How the Brain Regulates Inflammation

A study in Nature has uncovered a direct connection between the brain and the body’s inflammatory responses, revealing that the nervous system can actively regulate immune activity.

Researchers identified a population of neurons in the brainstem that function as a central control switch capable of turning inflammation up or down throughout the body.

Using a mouse model, the team traced how sensory neurons in the vagus nerve detect signals from inflamed tissues and relay that information to the caudal nucleus of the solitary tract (cNST) in the brainstem. Within this region, a small set of neurons integrates these signals and sends feedback to peripheral immune organs. Stimulating this circuit suppressed inflammation, whereas silencing it caused an exaggerated immune response, resulting in tissue damage and systemic inflammation. This shows that the brain plays a direct, dynamic role in maintaining immune balance.

Researchers believe that identifying how this “inflammation dial” operates could open new therapeutic pathways for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

The work contributes to the growing field of neuroimmunology, which explores how the brain and immune system communicate to maintain homeostasis. Future studies will examine whether similar circuits exist in humans and how they might be targeted to restore immune regulation without broadly suppressing immune function.

Citation

Jin, H., Li, M., Jeong, E. et al. A body–brain circuit that regulates body inflammatory responses. Nature 630, 695–703 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-024-07469-y