The brain has an extraordinary predictive defense mechanism, which is far more precise than we previously thought. Early sexual research revealed that if humans see a patient, even a virtual one, it is sufficient to trigger a real and measurable immune response in the body. This discovery fully demonstrates that our brain can regulate the immune system into a state of alert before actually coming into contact with the body, thus blurring the boundary between psychological perception and physical reality.
A recent study published in "Nature Neuroscience," led by neuroscientists Andrea Serino and her team from the University Hospital of Lausanne in Switzerland, cleverly designed around direct exposure to viruses and safety risks. The research team used virtual reality (VR) technology to create a controlled simulated social environment for healthy volunteers. In the experiment, participants wore VR headsets and watched a virtual avatar gradually approaching themselves. A key indicator was present, with some avatars showing obvious signs of illness, such as coughing or skin rashes, while others remained as controls, appearing healthy.
To establish a baseline for the strength of the recent immune response, researchers also set up a third group of participants who did not watch the virtual avatars but were directly vaccinated against the flu. This allowed them to investigate the level of immune activation when the body responds to a real immune challenge. Through this design, scientists could accurately isolate the independent role of visual and auditory cues in triggering immune responses in the brain.
The core findings of the study came from the synchronized analysis of brain activity and blood samples. When participants saw a sick virtual body approaching, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans showed that two key brain networks were activated. First, the region responsible for monitoring the "peripersonal space" - the area surrounding the body that serves as the brain's "safe neural" or "alert zone." When potentially threatening objects enter this space, the brain immediately becomes alert.
Immediately following, the activity of the "salience network" also increased rapidly. This network functions as the brain's threat assessment center, responsible for identifying important events in the environment that require immediate attention. In this case, the coughing, rash-covered avatars were marked as significant threat signals, prompting the brain to take the next step.
This next step is issuing instructions to the immune system. Blood test results confirmed this: compared to those who watched healthy avatars, participants who saw sick avatars had a type of cell called "innate phagocytes" (innate lymphocytes) in their bodies. These cells are the first line of defense of the human immune system, similar to border sentinels that can respond quickly to contact. More surprisingly, this stimulation triggered immune activity levels that were remarkably similar to those found in participants who had received the flu vaccine.
"The virtual reality aspect of this study is really interesting," commented Isaac Chiu, an immunologist at Harvard Medical School who did not participate in the study. He believes these results are a good example of the coordination between the two most complex systems in the human body - the nervous system and the immune system. "They react in harmony because both systems interact with the environment and have developed protective mechanisms against potential dangers."
The significance of this study goes beyond revealing a new physiological phenomenon. It provides evidence for the deep connection between the body and mind, and may open new avenues for future medical interventions. Researchers propose that these findings could help improve the effectiveness of vaccines. For example, by using VR technology to let recipients experience a simulated disease exposure before vaccination, it might be possible to pre-activate target immune cells, thereby enhancing the body's immune response to the vaccine and ultimately increasing its protective effect.
From a broader perspective, this work also provides new clues for explaining how stress affects strength, and even certain aspects of tension effects. The brain's predictive ability can protect us, but it can also negatively affect our health when it perceives a continuous threat, whether real or imagined. As Serino summarized, this study proves the brain's powerful ability to "predict what is happening and choose a response" - a survival wisdom honed over millions of years aimed at helping us avoid life-threatening situations.
Original: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7532688275509690921/
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