DOI: https://doi.org/10.29363/nanoge.nias.2021.025
Publication date: 13th September 2021
A growing mechanistic understanding of the functional organization of immune-regulating reflexes has enabled use of electrical interfaces with the peripheral nervous system for the study and treatment of inflammatory diseases, and clinical studies are ongoing. Recent observations indicate that neural reflex regulation of inflammation is not limited to pro-inflammatory activity, but also plays a role in the important resolution phase of inflammation. Ongoing work aims to detail the functional anatomy of neural regulation of excessive inflammation in a range of diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and atherosclerosis. Together, available data indicate that stimulating specific peripheral nerves is potentially an interesting approach for treatment of inflammatory diseases.