Targeting (gut)-immune-brain axis with pharmaceutical and nutritional concepts: Relevance for mental and neurological disorders

Like our nervous system, the immune system can be regarded as a “sensory” organ to detect factors the body cannot otherwise hear, see, smell, taste, or touch. A lot of scientific evidence exists demonstrating bidirectional pathways between the (central) nervous system and immune system. Disrupted communication between the (central) nervous system and immune system has been implicated in various mental disorders, including depressive, neurodegenerative, and neurodevelopmental disorders. In this chapter the role of the neuro-immune axis and its targetability in relation to neurological disorders, such as depression and autism is discussed. The management of these and possibly other multifactorial psychiatric disorders needs a new and integrated therapeutic approach. Pharmacologically bioactive molecules as well as medical nutrition targeting the (gut)-immune-brain axis could be such an approach.