Afferent Vagus Nerve Stimulation Activates Brain Locus Coeruleus and Improves Experimental Joint Inflammation
A recent study published in the Brain, Behavior, and Immunity journal indicates, for the first time, that stimulation of vagal afferents or specific brain areas can modulate joint inflammation. This new central pathway involves sympathetic nervous system activation and local stimulation of synovial β-adrenoceptors. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is a well-known procedure that limits inflammation and […]
Gut and Gingival Bacteria: Game Changers or Innocent Bystanders in Rheumatoid Arthritis?
Several publications in the last 2-3 years brought more interest in the link between gut and gingival bacteria or microbiota, and human health and diseases, and particularly their possible game changer role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. The human gastrointestinal tract comprises approximately 1014 bacterial microbes and amounts to a biomass of approximately 2 […]
Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide Inhibits Pathogenic Th17 Cells from Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
A study published in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology indicates that in blood from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) shifts the activity of T cells towards a more T regulatory cell phenotype, and reduces the pathogenic profile of T helper (Th)17 cells. The vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is well-known for its immunoregulatory […]
Vitamin D Deficiency May Contribute to the Reduction of Sympathetic and Sensory Innervation in Arthritis
A new study published in Neuroscience demonstrates that vitamin D deficiency in experimental animals is related to sensory and sympathetic denervation and reduced neurotrophin levels in the synovium. Several studies have associated vitamin D levels with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) development in humans. Thus, low vitamin D levels are documented in patients with active RA. Also […]
Therapeutic Potential of α7 Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Agonists in a Murine Model of Rheumatoid Arthritis
According to van Maanen et al., and their recent publication in PLoS One, two new experimental compounds affecting the acetylcholine-receptor system are able to delay collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in mice, showing the therapeutic potential of chemicals targeting the α7 subunit of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChR). Previous research revealed that the efferent vagus nerve may decrease […]
Blood Levels of the New Anti-Inflammatory Cytokine IL-37 Are Increased In Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
A recent study published in PLoS One suggests that interleukin (IL)-17 is involved in a control circuit that tries to regulate inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with increased levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, IL-17A and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. Early intervention and treatment of RA is based on disease-modifying […]
A Hierarchical Cytokines Framework Defining Groups of Chronic Inflammatory Diseases: Learning From Cytokine-Targeted Therapies
Commentary on the study by George Schett et al, Nat Med, 2013 Jul;19(7):822-4 How cytokine networks fuel inflammation: Toward a cytokine-based disease taxonomy Extensive genome-wide association and epidemiological studies have shed light on the causes of chronic inflammatory diseases and have confirmed a central role of the immune system and particularly of cytokines [1]. Secreted […]
Stress and Worrying Affect Short-Term Fluctuations in Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms
In the July 2013 issue of Annals of Rheumatic Diseases, Evers et al. report that stress and worrying predict indicators of rheumatoid arthritis disease activity such as fatigue and pain. Psychological stress has been linked to the onset and course of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). While for the juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA), chronic stress appear to […]
Drug Companies and NIH in $230 Million Joint Project for Alzheimer’s, Diabetes, Lupus and Arthritis
Along with funding from the United States government and ten large pharmaceutical companies, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland will split the cost of a new multimillion project targeting common chronic human diseases. The companies involved include Pfizer Inc., Eli Lilly & Co, AbbVie Inc., Biogen Idec Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., Glaxo Smith […]
New Evidence Suggests Targeting Neuroinflammation May Be One Key to Slowing Alzheimer’s Disease
Posted on August 16, 2016 By Edward Tobinick Commentaries
Commentary on the study by Richard Chou et al. CNS Drugs, 2016 Jul 28. [Epub ahead of print] Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis and Risk of Alzheimer’sDisease: A Nested Case-Control Analysis Compelling new data published online in the journal CNS Drugs documents a substantial and significant decreased risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in individuals with […]