More on Immune Function and Dysregulation as it Relates to the Underlying Cause of Meniere's Disease

If this concept is new to you, here is a little introduction to what very likely is going on inside our diseased ears.  I'm sorry the first link is only an abstract.  Unless the article is open-source, I cannot post full-text articles publically.  But here's a teaser:

Acta Otolaryngol. 1998 Jun;118(3):333-6.

The endolymphatic sac receives antigenetic information from the organs of the mucosa-associated lymphatic system.

Gloddek B1, Arnold W.

Author information

Abstract

The endolymphatic sac holds the entire arrangement of immunocompetent cells and functions as an immunological potent control organ for the inner ear. The evidence of secretory immunoglobulin A and other features of lymphocyte subtypes characterizes the endolymphatic sac as an organ of the mucosa-associated lymphatic system (MALT). In this system a permanent recirculation of sensitized memory lymphocytes from one organ to the other has been demonstrated experimentally as serving to dispose memory lymphocytes after renewed antigenetic stimulus. The aim of this study was to prove the possible recirculation of antigen-sensitized lymphocytes to the endolymphatic sac after antigenic stimulus of another part of the mucosa-associated lymphatic system. The results are evidence that the endolymphatic sac is provided with immunocompetent cells which derive from the lymphatic tissue of the nasopharynx. While the origin of immunocompetent cells in the endolymphatic sac still remains uncertain, this study underlines the role of lympho-epithelial tissue of the nasopharynx as a possible cell source for the endolymphatic sac. The results might explain the altered or disturbed function of the endolymphatic sac as a possible cause of certain inner ear diseases.

PMID:

 

9655206

 

[PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

In another article, which I cannot find at the moment, type III hypersensitivity has also been correlated with dysfunction of the endolymphatic sac, resulting in Meniere's disease symptoms.  This is not different than what the above article refers to, it is merely another aspect of it. Taking time to read about this type of reaction will help to explain some of the basic terminology that we need to understand when talking about Meniere's disease.

Enjoy!