Brain-Body Lab - Rolls Lab
Welcome to Rolls Lab, a neuroimmunology research lab dedicated to understanding the physiological basis of the mind-body connection. We aim to uncover how mental states influence the body’s ability to fight disease and, hence, focus on brain-immune interactions. We study how the brain and the peripheral nervous system respond to changes in the immune state and, in turn, how they regulate immune processes, cells, niches, and organs. Our research covers the interactions between the nervous system and different peripheral organs, including the heart, liver, gut, and fascia, as each axis has unique features and evolutionary constraints. Our long-term goal is to harness the brain’s therapeutic potential for treating autoimmune diseases, psychosomatic disorders, and cancer.
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Our Research Focus
At Rolls Lab, we investigate the complex interplay between the nervous and immune systems. We aim to dissect how the brain represents the state of the immune system and establish the causal relationship between specific brain activity and changes in immune activity and recovery. We focus on key brain areas such as the reward system and its involvement in placebo-driven healing, the insular cortex and its role in immune memory, and the serotonergic system and its impact on the brain’s immune environment. By studying these interactions, we aim to develop innovative technologies for centrally regulating human health.
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Latest Publications
Our recent publication shows that activation of the brain's reward system modulates adrenergic input to the liver, affecting the transcription of a complement component 3, increasing vascularization, and improving cardiac recovery after acute myocardial infarction.
