There are many ways that the human body responds to stress, from the adrenaline rush of the
‘fight-or-flight’ instinct to more subtle, complex changes that may not be immediately recognizable to us.
New research shows that the actions of white blood cells called neutrophils are key not just to the body’s immune response but also its reaction to stress, and may explain psychiatric conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.
The process starts with inflammation, the body’s response to stressors such as injury or infection, and what it does to the brain. “People have known for a long time that when there is inflammation, your brain changes,” said Emeka Okeke, an immunologist and assistant professor of biology at Northeastern University.
Inflammation in the brain has also been implicated in several diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and major depressive disorder, and so Okeke wanted to explore the relationship among neutrophils, inflammation and stress-related psychiatric conditions.
“We are showing that the products released by neutrophils could actually damage the brain, the blood-brain barrier, and will promote inflammation in the brain,” he said.
Read more at Northeastern Global News
Photo by Matthew Modoono
