For the longest time, science has viewed the mind and body as distinct entities that are not interconnected and have no influence over each other. The mind is thought of – somewhat mystically – as the seat of consciousness, while the body is the physical structure that is visible, tangible and thus lends itself to scientific inquiry. But even at a cursory level, this view, known as mind-body dualism, doesn’t seem right. Here are a couple of homespun examples. When we feel embarrassed (an emotion), our faces blush. When we coax yourself to be less tense, somehow our bodily aches seem less achy. These familiar examples suggest (but of course do not prove) that the mind and body function more like a unified whole than two autonomous systems, each doing its own thing. Thanks to the research of Dr. Candace Pert, a trailblazer in the emerging field of psychoneuroimmunology, many scientists now embrace this holistic view.  

Let’s back track a bit for some context. In the 17^th century, the French philosopher Rene Descartes split mind and body into two spheres, with the body viewed as belonging to science and the mind left to religion and metaphysics. For most of the centuries that followed, science has stuck to Descartes’s compartmentalized view, until Candace Pert came to the scene.

In the 1970s, Pert was working at the John Hopkins University School of Medicine when a team she was on discovered one of the most sought-after objects in brain research: a receptor in the brain that reduces pain the way morphine fits the body’s cells like a key in a lock, allowing the drug’s effects to work. The discovery of the opioid receptor led, in 1978, to the award of the coveted Albert Lasker Award to Solomon H. Snyder, who headed the lab. Unfortunately, being only a graduate student at the time of the breakthrough, Pert wasn’t cited for the award. Undeterred, Pert continued her research at the National Institute of Mental Health where she did pioneering work on receptors and the chemicals that correspond to them. These chemicals, called neuropeptides, are finally given credit by science as playing a key role in connecting the functions of the mind and the body.

Molecules of Emotion

Neuropeptides are small proteins produced by neurons in the nervous system. They are chemical messengers, travelling to all parts of the body. They link with specific receptor molecules which are like millions of satellite dishes all over every cell in the body, as if guided by antennae tuned to the brain. And because their activity fluctuates with our state of mind, Pert calls them “molecules of emotion”, which is also the title of her 1997 book in which she claims that neuropeptides essentially translate our invisible emotions into visible bodily effects like the way our faces blush when we are embarrassed, or the way our skin turns pale when we are frightened. Importantly, neuropeptides play a big role in regulating our immune system’s response to pathogens that invade the body. It has been shown that one factor contributing to a diminished immune system response is whether we feel isolated or lonely and whether we feel in control of a situation.

Research on neuropeptides has intensified since Pert’s early studies. It is now clear that the brain, which supplies all our intangible thoughts and feelings, can cause a cascade of emotions in the body that regulate the heart, the gastrointestinal system, the lungs and the immune system with huge ramifications on our state of wellbeing. As Dr. Pert puts it in her book, Molecules of Emotion: The Science Behind Min-Body Medicine

“I’ve come to believe that virtually all illness, if not psychosomatic in foundation, has a definite psychosomatic component.” She added, “The ‘molecules of emotion’ run every system in our body, creating a body-mind intelligence that is wise enough to seek wellness” without a great deal of high-tech medical intervention.”

In other words, contrary to Descartes, mind-body dualism is a fallacy. It makes more sense to view the mind and body as one holistic unity, each communicating with the other at all times. If Candace Pert were alive today (she died in 2013 at the age of 67), I’m sure she would urge us to try our best to stay positive and mentally resilient, because ultimately, the health of every cell, tissue and organ in our body is shaped by our moods and attitudes.