Fig. 2
From: Neural activity regulates autoimmune diseases through the gateway reflex
Electronic gateway reflex. Artificial neural activations by weak electric stimulations can induce the gateway reflex at individual blood vessels in the CNS. Electric stimulations to the triceps (1) induce chemokine upregulation at the dorsal vessels of the fifth cervical (C5) to fifth thoracic (T5) spinal cord (2) via the inflammation amplifier, which is mediated by NE secretion. Likewise, electric stimulations to the quadriceps (1) trigger chemokine upregulation at the L3 dorsal vessels (2), whereas the L5 gateway is formed by electric stimulation to the soleus muscles. Abbreviations: DRG, dorsal root ganglion; SG, sympathetic ganglion; NE, norepinephrine