ABSTRACT
Neuroimmunology is revealing extensive interconnections between the immune and neuroendocrine systems in terms of common receptors, shared informational molecules such as cytokines and neuropeptides, as well as autonomic nervous effects on immune function. The traditional view of the role of the immune system as a defensive and protective mechanism arose from observations of specific immunity following infection and recovery, and the capacity to stimulate this memory response ’artificially’ by vaccination. With the advent of research identifying the extensive interpenetration of immune, endocrine and nervous systems by shared informational molecules as well as receptors and other cell surface structures came the realisation that the conceptual divisional boundaries around the immune, neuroendocrine systems are largely historical artifacts. In terms of molecules, cells and organs, the immune system can be considered as a stable, dynamic, recursive structure which determines the profile of antigenic foreignness with reference to the self antigenic milieu.
