The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway
Abstract
The regulation of the innate immune response is critical for controlling inflammation and for the prevention and treatment of diseases. We recently demonstrated that the efferent vagus nerve inhibits pro-inflammatory cytokine release and protects against systemic inflammation, and termed this vagal function "the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway." The discovery that the innate immune response is regulated partially through this neural pathway provides a new understanding of the mechanisms that control inflammation. In this review, we outline the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway and summarize the current insights into the mechanisms of cholinergic modulation of inflammation. We also discuss possible clinical implications of vagus nerve stimulation and cholinergic modalities in the treatment of inflammatory diseases.
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Stimulation of the vago-vagal anti-inflammatory reflex can result in vagal modification of macrophage activation.
“Stimulation of the reflex can result in vagal modification of macrophage activation (Pavlov and Tracey, 2005)”
From The Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis (2019) · cites this paper as Pavlov and Tracey, 2005
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- Authors
- Pavlov, V. A., & Tracey, K. J.
- Affiliations
- Northwell Health (US)
- Corresponding author
- Pavlov, Valentin A.
- Venue
- Brain, Behavior, and Immunity
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2005-11
- Volume
- 19
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 493-499
- ISSN
- 0889-1591 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2016148530
- Cited by
- 622
- References
- 8
- Citations by year
- 2026: 50 · 2025: 30 · 2024: 39 · 2023: 34 · 2022: 34 · 2021: 32 · 2020: 35 · 2019: 28 · 2018: 23 · 2017: 20 · 2016: 23 · 2015: 37 · 2014: 27 · 2013: 26 · 2012: 35
- FWCI
- 2.29
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Brain Behavior and Immunity (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Center for Research Resources (M01RR018535)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Vagus Nerve Stimulation Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuropeptides and Animal Physiology
- Keywords
- cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, vagus nerve, innate immune regulation, inflammation, inflammatory cytokines, vagus nerve stimulation, inflammatory diseases
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Cholinergic Fibers, Efferent Pathways, Humans, Immune System, Inflammation, Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha, Vagus Nerve, Neuroimmunomodulation
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