The Neuroendocrine Immune Network

Book excerpt: This informative publication updates the study of interaction of the nervous and endocrine systems with the immune system in the body. It describes the anatomical basis of these interactions, reviewing the innervation of lymphoid tissue and mast cells. The book discusses the effect of the endocrine system on immune function, including the relation of sex to the immune response. Emphasis is given to opioids, substance P, neurotensin, vasoactive intestinal peptide, somatostatin and cholecystokinin. Also addressed is the immunoregulatory effect of leukotrienes and platelet-activating factors. Scrutinized within are stress as an aspect of neuro-immune interactions, and the central role of the hypothalamus in this context. The book reviews the eye and the gastrointestinal tract with respect to the coordination of the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems in serving these organs. This work is of particular value to those in immunology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, and developmental biology.