Peripheral neurons, which are ubiquitously present in all tissues of the body, communicate with their microenvironment via paracrine messengers. We and others could show, that sensory neurons react directly to stimulants like pathogens or allergens and shape immunity and host defence by releasing neuropeptides. Other studies have reported that neurons in turn are influenced and primed by cytokines, a phenomenon well known through increased pain in locally inflamed tissue.

How this bidirectional communication changes during aging is yet not been addressed. Chronic pain and itch conditions are a main source of decreased quality of life in the elderly population. Peripheral neuropathies effecting proprioception are causing gait instability and increase the risk to fall and with this start a vicious cycle of morbidity and mortality. This project will be the first attempt to characterize and define how excitability and neuropeptide release of sensory neurons is affected by aging.