SCIENCE UPDATES

RE-THINKING DISEASE: Asthma

Conventional Medical Thinking:  Asthma is idiopathic (cause unknown), with narrowing and spasm of airways. Treatment uses inhaled corticosteroids, anti-inflammatory meds – and in emergencies, a rescue inhaler, epinephrine and systemic steroids.

Systems Biology Thinking:  Asthma is an inflammatory disease. Systems Biology research points to over-activation of the deep brain as the instigating factor as well as lack of restorative sleep.

New Articles

Ohno I. Neuropsychiatry phenotype in asthma: psychological stress-induced alterations of the neurobiology-endocrine system in allergic airway inflammation. Allergol Int 2017.  Critical role of psychological stress in activation of signals in the development and exacerbation of allergic asthma. 

Classic Articles

Miyasaka (2017)  The interplay between neuroendocrine activity and psychological stress-induced exacerbation of allergic asthma. Allergot Int. How stress activates the Brain and Endocrine systems resulting in asthma.  Describes consecutive pathological events from brain to lung, resulting in eosinophilic airway inflammation.