I just stumbled across this study, and the parallels to hyperhidrosis are pretty remarkable. Basically, the researchers divided up a group of asthmatics. All groups received one of three substances (a placebo, a substance guaranteed to trigger an asthmatic response and one that would produce only chest tightness.) They didn't know which one they were getting. They were then brought into a room, placed in an MRI scanner and showed words like "wheeze," "suffocate" and "tightness" - emotionally charged words for this group. Tellingly, those individuals that had the highest emotional response (as measured by the MRI indicators) had the highest rates of inflammation a day later. The part of the brain that showed the highest activity is also the part that regulates homeostasis (i.e. temperature control and sweating responses).
The parallels to hyperhidrosis should be pretty obvious - and I'd love to see a parallel study done here using the words "heat," "sweat" or "soaked". This seems to bear out what we all know intuitively - the more we fret about this, the more severe our symptoms are likely to be. Fortunately, the brain has remarkable plasticity, and it'd be interesting to see how we can rewire the brain so that our emotional responses don't bring about that which we most want to avoid.
Here's the study: Affective neural circuitry and mind-body influences in asthma
Amherst
The parallels to hyperhidrosis should be pretty obvious - and I'd love to see a parallel study done here using the words "heat," "sweat" or "soaked". This seems to bear out what we all know intuitively - the more we fret about this, the more severe our symptoms are likely to be. Fortunately, the brain has remarkable plasticity, and it'd be interesting to see how we can rewire the brain so that our emotional responses don't bring about that which we most want to avoid.
Here's the study: Affective neural circuitry and mind-body influences in asthma
Amherst
