Limbic System Impairment & Skin Sensitivities

Disclaimer: the opinions expressed in this blog are not meant to be used for self-diagnosis or to replace the services of a medical professional. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition including diagnosis or choice of treatment.

If you experience skin sensitivities in the form of eczema, psoriasis, or rosacea, we recommend learning more about the limbic system, how it can become impaired and its potential connection to skin sensitivity symptoms.

In part 1, we will be discussing what the limbic system is, how it get's impaired and role the limbic system plays in skin disorders such as eczema, rosacea and psoriasis. 

What is limbic system impairment?

Limbic system impairment (LSI) is a brain condition in which the limbic system becomes “stuck” or overactive in a state of high alert. [1] The brain begins to misinterpret safe signals and threats, which keeps the body in a survival state of fight, flight or freeze responses. [2]

Sometimes called ‘dysregulation’, it can manifest as chronic fatigue, skin sensitivities, fibromyalgia, food sensitivities, anxiety, depression, multiple chemical sensitivities, chronic pain, mast cell activation, PTSD, chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS) digestive issues, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) and more.

Traditional medical approaches are unfamiliar with limbic system impairment. They often focus on physical symptoms without accounting for the underlying neurological dysfunction that could be contributing to disease and symptoms.

What causes limbic system impairment?

Limbic system impairment can develop after an initial trauma or injury. This includes chronic exposure to stress, trauma (emotional or physical), infections, chemical exposure, and other ongoing triggers that overwhelm the nervous system. [3]

For example, the founder of Dynamic Neural Retaining System ^TM, Annie Hopper, developed LSI after chronic mold and chemical exposure at her workplace.

What is the limbic system?

The limbic system is located deep within the brain and is generally located lateral to the thalamus, underneath the cerebral cortex and above the brainstem. [4] 

The limbic system is mainly comprised of the hippocampus, amygdala and the hypothalamus, but also includes the thalamus, cingulate gyrus, basal ganglia, and olfactory bulbs. 

The limbic system primarily handles functions related to survival which includes [5]:

• processing emotions and associated behaviours
• memory
• responding to stress
• motivation and reward
• olfaction (sense of smell)
• and influences and regulates the autonomic nervous system (ANS), by way of connecting with the hypothalamus. [6]

The ANS controls involuntary bodily functions that maintain life and bodily homeostasis such as [7]:

• heart rate
• blood pressure
• respiration
• digestion
• temperature regulation
• immune system
• hormonal regulation. [8]

Emotional triggers ‘locked’ in the limbic system affect the ANS [9], which can appear as common symptoms we’ve all likely experienced before: a racing heart when nervous, blushing when embarrassed or sweating when frightened.

The Limbic System Trauma Loop

After an initial or subsequent trauma/injury, the limbic system can become impaired and may function in a negative feedback loop.

The hypothalamus, amygdala and hippocampus begin to develop protective and distorted reactions to stimuli, which then creates the output of more stress hormones.

The hypothalamus regulates the internal chemical environment [10]; the amygdala activates the fight/flight/freeze response [11] and the hippocampus stores memories [12] of trauma or injury for future protection.

The limbic system then becomes primed to respond to stimuli as a threat and operates in a trauma feedback loop, further reproducing and/or producing new symptoms to stimuli that may be non-threatening. 

Rosacea, Eczema, Psoriasis: What’s the Limbic System Have to Do with It?

There are studies that have been conducted to understand the neural basis for skin diseases such as rosacea, eczema and psoriasis. 

It is important to note that these studies cited here do not mention the condition 'limbic system impairment'. Rather, the studies below shed light on the connection between stress alterations and overactivity in the limbic system, and it's potential to cause or exacerbate the above skin conditions.

Rosacea

• A 2022 study found that specific neural functional changes occurred in the cerebral cortex and limbic system that may explain rosacea’s pathogenesis. [13]
• A 2015 study on the connection between exposure to heat and exacerbation of rosacea found that rosacea symptoms may be in part due to overactivity from the sympathetic nervous system [14]
  - remember that the sympathetic nervous system is a part of the autonomic nervous system, which is heavily influenced by the limbic system
• Dr. Martin Steinhoff, the director of the Charles Institute of Dermatology has documented that the nervous system is intimately linked with the vascular system in producing the typical signs and symptoms of rosacea (flushing and inflammation). [15]

Eczema 

• A review in 2012 stated that chronic stress is known to worsen itch in atopic dermatitis and psoriasis and suggested that chronic stress-induced itch is caused by stress-related changes in the limbic system structure. [16]
• A 2023 Review found that prior data indicates that brain neural network and stress system alterations can promote the progression of atopic dermatitis. [17]
• A 2014 book on udpated itch research and clinical treatments of itch found that an overactive limbic system can reflect a more “intense, unbalance craving for itch relief”, which leads to a more compulsive scratching behaviours and distress. [18]

Psoriasis

• A 2024 review found that the immune system and the psychoneurological system (a complex integrated system in which the brain and nervous system interact with mental processes like thoughts, emotions and behaviour) work alongside closely with one another in the development of psoriasis. [19]
• A 2016 systemic review of psoriasis and associated psychiatric disorders found that psoriasis is linked to mental disorders on the psychotic and neurotic spectrum. [20]
• The review also found that chronic stress up regulates the sympathetic nervous system and has shown to “maintain and exacerbate” psoriasis and some of the mental disorders associated with the disease. [21]
• A 2020 review concluded that psoriasis is frequently associated with “problematic patterns of emotional reactivity” (how patients react to stimuli), “alexithymia” (patients’ ability to recognize and label the emotional reaction) and “emotional regulation” (the ability for patients to enhance or reduce their emotional reactions). [22]
  - remember the limbic system is responsible for processing emotions and associated behaviours
• The above 2020 review found that stress management is crucial in patients with psoriasis. 

*If you have psoriasis, please watch this testimonial of a woman who resolved her experience with psoriasis through Dr. Joe Dispenza’s meditation’s. Dr. Dispenza’s meditations are designed to positively influence the autonomic nervous system.

Part 2 Coming Soon 

Based on the research, there is a suggested limbic role in the development or exacerbation of eczema, psoriasis and rosacea.

Is it  plausible then, that using brain rewiring techniques to move the limbic system out of a maladaptive stress response may assist individuals in managing and potentially resolving symptoms of eczema, psoriasis or rosacea?

In part II, we will be discussing the founder, Adisa May's own experience with LSI and how she went about rewiring her brain for better skin health.