Brain-Skin Connection: Considerations for Novel Therapies for Skin Diseases

Abstract

The brain-skin connection has been a topic of growing interest in the neuroscience and dermatology communities. Research has suggested a bi-directional relationship between the brain and skin. They share a common embryologic origin as both are derived from ectoblast differentiation and the skin has a fully functional peripheral equivalent of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis (HPA) which allows it to maintain homeostasis and interact with the brain. Additionally, serotonin (5-HT), which is a well-known neurotransmitter, has been shown to act as a mediator between the skin and the neuroendocrine system. In the skin itself, 5-HT, which can be produced or metabolized by several skin cells, is involved in vasodilation, inflammation, and immunomodulation. The skin serves a neuroendocrine function through its role in maintaining homeostasis and its communication with the central neuroendocrine system. This connection also establishes that psychological stress can have effects on skin including the development or exacerbation of skin diseases such as melanoma and psoriasis. As our knowledge of the brain and neuroendocrine system grows, so does our understanding of this brain-skin connection. Therefore, exploring the role of the brain-skin connection can help establish efficacious long-term therapeutic avenues for the treatment of skin diseases.