Allergy and the Nervous System
Allergy and the Nervous System

Author: John Bienenstock

Publisher: Karger Medical and Scientific Publishers

Published: 2012

Total Pages: 286

ISBN-13: 3805599846

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In recent decades, it has become increasingly clear that the immune and nervous systems communicate with each other in a bidirectional way. The role of chronic stress in allergic disease and inflammation has been confirmed and raises the important question of how psychosocial factors influence the outcome of allergic conditions. This book explains the roles of the autonomic, peripheral and central nervous systems in allergy and asthma. With contributions from leading authorities - both clinicians and basic researchers - it covers a wide range of topics from psychology over epigenetics to brain imaging. The 15 invited reviews discuss topics such as the role of stress in allergy and asthma, the concept of programming in utero and in childhood and adulthood, the significance of neurotrophins, and the involvement of the nervous system in the lung in asthma and lung inflammation. The interactions between mast cells and the nervous system are examined as well as the role of the gut microbiome in regulating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the stress response. Further chapters are devoted to neural and behavioral changes associated with food allergy, the role of the neuroendocrine system in the skin, and the way in which itch is processed by the brain. Unique in its field, this valuable volume is recommended reading not only for allergologists, psychologists specializing in allergy and somatic manifestations, respirologists and asthma researchers, but for anyone interested in psychoneuroimmunology.

Histamine in the brain
Histamine in the brain

Author: Jian-Sheng Lin

Publisher: Frontiers Media SA

Published: 2015-03-18

Total Pages: 100

ISBN-13: 2889194345

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Brain aminergic pathways are organized in parallel and interacting systems, which support a range of functions, from homoeostatic regulations to cognitive, and motivational processes. Despite overlapping functional influences, dopamine, serotonin, noradrenaline and histamine systems provide different contributions to these processes. The histaminergic system, long ignored as a major regulator of the sleep-wake cycle, has now been fully acknowledged also as a major coordinator of attention, learning and memory, decision making. Although histaminergic neurons project widely to the whole brain, they are functionally heterogeneous, a feature which may provide the substrate for differential regulation, in a region-specific manner, of other neurotransmitter systems. Neurochemical preclinical studies have clearly shown that histamine interacts and modulates the release of neurotransmitters that are recognized as major modulators of cognitive processing and motivated behaviours. As a consequence, the histamine system has been proposed as a therapeutic target to treat sleep-wake disorders and cognitive dysfunctions that accompany neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory pathologies. Last decades have witnessed an unexpected explosion of interest in brain histamine system, as new receptors have been discovered and selective ligands synthesised. Nevertheless, the complete picture of the histamine systems fine-tuning and its orchestration with other pathways remains rather elusive. This Research Topic is intended to offer an inter-disciplinary forum that will improve our current understanding of the role of brain histamine and provide the fundamentals necessary to drive innovation in clinical practice and to improve the management and treatment of neurological disorders.

Indoor Allergens
Indoor Allergens

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 1993-02-01

Total Pages: 321

ISBN-13: 0309048311

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More than 50 million Americans, one out of five, suffer from hay fever, asthma, and other allergic diseases. Many of these conditions are caused by exposure to allergens in indoor environments such as the house, work, and schoolâ€"where we spend as much as 98 percent of our time. Developed by medical, public health, and engineering professionals working together, this unique volume summarizes what is known about indoor allergens, how they affect human health, the magnitude of their effect on various populations, and how they can be controlled. The book addresses controversies, recommends research directions, and suggests how to assist and educate allergy patients, as well as professionals. Indoor Allergens presents a wealth of information about common indoor allergens and their varying effects, from significant hay fever to life-threatening asthma. The volume discusses sources of allergens, from fungi and dust mites to allergenic chemicals, plants, and animals, and examines practical measures for their control. Indoor Allergens discusses how the human airway and immune system respond to inhaled allergens and assesses patient testing methods, covering the importance of the patient's medical history and outlining procedures and approaches to interpretation for skin tests, in vitro diagnostic tests, and tests of patients' pulmonary function. This comprehensive and practical volume will be important to allergists and other health care providers; public health professionals; specialists in building design, construction, and maintenance; faculty and students in public health; and interested allergy patients.

Stress in Post-War Britain, 1945–85
Stress in Post-War Britain, 1945–85

Author: Mark Jackson

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2016-12-05

Total Pages: 268

ISBN-13: 1317318048

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In the years following World War II the health and well-being of the nation was of primary concern to the British government. The essays in this collection examine the relationship between health and stress in post-war Britain through a series of carefully connected case studies.

Itch
Itch

Author: E. Carstens

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2014-02-25

Total Pages: 482

ISBN-13: 1466505435

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Advances in itch research have elucidated differences between itch and pain but have also blurred the distinction between them. There is a long debate about how somatic sensations including touch, pain, itch, and temperature sensitivity are encoded by the nervous system. Research suggests that each sensory modality is processed along a fixed, direct-line communication system from the skin to the brain. Itch: Mechanisms and Treatment presents a timely update on all aspects of itch research and the clinical treatment of itch that accompanies many dermatological conditions including psoriasis, neuropathic itch, cutaneous t-cells lymphomas, and systemic diseases such as kidney and liver disease and cancer. Composed of contributions from distinguished researchers around the world, the book explores topics such as: Neuropathic itch Peripheral neuronal mechanism of itch The role of PAR-2 in neuroimmune communication and itch Mrgprs as itch receptors The role of interleukin-31 and oncostatin M in itch and neuroimmune communication Spinal coding of itch and pain Spinal microcircuits and the regulation of itch Examining new findings on cellular and molecular mechanisms, the book is a compendium of the most current research on itch, its prevalence in society, and the problems associated with treatment.

Finding a Path to Safety in Food Allergy
Finding a Path to Safety in Food Allergy

Author: National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 2017-05-27

Total Pages: 575

ISBN-13: 0309450314

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Over the past 20 years, public concerns have grown in response to the apparent rising prevalence of food allergy and related atopic conditions, such as eczema. Although evidence on the true prevalence of food allergy is complicated by insufficient or inconsistent data and studies with variable methodologies, many health care experts who care for patients agree that a real increase in food allergy has occurred and that it is unlikely to be due simply to an increase in awareness and better tools for diagnosis. Many stakeholders are concerned about these increases, including the general public, policy makers, regulatory agencies, the food industry, scientists, clinicians, and especially families of children and young people suffering from food allergy. At the present time, however, despite a mounting body of data on the prevalence, health consequences, and associated costs of food allergy, this chronic disease has not garnered the level of societal attention that it warrants. Moreover, for patients and families at risk, recommendations and guidelines have not been clear about preventing exposure or the onset of reactions or for managing this disease. Finding a Path to Safety in Food Allergy examines critical issues related to food allergy, including the prevalence and severity of food allergy and its impact on affected individuals, families, and communities; and current understanding of food allergy as a disease, and in diagnostics, treatments, prevention, and public policy. This report seeks to: clarify the nature of the disease, its causes, and its current management; highlight gaps in knowledge; encourage the implementation of management tools at many levels and among many stakeholders; and delineate a roadmap to safety for those who have, or are at risk of developing, food allergy, as well as for others in society who are responsible for public health.

Chemical Exposures
Chemical Exposures

Author: Nicholas Askounes Ashford

Publisher: Van Nostrand Reinhold Company

Published: 1998

Total Pages: 440

ISBN-13: 9780442025243

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This text comprehensively covers sensitivity to low-level chemical exposure. Originally developed from a report commissioned by the New Jersey Department of Health, this work defines and clarifies the nature of chemical sensitivity, shows how it differs from traditional allergies, and suggests how federal and state governments can help those who are affected. A new chapter is included in this version which analyzes the most current information on the Gulf War Syndrome and other emerging environmental health problems.

Neural Plasticity and Memory
Neural Plasticity and Memory

Author: Federico Bermudez-Rattoni

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2007-04-17

Total Pages: 368

ISBN-13: 1420008412

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A comprehensive, multidisciplinary review, Neural Plasticity and Memory: From Genes to Brain Imaging provides an in-depth, up-to-date analysis of the study of the neurobiology of memory. Leading specialists share their scientific experience in the field, covering a wide range of topics where molecular, genetic, behavioral, and brain imaging techniq

Allergy Frontiers:Classification and Pathomechanisms
Allergy Frontiers:Classification and Pathomechanisms

Author: Ruby Pawankar

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2009-03-13

Total Pages: 608

ISBN-13: 4431883150

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When I entered the field of allergy in the early 1970s, the standard textbook was a few hundred pages, and the specialty was so compact that texts were often authored entirely by a single individual and were never larger than one volume. Compare this with Allergy Frontiers: Epigenetics, Allergens, and Risk Factors, the present s- volume text with well over 150 contributors from throughout the world. This book captures the explosive growth of our specialty since the single-author textbooks referred to above. The unprecedented format of this work lies in its meticulous attention to detail yet comprehensive scope. For example, great detail is seen in manuscripts dealing with topics such as “Exosomes, naturally occurring minimal antigen presenting units” and “Neuropeptide S receptor 1 (NPSR1), an asthma susceptibility gene.” The scope is exemplified by the unique approach to disease entities normally dealt with in a single chapter in most texts. For example, anaphylaxis, a topic u- ally confined to one chapter in most textbooks, is given five chapters in Allergy Frontiers. This approach allows the text to employ multiple contributors for a single topic, giving the reader the advantage of being introduced to more than one vi- point regarding a single disease.