The west meets the east - A need for a renaissance in brain, behavior, and immunity research

Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI)-the burgeoning concept in recent years, can potentially contribute to developing effective treatments for mental health disorders. Despite the advancement in the modern pharmacological approach for mental disorders, especially Western medicine attributed explicitly to interacting with a specific target has given rise to unmet needs, and treatment failure has led to the proliferation and exploration of traditional and alternative therapies. As research into these exciting under-explored traditional treatment approaches continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, the need to gain vital insights into the potentiality and mechanism of action in neuropsychiatric disorders has resulted in the current Special Issue. This Special Issue is devoted to psychoneuroimmunology, focusing on introducing the recent advances with traditional and alternative medications in East Asia at the interface of immunology, neurosciences, molecular psychiatry and behavioural medicine neurosciences.

Automated summary

Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), a burgeoning concept in recent years, holds potential for effective treatments of mental health disorders. Traditional and alternative therapies have gained momentum due to unmet needs and treatment failures in modern pharmacological approaches, specifically targeting mental disorders. This Special Issue focuses on introducing recent advances in traditional and alternative medications in East Asia at the interface of immunology, neurosciences, molecular psychiatry, and behavioral medicine neurosciences.