About this Research Topic
Interrelationships between the immune and neuroendocrine systems are shaped by environmental signals they receive. Aside from heritable cases, generally, stable and conducive environments promote development of stable physiological systems. Yet, exposure to extreme environments causes imbalance that can permanently alter physiology on a trajectory to disease development. A comprehensive understanding of the crosstalk between these physiological systems and their adaptation mechanisms engaged in extreme environments will provide a better understanding of disease development, as well as identifying targets for mitigation or preventative medicine.
This Research Topic welcomes studies of multi-physiological systems, defined as nervous and endocrine crosstalk with the immune system in extreme environmental conditions. Subtopics of extreme environmental conditions that involve neuroendocrine-immune crosstalk are described below.
1. Temperature
a. Extreme high: desert- and tropical-based research.
b. Extreme low: tundra-based research, including Antarctica.
2. Air composition
a. Extreme high and low altitude research.
b. Differential air pressure system.
c. Elemental composition: O2, N2, and CO2 differentials, including Hypoxia/Hypercapnia verses normoxic effects.
d. Air particulates: Pollution and particulate effects.
e. Atmospheric pH levels.
3. Social Isolation, communication delay, enclosed habitat research effects
a. Analogs and habitats, i.e., Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA), NASA Extreme Environment Missions Operations (NEEMO), Hawai'i Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS), Arctic and Antarctic research stations and International Space Station (ISS) missions.
4. Altered gravity forces
a. Aeronautical studies.
b. Aerospace studies.
c. Analogue platforms mimicking hypergravity and microgravity effects.
5. Radiation
a. Linear energy transfer (LET), i.e., high- or low-LET effects.
b. Radiation type and tissue distribution effect studies.
c. Radiation dose, fractions and frequency, i.e., protracted verse acute, and alpha/beta particles verses photon studies.
6. Exercise physiology and high intensity training effects.
This Research Topic welcomes studies of multi-physiological systems, defined as nervous and endocrine crosstalk with the immune system in extreme environmental conditions. Subtopics of extreme environmental conditions that involve neuroendocrine-immune crosstalk are described below.
1. Temperature
a. Extreme high: desert- and tropical-based research.
b. Extreme low: tundra-based research, including Antarctica.
2. Air composition
a. Extreme high and low altitude research.
b. Differential air pressure system.
c. Elemental composition: O2, N2, and CO2 differentials, including Hypoxia/Hypercapnia verses normoxic effects.
d. Air particulates: Pollution and particulate effects.
e. Atmospheric pH levels.
3. Social Isolation, communication delay, enclosed habitat research effects
a. Analogs and habitats, i.e., Human Exploration Research Analog (HERA), NASA Extreme Environment Missions Operations (NEEMO), Hawai'i Space Exploration Analog and Simulation (HI-SEAS), Arctic and Antarctic research stations and International Space Station (ISS) missions.
4. Altered gravity forces
a. Aeronautical studies.
b. Aerospace studies.
c. Analogue platforms mimicking hypergravity and microgravity effects.
5. Radiation
a. Linear energy transfer (LET), i.e., high- or low-LET effects.
b. Radiation type and tissue distribution effect studies.
c. Radiation dose, fractions and frequency, i.e., protracted verse acute, and alpha/beta particles verses photon studies.
6. Exercise physiology and high intensity training effects.
Keywords: Immune System; Neuroendocrine System; Space; Extreme Environments;
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
