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Our Funds at Work
Kevin McElwee, MD, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Alopecia areata (AA) is a nonscarring hair loss disease the cause of which is unknown. It can affect men, women, and children, and the hair loss can become extensive affecting the entire body in some cases. Recent research has provided evidence in support of a disease mechanism involving the individual's own immune system targeting the hair follicles and inhibiting hair growth. This suggests AA is an autoimmune disease with a similar mechanism of development seen in other diseases like autoimmune diabetes or rheumatoid arthritis. Regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis action, a major component of the stress repsonse system, is pivotal in maintaining balanced activity within the immune system. Stress has been suggested as a potential AA promoting factor, but the results of several clinical studies have been controversial. This present study aims to examine the role of stress and stress responsiveness in the development of AA using a mouse model of AA and supporting studies with humans. Our hypothesis is that hypo-responsiveness of stress hormones to physical and psychological stressful events contributes to the onset, severity and recurrence of AA. The significance of this study is the possibility of developing new therapeutic approaches that aim at a speedy recovery and eventual cure for AA patients through targeting dysregulation or altered responsiveness of the stress system, specifically, the HPA axis. If the study shows stress affects AA development, then stress reducing treatments may help treat the disease.
©2007
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