Recent Progress in Understanding the Effect of Sympathetic Nerves on Hair Follicle Growth

August 2021 in “ Frontiers in Cell and Developmental Biology ”

Jiarui Zhang, Ruosi Chen, Lihong Wen, Zhexiang Fan, Yilong Guo, Yong Miao

sympathetic nerves hair follicle growth noradrenaline stress hair growth cycle hair loss alopecia arrector pili muscles hair follicle stem cells stem cell therapy hair growth stem cells

TLDR Stress can cause hair loss by affecting nerve-related hair growth, and noradrenaline might help prevent this.

The document discusses the significant role of sympathetic nerves in hair follicle growth and cycling, primarily through the release of noradrenaline. The study found that stress, which increases sympathetic activity, can disrupt the hair growth cycle and potentially lead to hair loss. Experimental data showed that the depletion of noradrenaline in mice inhibited hair growth, while its restoration promoted hair growth. The local application of a noradrenaline skin patch could prevent alopecia in rats exposed to high-dose radiation or chemotherapy. The sympathetic nerves also interact with arrector pili muscles and hair follicle stem cells, suggesting a role in hair growth. The document suggests the potential of using noradrenaline in combination with stem cell therapy for promoting hair growth, but further investigation is needed to understand the exact mechanism in humans.

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Research cited in this study

19 / 19 results

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Stem cell therapy, particularly using certain types of cells, shows promise for treating hair loss by stimulating hair growth and development, but more extensive trials are needed to confirm these findings.

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Stress can worsen skin conditions by affecting hormone levels and immune response.

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Norepinephrine helps skin cells grow, which is important for hair growth.

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