Review Article
Cavezzi Attilio, Ambrosini Lor
Abstract
Psychoneuroendocrine immunology (PNEI) is the science which studies the interactions between psychological, neural, endocrine and immunological processes.\r\nThe concept of the PNEI system was developed in the seventies and eighties through the discoveries of the interaction between immune system and molecules with neuroendocrine activity targeting multiple organs; the interdependence between immunological, psychological and neuroendocrine mechanisms has been elucidated through several studies subsequently.\r\nPNEI system is a self-regulation network which is involved in the homeostasis of the organisms, in the maintenance of chemical-physical-neuropsychological balance in response to stimuli of various nature.\r\nThe present review provides an overview of the fundamental scientific literature on PNEI and its interaction with chronic low grade cellular inflammation processes and consequently with longevity. Similarly literature data on the strict link between hormetic processes and PNEI system are discussed, with reference to resilience as a key-factor in the natural/pathologic evolution of aging.