About the Special Issue

The immune system is a complex network of organs, cells, and proteins that defends the body against infections and protects it from disease-causing substances, germs, and cell changes. It protects the body from a wide variety of pathogens, ranging from viruses to parasitic worms, as well as cancer cells, and is able to distinguish these pathogens from healthy tissue. While the immune system is indispensable for combating the effects of harmful microbes, it can also target the body’s own structures, leading to an estimated 80–100 different diseases.

Non-communicable chronic diseases, which are closely related to sedentary lifestyles, are the leading cause of death worldwide. The immune system is sensitive to both short- and long-term exercise training, and moderate-intensity exercise enhances immune surveillance, thereby strengthening the body’s defense mechanisms against infection. Short- and long-term physical exercise modulates an individual’s immune protection, with additional benefits such as improved psychological well-being and reductions in weight and other pre-morbid inflammatory conditions.

However, little is known about the psycho-physiological mechanisms involved in the health benefits of exercise on immune function, and which aspects of exercise training (type of exercise, intensity, duration, frequency, etc.) are optimal.

The aim of this research topic is to summarize the effects of various exercise programs on enhancing immune function, and to explore the underlying physiological mechanisms involved.

In this special issue, “Physical Activity and the Immune System in Chronic Diseases: Mechanisms and Insights,” we welcome original articles, reviews, case reports, and preclinical and clinical studies related to the effects of physical exercise on immune responses in various chronic diseases.

Keywords: Immune function, physical activity, exercise, training, chronic diseases, health

Call for Papers