The Merging of Mental and Physical Health Mechanisms

This brief review discusses the ties between the endocrine, immune and nervous systems, which support the merging of mental and physical health concepts and health care. Mental and physical health’s are dependent on multidirectional interactions of the neuroendocrine immune network. Communications among neuronal connections within the central nervous system (CNS) regulate our behaviors, cognitive ability and numerous peripheral activities, including endocrine and immune responses. Conversely, immune cells, microglia, within the CNS, and hormones influence the development of the neuronal circuits as well as neuro-degeneration. Peripheral immune cells and factors entering the brain also affect behaviors and cognition. Cells of the immune and nervous systems also share a number of receptors, modulatory ligands, and transcription factors. Although CNS and immune associations have been reported for more than a century, only recently have the elusive mechanistic interactions been more thoroughly researched. Current studies are implicating endocrine, immune and nervous system interactions in behavior pathophysiology.