This course is designed as an advanced program in functional developmental behavioural neuroimmunology and vestibular rehabilitation. It presents the most current information and clinical tools in psychoneuroimmunology, delivered by three of the world’s leading experts in functional neurology, vestibular rehabilitation, and functional immunology.

The course integrates the brain, the immune system, and the autonomic nervous system in a way that has never been done before, focusing on the developing brain as the central regulator of neurological, autonomic, and immune function. We will explore three key areas of brain function and development: interoception, immunoception, and proprioception. Each of these functions involves different hemispheric and neuroanatomical regions, and we will provide a detailed discussion of their functional neuroanatomy.

Special attention will be given to the insula cortex and the salience network, both of which play a key role across all three functions. These areas are also part of the central autonomic network, crucial for neurological development, socialisation, emotional regulation, attachment, self-awareness, empathy, and both nonverbal and verbal language. Additionally, they are central to immune regulation, the perception of inflammation, and the activation of anti-inflammatory reflexes.

The autonomic nervous system — comprising the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches — exerts control over these networks and is closely linked to the postural, oculomotor, vestibular, proprioceptive, and body awareness systems. Developmental delays and imbalances across these systems are at the root of conditions such as non-speaking autism, POTS, ADHD, OCD, tics, dyslexia, PTSD, bipolar disorder, anxiety, depression, vertigo, motion sickness, autoimmunity, chronic inflammation, hormone dysfunction, HPA axis dysfunction, dysautonomia, attachment disorders, and more.