Neuro-immune interactions in the upper airways.

Persistent rhinitis is variable in severity and affects upon 30% of thewestern population. Patients suffering from persistent rhinitis report difficulties of nasal breathing, a runny nose, sneezing and/or itching in the nose or eyes. In one third of this patient population, the symptoms are severe and are accompanied with sleep reduction, diminished concentration and general decreased socio-economic productivity. The three most frequent subtypes of rhinitis are allergic rhinitis (AR), infectious rhinitis and non-allergic non-infections rhinitis (also called idiopathicrhinitis (IR)). Until know, the pathophysiology of IR is unknown. The mechanisms of the only therapeutic option for IR patients, capsaicin nasal spray, are also unknown. Clarity in the mechanisms of capsaicin treatment in patients with severe IR can give new insights in the pathophysiology of IR.
This research project has four aims:
1. The first project consists of revealing the working mechanisms of the therapeutic effect of capsaicin treatment in IR patients.
2. A second project involvesthe neuro-immunological analysis of IR patients, in correlation with their response to intranasal steroids.
3. A third aspect involves in vitro experiments to reveal the effect of capsaicin on different cell-types, possibly involved in induction of symptoms in IR patients.
4. The development of a mouse model of IR is the fourth aim of the project.
 

Keywords:Neuropeptides, Capsaici, Pathophysiology, Idiopathic rhinitis

Disciplines:Neurosciences, Biological and physiological psychology, Cognitive science and intelligent systems, Developmental psychology and ageing

Project type:PhD project