[Neuroimmunomodulation. The bi- and unilateral correlations between the nervous system and the immune system]

The nervous system-immune system relationships, namely the modulatory effects of the former upon the latter and vice versa, have been considered both in physiological and pathological conditions. The nervous system communicates with the immune system in two biochemical ways, by means of neurohormones and neurotransmitters, using anatomical and functional pathways related to the pituitary system (the manifold endocrine axes between hypophysis and peripheral endocrine glands) and autonomic system (especially the orthosympathetic one, and to much lesser extent the parasympathetic system). The immune system is able to modulate some nervous functions via cytokines, peptidic molecules produced by immunocytes, that can also be secreted in certain conditions by neural cells, such as astrocytes, microgliocytes and even neurons. The knowledge of physiology of the neuroimmunomodulation and related pathological changes may be very useful for understanding the pathogenesis and the pathophysiology of neuroimmunological diseases, and for their diagnosis and treatment.