The Brain's Prediction of Infections Can Activate the Immune System Even Virtually

Recent research by scientists from the University of Geneva and École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne highlights a fascinating aspect of human immunity: our brain's ability to anticipate potential infections and trigger immune responses without actual exposure. In a groundbreaking study published in Nature Neuroscience, researchers demonstrated that neural anticipation, especially in virtual reality settings, can activate innate lymphoid cells (ILCs), which are critical for early immune defense.

Innate lymphoid cells are immune responders that act swiftly in the face of microbial threats, without needing prior antigen recognition. Traditionally, immune activation was thought to occur primarily after physical contact with pathogens. However, this new study provides evidence that the immune system can preemptively mobilize based on neural signals indicating an infection threat.

The experiment involved 60 healthy adults divided into groups exposed to different virtual avatars representing infectious, neutral, or fearful entities. Using advanced techniques such as EEG, fMRI, mass spectrometry, and flow cytometry, the team tracked neural and immune responses. Participants exposed to infectious avatars exhibited increased reaction times in tactile tests, indicating an expansion of the peripersonal space—an area around the body that signals threat. Neural activity was observed in multisensory and motor brain regions, including the salience network, insula, and prefrontal cortex.

Moreover, immune analysis revealed virtual infections modulated ILC activity similar to real infections, with decreased ILC1s and increased ILC2s and precursor cells, suggesting the immune system was preparing for potential invasion. Brain imaging localized these anticipatory responses to specific regions, and connectivity analyses linked neural activity to hypothalamic pathways that regulate immune responses.

This study implies that the human neuro-immune system works proactively, activating defenses when it perceives a threat—even in a virtual scenario. Such anticipatory mechanisms could provide substantial survival advantages by enabling rapid immune activation before actual exposure to pathogens.

Overall, these findings revolutionize our understanding of immunity, emphasizing the importance of brain-immune communication and opening new avenues for immune modulation strategies in medicine.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-07-virtual-infectious-pathogen-prompt-real.html