https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250117123447.htm
"Neuroscientists have identified that the receptor IL-1R1 plays a critical role in enabling neurons to directly communicate with the immune system."
"In disease, high levels of IL-1 in the brain are linked to neuroinflammation, which can disrupt the body's stress response, cause sickness-like behaviors, worsen inflammation by activating brain immune cells, and allow immune cells from the body to enter the brain."
"IL-1R1 is like a doorbell on cells that gets rung when there's an infection or injury, and in immune cells, it signals the body to start an immune response. However, neurons that express IL-1R1 are not thought to induce inflammation, suggesting that these cells may actually integrate immune signals into neural ones."
"This new discovery opens up questions about whether immune signals influence our sensory processing and whether IL-1R1-mediated alterations of sensory signals contribute to cognitive issues, anxiety or depression,"
Maybe this would explain hypersensitivity in ME?
I don't recall any study showing elevated IL-1 in the brain of PWME. However, maybe they didn't look for the number of IL-1R1 receptors on neurons, or their activity level even without elevated IL-1.
If nothing else, it shows how much isn't known about neural function and immune system interactions, and thus any dismissal of symptoms because "We know that can't happen." is irrelevant.
"Neuroscientists have identified that the receptor IL-1R1 plays a critical role in enabling neurons to directly communicate with the immune system."
"In disease, high levels of IL-1 in the brain are linked to neuroinflammation, which can disrupt the body's stress response, cause sickness-like behaviors, worsen inflammation by activating brain immune cells, and allow immune cells from the body to enter the brain."
"IL-1R1 is like a doorbell on cells that gets rung when there's an infection or injury, and in immune cells, it signals the body to start an immune response. However, neurons that express IL-1R1 are not thought to induce inflammation, suggesting that these cells may actually integrate immune signals into neural ones."
"This new discovery opens up questions about whether immune signals influence our sensory processing and whether IL-1R1-mediated alterations of sensory signals contribute to cognitive issues, anxiety or depression,"
Maybe this would explain hypersensitivity in ME?
I don't recall any study showing elevated IL-1 in the brain of PWME. However, maybe they didn't look for the number of IL-1R1 receptors on neurons, or their activity level even without elevated IL-1.
If nothing else, it shows how much isn't known about neural function and immune system interactions, and thus any dismissal of symptoms because "We know that can't happen." is irrelevant.