TY - JOUR
T1 - Restoring the Balance of the Autonomic Nervous System as an Innovative Approach to the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis
AU - Koopman, F.A.
AU - Stoof, S.P.
AU - Straub, R.H.
AU - van Maanen, M.A.
AU - Vervoordeldonk, M.J.
AU - Tak, P.P.
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - The immunomodulatory effect of the autonomic nervous system has raised considerable interest over the last decades. Studying the influence on the immune system and the role in inflammation of the sympathetic as well as the parasympathetic nervous system not only will increase our understanding of the mechanism of disease, but also could lead to the identification of potential new therapeutic targets for chronic immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). An imbalanced autonomic nervous system, with a reduced parasympathetic and increased sympathetic tone, has been a consistent finding in RA patients. Studies in animal models of arthritis have shown that influencing the sympathetic (via alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptors) and the parasympathetic (via the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha 7nAChR or by electrically stimulating the vagus nerve) nervous system can have a beneficial effect on inflammation markers and arthritis. The immunosuppressive effect of the parasympathetic nervous system appears less ambiguous than the immunomodulatory effect of the sympathetic nervous system, where activation can lead to increased or decreased inflammation depending on timing, doses and kind of adrenergic agent used. In this review we will discuss the current knowledge of the role of both the sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) in inflammation with a special focus on the role in RA. In addition, potential antirheumatic strategies that could be developed by targeting these autonomic pathways are discussed. (C) 2011 The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, www.feinsteininstitute.org Online address: http://www.molmed.org doi: 10.2119/molmed.2011.00065
AB - The immunomodulatory effect of the autonomic nervous system has raised considerable interest over the last decades. Studying the influence on the immune system and the role in inflammation of the sympathetic as well as the parasympathetic nervous system not only will increase our understanding of the mechanism of disease, but also could lead to the identification of potential new therapeutic targets for chronic immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). An imbalanced autonomic nervous system, with a reduced parasympathetic and increased sympathetic tone, has been a consistent finding in RA patients. Studies in animal models of arthritis have shown that influencing the sympathetic (via alpha- and beta-adrenergic receptors) and the parasympathetic (via the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha 7nAChR or by electrically stimulating the vagus nerve) nervous system can have a beneficial effect on inflammation markers and arthritis. The immunosuppressive effect of the parasympathetic nervous system appears less ambiguous than the immunomodulatory effect of the sympathetic nervous system, where activation can lead to increased or decreased inflammation depending on timing, doses and kind of adrenergic agent used. In this review we will discuss the current knowledge of the role of both the sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) in inflammation with a special focus on the role in RA. In addition, potential antirheumatic strategies that could be developed by targeting these autonomic pathways are discussed. (C) 2011 The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, www.feinsteininstitute.org Online address: http://www.molmed.org doi: 10.2119/molmed.2011.00065
U2 - https://doi.org/10.2119/molmed.2011.00065
DO - https://doi.org/10.2119/molmed.2011.00065
M3 - Article
C2 - 21607292
SN - 1076-1551
VL - 17
SP - 937
EP - 948
JO - Molecular Medicine
JF - Molecular Medicine
IS - 9-10
ER -