It is well known that persistent inflammation is a key driver of many different chronic diseases. Our current scientific understanding of the inflammatory response now includes evidence that acute inflammation is actively controlled by a resolution phase, which uses different mediators as stop signals and checkpoints for pro-inflammatory signals. Moreover, neuroendocrine pathways, including those from the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, sympathetic nervous system, and vagus nerve, also actively help to resolve acute inflammation and prevent it from becoming chronic and causing pathology. These recent scientific discoveries support the need to treat all regulatory control hubs of inflammation, including cellular, humoral and neural pathways, in order to prevent chronic inflammation and achieve optimal patient outcomes. This lecture will briefly introduce the latest scientific understanding of acute inflammation to provide context to the valuable role that the nervous system plays in inflammation resolution. Specific focus will be given to the most well described neural control pathway, the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, including the various natural clinical interventions that influence it. Heart rate variability also will be introduced as a potentially valuable clinical biomarker. An increased understanding of the critical importance of nervous system control of inflammation helps support the clinical use of additional therapeutic tools, including auricular acupuncture and natural health products, to improve outcomes of patients with chronic inflammatory diseases. It also provides Naturopathic doctors with support for including different mind-body medical techniques that influence pro-inflammatory molecules, such as Tai-Chi, Qigong, yoga, and mindfulness meditation, into treatment plans for patients with inflammation.
Learning objectives
At the conclusion of this lecture, participants will be:
- Informed of the latest scientific discoveries on the control of the inflammatory response including the resolution of inflammation
- Aware that the nervous system also plays a major role in determining whether inflammation resolves or becomes chronic
- Able to identify the vagus nerve and cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway as a well described neural control pathway for inflammation
- Current on the evidence base supporting the use of clinical interventions including mind-body techniques as well as nutritional and botanical medicine to modulate the nervous system and therefore, help prevent and treat chronic inflammation
CE credits
Credit: 1.0 General
Dr David W Lescheid, BSC, PHD, ND
David W Lescheid, BSc, PhD, ND works as freelance Medical Writer and consultant providing scientific material and delivering lectures that help support patient care using Integrative medical principles. He also works part-time teaching Leadership workshops to scientists as well as part-time as the MedicoScientific Manager of the International Academy of Bioregulatory Systems Medicine in Baden-Baden, Germany.
Prior to these current positions, Dr Lescheid was a Professor at the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine where he taught Physiology, Microbiology, and Infectious disease as well as Clinical Care. Additionally, he spent four years practicing full-time in a large multidisciplinary health clinic in Ottawa with specialized interests in the immune system and infectious disease, men’s health issues, obesity concerns, and sports medicine. He has been a member of several federal and international committees including the Expert Advisory Committee (EAC) to Health Canada, the Council for Naturopathic Medical Education (CNME), the Canadian Association of Naturopathic Doctors (CAND), and other government and media relations subcommittees.
Dr Lescheid graduated with honors from the Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine (CCNM) in 2002. He earned his PhD in Molecular Biology and Protein Chemistry from the University of Victoria. He completed his B.Sc. in Biology, earned a Diploma in Health and Fitness studies from Simon Fraser University, and has additional training in IV therapies, homotoxicology, homeopathy, and different forms of bodywork. Dr Lescheid is a frequent guest speaker at various international medical and scientific seminars, and has published extensively on complementary and integrative medicine.
