TLDR Stress increases a factor in mice that leads to hair loss, and blocking this factor may prevent it.
In the 2004 study, researchers found that stress in mice leads to an increase in nerve growth factor (NGF) and changes in its receptors, which contributes to the premature onset of catagen, apoptosis, and activation of immune cells in the skin, indicating a stress response. Neutralizing NGF reduced these effects, suggesting that NGF is a key player in the neurogenic inflammation that causes stress-induced hair loss. The study involved groups of 10-11 mice and assessed at least 100 individual hair follicles per mouse, indicating a substantial sample size for the conclusions drawn. The findings imply that targeting NGF could be a therapeutic approach for stress-related hair loss conditions.
30 citations,
September 2003 in “Experimental Dermatology” Minoxidil helps prevent stress-caused hair loss in mice.
194 citations,
March 2003 in “American Journal of Pathology” Stress stops hair growth in mice by causing early hair growth phase end and harmful inflammation through a specific nerve-related pathway.
211 citations,
October 2001 in “The FASEB Journal” Noggin is necessary to start the hair growth phase in skin after birth.
125 citations,
September 2001 in “The FASEB Journal” Stress can cause hair loss by negatively affecting hair follicles and this effect might be reversed with specific treatments.
96 citations,
October 2000 in “The FASEB Journal” The p75 neurotrophin receptor is important for hair follicle regression by controlling cell death.
161 citations,
June 1994 in “The journal of investigative dermatology/Journal of investigative dermatology” Hair stops producing melanin as it transitions from the growth phase to the resting phase.
1 citations,
December 2023 in “Biomolecules” Regulating cell death in hair follicles can help prevent hair loss and promote hair growth.
3 citations,
November 2023 in “Frontiers in cell and developmental biology” Melanocytes are important for skin and hair color and protect the skin from UV damage.
September 2004 in “Experimental dermatology” Melatonin directly affects mouse hair follicles and may influence hair growth.
148 citations,
December 2018 in “Journal of autoimmunity” Alopecia areata is an autoimmune disease causing patchy hair loss, often with other autoimmune disorders, but its exact causes are unknown.
2 citations,
January 2023 in “International journal of biological sciences” Gray hair can potentially be reversed, leading to new treatments.
