Neuroendocrine immune network (NEI network)

The neuroendocrine immune network is a broad, integrative physiological system connecting the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems through reciprocal communication involving neurotransmitters, hormones, cytokines, and immune cells[1][2][5][7]. This network regulates crucial processes such as homeostasis, immunomodulation, inflammation, and stress responses. Disruptions in network function can contribute to a wide range of diseases, from autoimmune conditions to cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. Unlike classical pharmacological targets, the neuroendocrine immune network comprises numerous molecular pathways, feedback circuits (e.g., the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis), and signaling molecules, rather than a single druggable entity[1][2][5][7][8].

Other names

Neuroendocrine-immune (NEI) networkneuroimmune-endocrine networkneuroendocrine-immune axis