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01-10-2024 | Vitiligo | Review

The brain-skin axis in vitiligo

Authors: Cheng Cao, Jindi Lei, Yujie Zheng, Ai’e Xu, Miaoni Zhou

Published in: Archives of Dermatological Research | Issue 8/2024

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Abstract

Vitiligo is an acquired autoimmune skin disease characterized by patchy depigmentation of the skin, often accompanied by white hair. The aetiology of vitiligo is complex and difficult to cure, and its disfiguring appearance significantly impacts patients' mental and physical health. Psychological stress is a major factor in inducing and exacerbating vitiligo, as well as affecting its treatment efficacy, though the specific mechanisms remain unclear. Increasing research on the brain-skin axis in skin immunity suggests that psychological stress can influence local skin immunity through this axis, which may play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of vitiligo. This review focuses on the role of brain-skin axis in the pathogenesis of vitiligo, and explores the possible mechanism of brain-skin axis mediating the pathogenesis of vitiligo from the aspects of sympathetic nervous system, hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and hormones and neuropeptides, aiming to provide the necessary theoretical basis for psychological intervention in the prevention and treatment of vitiligo.
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Metadata
Title
The brain-skin axis in vitiligo
Authors
Cheng Cao
Jindi Lei
Yujie Zheng
Ai’e Xu
Miaoni Zhou
Publication date
01-10-2024
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Archives of Dermatological Research / Issue 8/2024
Print ISSN: 0340-3696
Electronic ISSN: 1432-069X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00403-024-03362-w

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