perutz Labs, Köhler Lab</p>\n </div>\n </div>\n <p><img src=\"https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/getasset/d92e4df1-4be4-4e03-b746-8c6e2225c623/\" />\n </p>\n </li>\n <li>\n <div>\n <h4><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/job/12844400/junior-research-group-leader-f-/?TrackID=62&amp;utm_source=widget&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=62\">Junior Research Group Leader (f)</a></h4>\n <div>\n <p>As a junior research group leader, you will pursue a larger research project with your own budget, hosted by the Institutes of Chemistry and Physics.</p>\n <p>Halle (Saale), Sachsen-Anhalt (DE)</p>\n <p>Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg</p>\n </div>\n </div>\n <p><img src=\"https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/getasset/8ec242b7-8c0b-48a7-a326-f2e43d3bd8be/\" />\n </p>\n </li>\n <li>\n <p><img src=\"https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/getasset/81e51d7d-627f-4394-9bf9-0f421410d2d5/\" />\n </p>\n </li>\n </ul>\n </div>\n </article>\n </div>",
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