Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Classification of Illness

Classification of Illness

The meaning of illness is individualized to each person who experiences an alteration in health. In contrast, disease is a medical term indicating a pathological change in the structure and function of the body or mind. It is a condition that has specific symptoms and boundaries.
An illness is a response to a disease in which the person's level of functioning is changed compared with a previous level. The general classification of illness includes acute and chronic.
Acute illness is severe and...

Depression: Overview

Depression: Overview

Depression is a prevalent mental illness marked by persistent sadness and lack of interest in previously enjoyable activities. It can take several forms, including major depression, persistent depressive disorder, and bipolar I and II disorders. Symptoms range from emotional changes like chronic worry to physical changes like sleep disturbances and suicidal thoughts. From a neurobiological perspective, depression is believed to be triggered by abnormalities in the brain's prefrontal cortex,...

Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Negative and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia

Negative symptoms of schizophrenia indicate a reduction or absence of typical behaviors and emotional responses found in healthy individuals, while positive symptoms reflect an excess or distortion of normal functioning.
Negative Symptoms
Negative symptoms of schizophrenia manifest as deficits in normal emotional and behavioral functioning, profoundly impacting daily life. Individuals with schizophrenia often display a flat affect, characterized by a near-total absence of emotional expression,...

Causes of Social Behavior III: Biological and Environmental Influences

Causes of Social Behavior III: Biological and Environmental Influences

Social behavior is a complex phenomenon that arises from the interaction between biological predispositions and environmental influences. This intricate interplay shapes how individuals think, feel, and act in various social contexts. Understanding these mechanisms requires insights from psychology, neuroscience, genetics, and evolutionary theory.Environmental Influences on Social BehaviorEnvironmental factors, including temperature, odors, and visual stimuli, play a crucial role in shaping...

Factors Affecting Illness

Factors Affecting Illness

When a person's physical, emotional, intellectual, social development or spiritual functioning is compromised, this deviation from a healthy normal state is called illness. Illness creates stress that in turn harms individuals. Irritation, anger, denial, hopelessness, and fear are behavioral and emotional changes an individual experiences in the phases of illness. A variety of factors influence a person's health and well-being.
For instance, risk factors are connected to illness, disability,...

Depressive Disorders: Etiology

Depressive Disorders: Etiology

Depressive disorders result from a complex interplay of biological, psychological, and sociocultural factors, each contributing uniquely to the development and persistence of the condition. Understanding these factors provides critical insight into the multifaceted nature of depression.
Biological Factors in Depression
Biological predispositions significantly influence the risk of developing depressive disorders. Genetic studies highlight the role of variations in the serotonin transporter...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Activation of the cGAS-STING pathway contributes to cancer-related fatigue in a murine model of head and neck cancer.

Brain, behavior, and immunity·2026

Same author

Maternal Immune Activation Leads to Mitochondrial Dysfunction and a Social Deficit in Offspring That Is Reversed by Nicotinamide Riboside.

Nutrients·2026

Same author

Obesity, low-grade inflammation, and inflammatory response to immune challenge modulate willingness to expend effort for reward.

Brain, behavior, and immunity·2026

Same author

Activation of the cGAS-STING pathway contributes to cancer-related fatigue in a murine model of head and neck cancer.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2025

Same author

IV IL-1 receptor antagonist reduces pain sensitivity and enhances brain endorphin release during a standardized, experimental, acute pain challenge: A BESH clinical trial.

Brain, behavior, and immunity·2025

Same author

Acute and chronic nasal inflammation induces lymphangiogenesis in the olfactory mucosa in mice.

Brain, behavior, & immunity - health·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Mouse Short- and Long-term Locomotor Activity Analyzed by Video Tracking Software

Mouse Short- and Long-term Locomotor Activity Analyzed by Video Tracking Software

Published on: June 20, 2013

Cytokine, sickness behavior, and depression.

Robert Dantzer¹

¹Integrative Immunology and Behavior Program, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 212 ERML, 1201 W Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL 61801, USA. dantzer@illinois.edu

Immunology and Allergy Clinics of North America

|April 25, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Sickness behavior, a strategy to fight infection, involves psychologic and behavioral changes. Proinflammatory cytokines trigger these responses by communicating with the brain through neural and humoral pathways.

More Related Videos

A Chronic Immobilization Stress Protocol for Inducing Depression-Like Behavior in Mice

A Chronic Immobilization Stress Protocol for Inducing Depression-Like Behavior in Mice

Published on: May 15, 2019

Social Threat-Safety Test Uncovers Psychosocial Stress-Related Phenotypes

Social Threat-Safety Test Uncovers Psychosocial Stress-Related Phenotypes

Published on: December 15, 2023

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Mouse Short- and Long-term Locomotor Activity Analyzed by Video Tracking Software

Mouse Short- and Long-term Locomotor Activity Analyzed by Video Tracking Software

Published on: June 20, 2013

A Chronic Immobilization Stress Protocol for Inducing Depression-Like Behavior in Mice

A Chronic Immobilization Stress Protocol for Inducing Depression-Like Behavior in Mice

Published on: May 15, 2019

Social Threat-Safety Test Uncovers Psychosocial Stress-Related Phenotypes

Social Threat-Safety Test Uncovers Psychosocial Stress-Related Phenotypes

Published on: December 15, 2023

Area of Science:

Neuroimmunology
Behavioral Neuroscience

Background:

Sickness behavior encompasses psychologic, behavioral, and physiological responses to infection.
Proinflammatory cytokines, released by the innate immune system upon detecting pathogen-associated molecular patterns, initiate sickness behavior.
Cytokines communicate with the brain via neural and humoral pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the current understanding of the organization and regulation of cytokine-brain communication.
To explore the implications of these findings for brain physiology and pathology.

Main Methods:

Review of existing scientific literature on neuroimmunology and sickness behavior.
Analysis of cytokine signaling pathways and their impact on neural function.

Main Results:

Sickness behavior is a coordinated host defense mechanism.
Cytokines like Interleukin-1 act on the brain through both direct neural afferents and systemic circulation.
This communication system is complex and highly regulated.

Conclusions:

Understanding cytokine-brain communication is crucial for comprehending brain function and disease.
Advances in this field offer insights into neuroinflammation and related disorders.