Psychological Stress-Induced Pathogenesis of Alopecia Areata: Autoimmune and Apoptotic Pathways

The review "Psychological Stress-Induced Pathogenesis of Alopecia Areata: Autoimmune and Apoptotic Pathways" examines how psychological stress triggers alopecia areata (AA) through both autoimmune and apoptotic pathways. Stress-related neuropeptides like substance P (SP) and corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) play crucial roles in this process by inducing hair follicle (HF) inflammation and apoptosis, leading to hair loss. The autoimmune pathway involves the collapse of immune privilege in HFs and the attachment of CD8+ T cells, while the apoptotic pathway involves upregulation of p75NTR and downregulation of TrkA, promoting HF cell apoptosis. The study suggests that targeting these pathways with treatments like JAK-STAT inhibitors shows promise in reducing autoimmune responses and treating AA.