OUR BRAIN AND THE IMMUNE SYSTEM VS. AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES AND CANCERS
As an experienced and retired physician, each time I put my thinking hat on I still wonder why our most advanced, most complex, smart, and sophisticated brain, and just as sophisticated and smart immune system get confused, and sometimes, instead of protecting us, attacks its own normal cells, tissues, and organs by causing what is called, “autoimmune diseases”, and also remain silent against most deadly cancers.
I think, to understand these questions and concerns better, we must have some basic knowledge about our brain and the immune system.
Our brain, together with the spinal cord, also known as the “central nervous system (CNS)”, which is composed of about 100 billion of special nerve cells called “neurons.” These cells work like “nano” computers for biological information gathering and management from every corner of the body. And they are intricately connected to each other and to every organ, structures, and cells in the body, with a massive network of nerves called,” peripheral nervous system (PNS).” In addition, our brain and body are tightly connected to each other’s, with many blood and lymphatic vessels and circulations, varieties of specialized blood cells, hormones, signal molecules, sense receptors and nerves to provide a complete Brain-and-Body integrations, and bilateral brain and body communications, in a continuous manner, under the control and commands of the brain, in conscious and awake state.
So that our brain knows what is going on in our body, and body’s internal and external environments, so that necessary corrective measures can be taken.
PNS contains two major branches of nerve system: parasympathetic and sympathetic nerve systems. A significant part of the PNS is the is parasympathetic and automatic nerves system, which works and operates automatically and independently, outside of conscious control of the brain when in sleep or unconscious. While sympathetic nerves system is responsible for conscious activities and responses.
The details of the immune system are too broad to be discussed here. But in summary we can say that our immune system is composed of many organs, tissue as cells, including the bone marrow, thymus gland, lymph nodes, lymphatic tissues, lymphatic circulation, spleen, liver and skin. The immune system has a uncanny ability to recognize self-molecules, tissues and organs from non-self-molecules, through the cells surface structures, with thymus gland trained immunocompetent T lymphocytes. These cells are also capable recognizing pathogenic microorganism, from friendly and beneficial microorganisms, and their own abnormal cells and try to eliminate abnormal cells.
All lymphocytes are produced in the bone marrow from their progenitor cells. Majority of lymphocytes move in to thymus gland for special self-recognition training. Before they are released to the circulation as immunocompetent T cells. The rest of lymphocytes are called B lymphocytes. They produce antibodies.
Since our capable brain is the command-and-control center of the body, some important questions, some important questions must be raised here:
- Why our smart brain and just as smart immune system are not talking each other about the dangers the body is facing?
- Does the immune system innervated with parasympathetic nerves system and works independently of the brain?
- Is it possible that the organs involved in autoimmune diseases are, for some reasons, structurally damaged and sending wrong signals to the immune system?
- Is it possible that cancer cells are smart enough to know what to do to protect themselves against the immune system recognition and attacks?
In upcoming second part of this article, we shall try to answer these questions, and share our humble thoughts and knowledge.
