Neural and Neuroendocrine Mechanisms in Host Defense and Autoimmunity

This book provides a lucid summary of behavioral, neural and endocrine regulation of immune responses and of the effects of immune system activity on neural and endocrine functions and behavior. The underlying premise is that the brain and immune system represent a single, integrated system of defense. The discussion includes such topics and stress induced modulation of innate resistance and adaptive immunity in influenza viral infections.This comprehensive volume, written by experts in the integrative fields of neuroscience, endocrinology and immunology, provides insight into the mechanisms by which neural and neuroendocrine factors influence susceptibility to infection and autoimmunity. The book focuses on multiple sclerosis as the prototypic autoimmune disease and discusses infectious diseases including anthrax, influenza virus, herpes virus and human immunodeficiency virus. The effects of stress on experimental models of multiple sclerosis and also clinical observations of stress in multiple sclerosis patients are discussed. Neural and Neuroendocrine Mechanisms in Host Defense and Autoimmunity is an ideal book for researches and professionals in the fields of immunology, neuroscience, infectious disease, psychology, microbiology, virology, public health and pharmaceutical sciences.