Analysing the Dynamics of a Model for Alopecia Areata as an Autoimmune Disorder of Hair Follicle Cycling

The document presented a mathematical model for alopecia areata (AA), an autoimmune disorder where CD8$^{+}$ T cells attack hair follicles (HFs) during the anagen phase, causing premature transition to catagen and shortening hair growth. The model integrated the dynamics of autoreactive immune cells with hair cycle equations to depict health, disease, and treatment states, and transitions between them. Parameter sensitivity analysis was conducted to understand the impact of processes like proliferation, apoptosis, and stem cell input on anagen duration in both healthy and AA-affected HFs. This model aimed to aid in evaluating current treatments and identifying new therapeutic targets.