"A Complex Relationship":: How Does Hunger Affect Your Immune System?
According to a recent study, even if you are not truly hungry, the mere thought of hunger can alter your immune system.
Researchers discovered that the brain's perception of hunger is sufficient to change the blood's immune cell count, providing new insight into the intricate connection between immunity and the mind.
The study demonstrated the function of specialized brain cells (AgRP and POMC cells) in producing sensations of hunger and fullness, according to the Science Alert website.
Monocytes, which are essential for reducing inflammation, were found to significantly decline in satiated mice when these cells were artificially activated. In contrast, the numbers of these cells returned to normal levels without food intake when hungry mice were made to feel sated!
The most intriguing finding is the identification of a sympathetic nervous system-based communication pathway between the brain and the liver, which allows the brain to deceive the liver into secreting less CCL2, a chemical that draws immune cells. Corticosterone, a stress hormone, also contributed to the amplification of this reaction.
In addition to helping the body adjust to expected food shortages, this system is thought to have evolved to help explain the inflammation linked to eating disorders and obesity.
Similar findings have been suggested by earlier hypnosis experiments, but current research is still in its early stages.
If verified, the findings have the potential to transform the management of metabolic disorders or autoimmune diseases by focusing on the brain instead of the immune system.
The study also reminds us of the powerful connection between cognition and body and prompts us to reconsider how our feelings and thoughts affect our health more deeply than we realize.