Recent research suggests that stress may activate immune cells in the skin, causing or accentuating inflammatory skin diseases, according to research from the University of Medicine Berlin published by the magazine “American Journal of Patology.
According to these studies, stress can trigger flares in patients suffering from inflammatory skin diseases. So far, studies had determined that the perception of stress is measured through the relationship between skin and brain. However, little was known about the means by which stress aggravates skin diseases.
In this connection, researchers led by Dr. Petra Arck of the University of Medicine Berlin and McMaster University Canada, hypothesized that stress can tighten skin diseases by increasing the number of immune cells.
By testing this hypothesis in mice exposed to high levels of stress, Dr. Arck found that this stress resulted in a greater number of white blood cells on the skin. In addition, stress activated immune cells, which are essential in starting and perpetuating skin diseases.
Future studies of the research group of Dr. Arck will focus on how to avoid this stress by recognizing individuals at risk and identifying immune cells suitable subjects for therapeutic interventions.