Garvan Institute scientists have discovered how a hormone known as neuropeptide Y (NPY) can prevent our immune system functioning properly paving the way for new opportunities for therapeutic intervention.

“Most of us expect to come down with a cold or other illness when we are under pressure but until now we have mostly had circumstantial evidence for a link between the brain and the immune system” says lead Garvan researcher Associate Professor Fabienne Mackay.

Elite athletes are particularly prone to illness, possibly because of the extreme physical and emotional stressors associated with competition. Jane Saville Olympic Bronze Medallist Race Walker says: "I know that when I have been training hard I am more prone to cold sores and I feel grumpy and run down. Knowing how stress can affect my immune system emphasizes the importance of trying to control it particularly around competition times."

This significant discovery came about through a collaboration between Mackay’s immunology group and Associate Professor Herbert Herzog’s Neuroscience team.