Found: The dial in the brain that controls the immune system

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01259-2
  • NEWS
  • 01 May 2024

Scientists identify the brain cells that regulate inflammation, and pinpoint how they keep tabs on the immune response.

By

  1. Giorgia Guglielmi
    1. Giorgia Guglielmi is a science journalist in Basel, Switzerland.

Scientists have long known that the brain plays a part in the immune system — but how it does so has been a mystery. Now, scientists have identified cells in the brainstem that sense immune cues from the periphery of the body and act as master regulators of the body’s inflammatory response.

Access options

Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals

Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription

$32.99 / 30 days

cancel any time

Subscribe to this journal

Receive 51 print issues and online access

$199.00 per year

only $3.90 per issue

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Additional access options:

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-01259-2

References

Subjects

Latest on:

Nature Careers

Jobs

  • Sr Clinical Data Manager

    Biogen is seeking a Sr Clinical Data Manager to support the Clinical Data Management team.

    San Francisco, California

    Biogen

  • Associate Director, Epidemiology

    Biogen is seeking an Associate Director, Epidemiology position is to provide epidemiologic expertise.

    Cambridge, Massachusetts (US)

    Biogen

  • National Institutes of Health postdoctoral fellowship

    A postdoctoral IRTA position on pathogenesis and treatment of emerging viruses is available in the Emerging Pathogens Section within the Laboratory...

    NIH Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, Montana, USA

    NIH Chertow lab

{
"by": "andreareina",
"descendants": 4,
"id": 40243417,
"kids": [
40243718,
40244904,
40245202
],
"score": 45,
"time": 1714703500,
"title": "Found: The dial in the brain that controls the immune system",
"type": "story",
"url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01259-2"
}
{
"author": "Giorgia Guglielmi",
"date": "2024-05-01T00:00:00.000Z",
"description": "Scientists identify the brain cells that regulate inflammation, and pinpoint how they keep tabs on the immune response.",
"image": "https://media.nature.com/lw1200/magazine-assets/d41586-024-01259-2/d41586-024-01259-2_27034294.jpg",
"logo": "https://logo.clearbit.com/nature.com",
"publisher": "Nature",
"title": "Found: the dial in the brain that controls the immune system",
"url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01259-2"
}
{
"url": "https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01259-2",
"title": "Found: the dial in the brain that controls the immune system",
"description": "Scientists identify the brain cells that regulate inflammation, and pinpoint how they keep tabs on the immune response. Scientists identify the brain cells that regulate inflammation, and pinpoint how they keep tabs on the immune response.",
"links": [
"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01259-2"
],
"image": "https://media.nature.com/lw1200/magazine-assets/d41586-024-01259-2/d41586-024-01259-2_27034294.jpg",
"content": "<div>\n <article>\n<div>\n <div>\n <ul>\n <li><span>NEWS</span></li>\n <li>01 May 2024</li>\n </ul>\n <div>\n <p>\n Scientists identify the brain cells that regulate inflammation, and pinpoint how they keep tabs on the immune response.\n </p>\n </div>\n </div>\n <div>\n <p><span>By</span></p><ul>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01259-2#author-0\">\n Giorgia Guglielmi</a><sup><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-01259-2#Aff0\">0</a></sup></li>\n</ul>\n<div>\n <ol>\n <li>\n <span>Giorgia Guglielmi</span>\n <ol>\n <li>\n <p>Giorgia Guglielmi is a science journalist in Basel, Switzerland.</p>\n </li>\n </ol>\n </li>\n </ol>\n</div>\n </div>\n <div>\n <ul>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Found%3A+the+dial+in+the+brain+that+controls+the+immune+system&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fd41586-024-01259-2\">\n <span>Twitter</span>\n </a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fd41586-024-01259-2\">\n <span>Facebook</span>\n </a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"mailto:?subject=Found:%20the%20dial%20in%20the%20brain%20that%20controls%20the%20immune%20system&amp;body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fd41586-024-01259-2\">\n <span>Email</span>\n </a>\n </li>\n</ul>\n </div>\n</div>\n <p>Scientists have long known that <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-00509-z\">the brain plays a part in the immune system</a> — but how it does so has been a mystery. Now, scientists have identified cells in the brainstem that sense <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01396-y\">immune cues from the periphery of the body</a> and act as master regulators of the body’s <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-00871-6\">inflammatory response</a>.</p>\n <div>\n <h2 id=\"access-options\">Access options</h2>\n <section><div>\n <p>\n Access Nature and 54 other Nature Portfolio journals\n </p>\n <p>\n Get Nature+, our best-value online-access subscription\n </p>\n <div>\n <p>\n <span>$32.99<span> / 30 days</span></span>\n </p>\n <p>cancel any time</p>\n </div>\n </div><div>\n <p>Subscribe to this journal</p>\n <p>\n Receive 51 print issues and online access\n </p>\n <div>\n <p>$199.00 per year</p>\n <p>only $3.90 per issue</p>\n </div>\n </div><div>\n <p>Rent or buy this article</p>\n <p>Prices vary by article type</p>\n <p><span>from</span>$1.95</p>\n <p><span>to</span>$39.95</p>\n </div><p>Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout</p></section>\n <h3>Additional access options:</h3>\n <ul>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://idp.nature.com/authorize/natureuser?client_id=grover&amp;redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fd41586-024-01259-2\">Log in</a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.springernature.com/gp/librarians/licensing/license-options\">Learn about institutional subscriptions</a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://support.nature.com/en/support/home\">Read our FAQs</a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.springernature.com/gp/contact\">Contact customer support</a>\n </li>\n </ul>\n </div>\n <p><em>doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-01259-2</em></p>\n <div><h2 id=\"Bib1\">References</h2></div>\n <h2 id=\"related-articles\">Related Articles</h2>\n <ul>\n <li>\n <p>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00509-z\">\n <img src=\"https://media.nature.com/lw100/magazine-assets/d41586-024-01259-2/d41586-024-01259-2_24096670.jpg\" />\n Your brain could be controlling how sick you get — and how you recover\n </a>\n </p>\n </li>\n <li>\n <p>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-01502-8\">\n <img src=\"https://media.nature.com/lw100/magazine-assets/d41586-024-01259-2/d41586-024-01259-2_24045344.jpg\" />\n Guardians of the brain: how a special immune system protects our grey matter\n </a>\n </p>\n </li>\n <li>\n <p>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-024-00169-7\">\n <img src=\"https://media.nature.com/lw100/magazine-assets/d41586-024-01259-2/d41586-024-01259-2_26671374.jpg\" />\n Can autoimmune diseases be cured? Scientists see hope at last\n </a>\n </p>\n </li>\n <li>\n <p>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00584-2\">\n <img src=\"https://media.nature.com/lw100/magazine-assets/d41586-024-01259-2/d41586-024-01259-2_24096666.jpg\" />\n Anxiety can be created by the body, mouse heart study suggests\n </a>\n </p>\n </li>\n </ul>\n <h2 id=\"subjects\">Subjects</h2>\n <ul>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/subjects/brain\">Brain</a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/subjects/immunology\">Immunology</a>\n </li>\n <li>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/subjects/neuroscience\">Neuroscience</a>\n </li>\n </ul>\n <section>\n <h2 id=\"tablist-heading\">Latest on:</h2>\n</section>\n <div>\n <div>\n <h2>\n <img src=\"https://www.nature.com/static/images/logos/nature-careers-logo-f6ff1c1c64.svg\" alt=\"Nature Careers\" />\n </h2>\n </div>\n <h3>\n <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/\">Jobs\n </a>\n </h3>\n <ul>\n <li>\n <p><img src=\"https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/getasset/47e0dbf3-deaf-4cda-af31-62697a7a7c7b/\" />\n </p>\n </li>\n <li>\n <p><img src=\"https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/getasset/b03ccdbc-54e9-4d89-b409-5208a2b859d6/\" />\n </p>\n </li>\n <li>\n <div>\n <h4><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/job/12841554/sr-clinical-data-manager/?TrackID=62&amp;utm_source=widget&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=62\">Sr Clinical Data Manager</a></h4>\n <div>\n <p>Biogen is seeking a Sr Clinical Data Manager to support the Clinical Data Management team.</p>\n <p>San Francisco, California</p>\n <p>Biogen</p>\n </div>\n </div>\n <p><img src=\"https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/getasset/c84a1282-3c98-4955-bb42-ffb61c930eb9/\" />\n </p>\n </li>\n <li>\n <div>\n <h4><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/job/12841553/associate-director-epidemiology/?TrackID=62&amp;utm_source=widget&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=62\">Associate Director, Epidemiology</a></h4>\n <div>\n <p>Biogen is seeking an Associate Director, Epidemiology position is to provide epidemiologic expertise.</p>\n <p>Cambridge, Massachusetts (US)</p>\n <p>Biogen</p>\n </div>\n </div>\n <p><img src=\"https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/getasset/c84a1282-3c98-4955-bb42-ffb61c930eb9/\" />\n </p>\n </li>\n <li>\n <div>\n <h4><a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https://www.nature.com/naturecareers/job/12841514/national-institutes-of-health-postdoctoral-fellowship/?TrackID=62&amp;utm_source=widget&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_campaign=62\">National Institutes of Health postdoctoral fellowship</a></h4>\n <div>\n <p>A postdoctoral IRTA position on pathogenesis and treatment of emerging viruses is available in the Emerging Pathogens Section within the Laboratory...</p>\n <p>NIH Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton, Montana, USA</p>\n <p>NIH Chertow lab</p>\n </div>\n </div>\n </li>\n </ul>\n </div>\n </article>\n </div>",
"author": "Guglielmi, Giorgia",
"favicon": "https://www.nature.com/static/images/favicons/nature/favicon.ico",
"source": "nature.com",
"published": "2024-05-01",
"ttr": 63,
"type": "article"
}