Immuneneural

Immuneneural is an interdisciplinary field that studies the bidirectional interactions between the immune system and the nervous system. It examines how immune cells, cytokines, and antibodies influence neural development, signaling, and disease, as well as how neural activity and neuroendocrine factors regulate immune responses. The scope includes processes in the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and their associated immune compartments, such as microglia, astrocytes, meningeal lymphatics, and the peripheral immune system.

Research areas in immuneneural encompass neuroinflammation, autoimmune central nervous system disorders, neurodegeneration with immune components, and pain. Key concepts include microglial and glial activation, cytokine signaling, blood-brain barrier regulation, and neuroimmune communication at meningeal interfaces. Common methods combine animal models, human observational studies, neuroimaging, single-cell sequencing, and proteomics to elucidate immune–neural interactions.

Clinical relevance arises from the potential to understand and treat conditions where immune and neural processes intersect. Insights from immuneneural research inform therapies for autoimmune CNS diseases such as multiple sclerosis and autoimmune encephalitis, and contribute to strategies that modulate neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative diseases. Nonetheless, translating preclinical findings to humans remains challenging due to system complexity, heterogeneity, and safety considerations.

History and development in immuneneural trace to the broader field of neuroimmunology, which advanced through recognition of immune signaling within the CNS and the roles of glial cells. Since the late 20th century, the field has emphasized bidirectional communication between the nervous and immune systems and the impact of immune activity on neural health and disease.

See also: neuroimmunology; neuroinflammation; microglia; multiple sclerosis; autoimmune encephalitis.