Immunoendocrinology In Health And Disease

One of the first comprehensive references dealing specifically with this new field of interdisciplinary research in medicine, Immunoendocrinology in Health and Disease offers a full scientific picture of where the immune and neuroendocrine systems intersect-placing current understanding of system components, mechanisms, and functions side by side w

One of the first comprehensive references dealing specifically with this new field of interdisciplinary research in medicine, Immunoendocrinology in Health and Disease offers a full scientific picture of where the immune and neuroendocrine systems intersect-placing current understanding of system components, mechanisms, and functions side by side with clinical results illustrating the many ramifications of their interaction in human health and disease management.

Immunoendocrinology is a rapidly developing field of research that seeks to understand the intersection of the immune and endocrine systems. Immunoendocrinology: Scientific and Clinical Aspects explores in detail the current knowledge of immunoendocrinology, namely endocrine disorders produced by disorders of immune function. Chapters cover both basic pathophysiology informed by studies of animal models as well as current understanding of multiple related clinical diseases—their pathophysiology, diagnosis, and therapy. Immunoendocrinology: Scientific and Clinical Aspects captures the central role of immunoendocrinologic processes in the pathogenesis of not only type 1 diabetes but in a range of other autoimmune and endocrine disorders.

In the last decades, several in vitro and in vivo studies have revealed the existence of a very complex network between the neuroendocrine and immune system. Important molecular mechanisms underlying these interactions, in both physiological and pathological conditions, have also been described. Indeed, hormones play a pivotal role in the development and functional regulation of the immune system – both innate and acquired responses. Immune system cells present specific hormone receptors and themselves produce some hormones, thus influencing hormone secretion. More recently, the modulation of hormone secretion has been attempted for treating associated autoimmune disorders, further supporting the strong interplay between the endocrine and immune system. Distinguished experts, who have published extensively in their fields, have contributed comprehensive chapters to this volume. The focus is on the various aspects of endocrine-neuro-immune connections, providing an updated panorama - from basics to clinical applications - of current knowledge and still debated issues.

Brain-immune interactions are essential to maintain health and their dysfunction contributes to diverse human diseases. Recent data show that haematopoietic processes and immune organs are under central autonomic control. Deficient regulation of inflammatory events contributes to brain diseases, whereas acute or chronic brain injury is linked with the development of systemic inflammatory conditions or immunosuppression. At present, common disorders with high socio-economic burden such as cancer, cardiovascular-, neuroinflammatory- and neurodegenerative diseases, asthma, allergies, autism, psychiatric conditions and sepsis are believed to be influenced, at least in part, by the dysfunction of brain-immune communication. Since the median age of the world's population is increasing rapidly, it is expected that the burden of common non-communicable diseases will further increase, which represents a huge challenge to the health care systems worldwide. Thus, there is an increasing demand to understand and treat complex diseases, many of which are age-related, and this is not possible unless the fine-tuned communication between large systems -such as the nervous and the immune system- is comprehensively understood. Although it is impossible to cover all areas of relevant research in this field, papers in this eBook give some insight to a few important aspects of brain-immune interactions and their contribution to disease. We hope that this collection could stimulate further relevant research and facilitate discussions to support the understanding of the highly complex interactions between the immune system and the brain in health and disease.

Since publication of the 4th Edition of The Autoimmune Diseases in 2006, the understanding of the immune mechanisms underlying autoimmunity and autoimmune disease has significantly deepened and broadened. This fully revised 5th Edition incorporates new material and combines common themes underlying inductive and effector mechanisms and therapies that relate generally to the autoimmune disorders. It discusses the biological basis of disease at genetic, molecular, cellular, and epidemiologic levels and includes expanded coverage of autoinflammatory disease and autoimmune responses to tumors. Gives a thorough and an important overview on the entire field, framing individual disease chapters with information that compares and contrasts each disorder and therapy Provides thorough, up-to-date information on specific diseases, along with clinical applications, in an easily found reference for clinicians and researchers interested in certain diseases Keeps readers abreast of current trends and emerging areas in the field Ensures that content is not only up-to-date, but applicable and relevant

This is a comprehensive and novel text that examines key features that predispose individuals to autoimmune diseases. The first section details the basic mechanism of autoimmunity and examines immunogenetic and environmental factors in autoimmunity. The next section examines autoimmune thyroid disease. The third section takes a look at Type 1 diabetes mellitus. In the final section, authors explain other autoimmune endocrinopathies.

Disorders associated with cortisol excess and insufficiency, although rare, deserve the attention of the entire medical community because of high associated morbidity and mortality. Both diagnosis and management of hypo- and hypercortisolism are challenging, and disease presentation, at both clinical and laboratory level is not always definite. New tools are available for non-invasive and early diagnosis, and the choice of treatment should be tailored to each patient to improve quality of life through the regulation of the levels and rhythm of hormonal secretion, while limiting complications associated with the disease and therapies. In this new volume, top experts have contributed chapters on the pathognomonic, epidemiological, clinical, radiological, and laboratory aspects of the various disorders associated with altered cortisol secretion. They also present information on still debated standpoints on management. Cortisol Excess and Insufficiency is a valuable reference book for those wishing to have a reasoned and broad overview of the pathophysiology and management of disorders associated with hypo- and hypercortisolism.