Does Your Nervous System Affect Your Immune System?

The human body has many different systems and most of them work together somehow. Two of the most important body systems we have are the immune system and the nervous system. They are very well connected and affect each other in many different ways. Health supplements like Nerve Control 911 can benefit your body.

Exactly how they affect one another needs a lot of explanation and detail though as both systems can be complicated in their functions. 

This guide will cover some of the simple ways that the nervous and immune systems work together. 

Functions of the Immune System 

The main function of the immune system is to be able to fight infections. All the cells and organs in the immune system have different functions but they all work together to be able to fight off microbes in the body that can cause infections. 

There are many different parts to the immune system including:

  • Spleen
  • Thymus 
  • Bone marrow 
  • Complement system 
  • Lymphatic system 
  • White blood cells 
  • Antibodies 

Functions of the Nervous System 

The nervous system is the system of the body that does everyday activities that you don’t give much thought to like sleeping, body temperature, and memory. 

However, it also involves many other processes like emotions, reading, and thinking. Basically, everything that goes on in the body begins and ends with the nervous system. 

Here are just some of the things that the nervous system controls:

  • Hunger and digestion 
  • Sleep 
  • Stress and how the body responds to stress
  • Body temperature 
  • Movement and coordination 
  • Emotions and your thoughts 
  • How your brain develops and grows 
  • Memory and learning capability 
  • Perception 
  • Sensations 
  • Puberty and fertility 
  • Aging 
  • Heartbeat and breathing 

As you can see, the nervous system controls almost everything in the body, including what is going on in the immune system. 

The Immune System and Nervous System Functions Working Together 

Even though the nervous system controls many different things, you can see above that it runs many different immune system functions. Namely, body temperature, breathing, and heartbeat. 

When you are sick, your body temperature usually increases as well as your breathing and heartbeat. In some sicknesses, your heartbeat might increase as well as your blood pressure, which is also controlled by the nervous system. 

When you are sick, your immune system is the main thing fighting off microbes and bacteria, but your nervous system still works overtime because it has to regulate many different bodily functions in order to keep you healthy. 

Without your nervous system, your body temperature and heart rate would not be able to be well controlled and your sickness would last longer and potentially be much more serious. 

Immune Cells and Nerve Cells 

Just like every part of your body, the nervous system and the immune system are made up of many different kinds of cells. While the cells are different in each system, they work together. For example, immune cells and nerve cells can work together by connecting together at the synapses. 

This is when they are connected together allowing them to communicate with one another and send each other signals. 

Other systems in the body, such as the endocrine system also work with the immune system and nervous system because they can help with the immune response by adding in hormones and other receptors to help the body be able to better regulate itself. 

So, not only do the immune system and nervous system work together, but other systems in the body also contribute to how things are done within the body. Without one system, the other system would not be able to work efficiently and would eventually fail. 

How the Immune System and Central Nervous System Interact 

There are certain chemicals and hormones that are released by the central nervous system that can affect immunity. For example, the nervous system can release epinephrine and norepinephrine which can both affect how your immune system works. 

For example, when the nervous system releases epinephrine, special cells in the immune system called adrenoreceptors are activated. These cells then can better invade pathogens and other kinds of bacteria in the body. 

Epinephrine is released into the body when the nervous system detects that the body is under stress. It might realize the body is stressed when you have a high level of inflammation or when you get a fever from running an infection. 

Norepinephrine is the main chemical in the body that is in charge of fighting inflammation. When your nervous system detects inflammation in the body, it will immediately release large amounts of norepinephrine to try and fight whatever is attacking your body. 

Keep in mind that stress can make the body weak. Most people find that they get sick very easily when they are stressed. This is because the immune system is working overtime when you’re stressed and it might not be able to adequately handle all the stress. 

Stress can make it easier for you to catch a cold and easier for you to develop autoimmune diseases. 

Your Brain and the Immune System 

The brain is part of the central nervous system and plays a very important part in the immune system. 

The main connection between the immune system and the brain is the vagus nerve. This is a huge nerve from the head to the abdomen with special receptors on it that can detect cytokines. Cytokines are released by the immune system and then the brain and vagus nerve pick up the signals from the cytokines and release hormones and chemicals to help fight infection and inflammation. 

Final Thoughts 

The nervous system is affected by the immune system and vice versa. They are well connected and work together in many different functions. They are both very important for fighting disease and ensuring that you stay healthy. 

They also both help to fight stress because stress is one of the main reasons why people fall ill and develop autoimmune diseases. When you’re stressed the nervous system can activate the immune system to fight harder so that you are well equipped to get rid of inflammation and infection. 

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