ScienceDaily (Feb. 28, 2009) — New animal research in the February 18 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience may indicate how certain diseases make people feel so tired and listless. Although the brain is usually isolated from the immune system, the study suggests that certain behavioral changes suffered by those with chronic inflammatory diseases are caused by the infiltration of immune cells into the brain. The findings suggest possible new treatment avenues to improve patients' quality of life.
Chronic inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, and liver disease cause "sickness behaviors," including fatigue, malaise, and loss of social interest. However, it has been unclear how inflammation in other organs in the body can impact the brain and behavior.
The researchers found that in mice with inflamed livers, white blood cells called monocytes infiltrated the brain. These findings support previous research demonstrating the presence of immune cells in the brain following organ inflammation, challenging the long-held belief that the blood-brain barrier prevents immune cells from accessing the brain.
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http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090217173034.htm
Thanks, Lynn. I've never really understood how and why RA makes me so tired. I assumed that it was a combination of drug therapies and mental and/or physical exhaustion from chronic pain. Now I've got another excuse for resting every afternoon like a toddler. "I have a heavy concentration of white blood cells in my brain today. I'm off for a nap!"Might be interesting for everyone to track their monocytes from the lab tests. I have a spreadsheet with all my tests ince 1988 and I don't see a correlation at all.
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