公开(公告)号：EP1487494A2

公开(公告)日：2004-12-22

申请号：EP03713709.8

申请日：2003-02-26

申请人： North Shore-Long Island Jewish Research Institute

发明人： IVANOVA, Svetlana, M. ,  TRACEY, Kevin, J.

IPC分类号： A61K45/00 ,  A61K31/341 ,  A61K38/16 ,  A61K31/27 ,  A61P29/00

CPC分类号： A61K31/00 ,  A61K31/155 ,  A61K31/341 ,  A61K41/0019 ,  A61N1/32 ,  Y02A50/385 ,  Y02A50/411

摘要： Methods for inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokine release or inflammation in a vertebrate are provided. The methods comprise activating a brain muscarinic receptor of the vertebrate, or directly stimulating a vagus nerve pathway in the brain of the vertebrate. Also provided are methods for conditioning a vertebrate to inhibit the release of a pro-inflammatory cytokine or reduce inflammation in the vertebrate upon experiencing a sensory stimulus. The methods comprise (a) activating a muscarinic brain receptor or directly stimulating the vagus nerve pathway in the brain of the vertebrate and providing the sensory stimulus to the vertebrate within a time period sufficient to create an association between the stimulus and the activation of the brain muscarinic receptor; and (b) repeating step (a) at sufficient time intervals and duration to reinforce the association sufficiently for the inflammation to be reduced by the sensory stimulus alone.