Brain-Body Alliance: VR Study Reveals Neural Pre-Activation of Immune Defenses Against Infection

                                         Brain-Body Alliance: VR Study Reveals Neural Pre-Activation of Immune Defenses Against Infection

Source

Original Research: Nature Neuroscience (Springer Nature)
Journal Article: "Neural detection of infection risk primes immunity in peripersonal space"
News Report: China News Agency (July 30, 2025)

Abstract

A groundbreaking study demonstrates the brain’s ability to proactively mobilize immune defenses when encountering infection threats—even before physical contact occurs. Using virtual reality (VR) experiments with 248 participants, researchers found that exposure to disease-signaling avatars (e.g., coughing/rash) in near-body space triggers:
1️⃣ Heightened sensory alertness in brain regions processing spatial threat
2️⃣ 17-23% increase in innate lymphocyte activity (key immune cells)
3️⃣ Immune responses mirroring real-world pathogen exposure (e.g., flu vaccine)
This neural "early-warning system" rewrites our understanding of brain-body collaboration in infection prevention.

Content

The Discovery: Brain as Immune Sentinel

Published in Nature Neuroscience (July 2025), Swiss-led research reveals the brain detects potential infection sources in surrounding space and primes immune defenses preemptively. Unlike predator-triggered "fight-or-flight" responses, this mechanism prepares the body for invisible biological threats.

Key Findings

1. VR-Triggered Immune Prep

• ⚡ Enhanced tactile sensitivity in near-body space