Two new papers uncover IL-17 biology and add to growing evidence that cytokines can influence behavior during illness.

Physicians have long observed a mystifying phenomenon: After a bout of infection or an autoimmune disease flare-up, some ...

Cytokines play a crucial role in connecting the immune system with the brain, affecting mood and behavior through ...

New research reveals that the immune molecule IL-17 can influence behavior by acting directly on specific regions of the brain.

At the same time, the brain’s reward circuit can reinforce the pattern ... as the overload of negative news may spike our ...

inducing anxiety or sociability. This adds to evidence that immune ... Apr. 7, 2025 — New research shows that the adult brain can generate new neurons that integrate into key motor circuits ...

But for people with anxiety, phobias, or PTSD, Mederos says the process becomes impaired, and they continue to have a reaction to non-threatening stimuli. “Instead of adapting to non-threatening ...

The new research maps a network of cytokine signals that interact with specific brain cells to regulate mood, anxiety, and social behavior. If confirmed in further studies in animals and people ...