Psoriasis, often thought to be pricipally an inherited genetic disease, may be no such thing.
The disease is a non-contagious skin disease that causes itchy, red patches and silvery-white scales to appear on the skin and occurs when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body, causing skin cells to grow and die at a very high rate, accumulating into plaques.
However, a new study (published in Immunity), has suggested that the origins may be chemical toxins, Researchers from the MRC National Institute for Medical Research have shown that certain chemicals, especially Dioxins, can affect a molecule (dubbed AhR – aryl hydrocarbon receptor) found in both skin and immune cells causing it to manufacture inflammatory proteins.
Psoriasis expert, Dr. Gary Goldenberg, an assistant professor of dermatology and pathology at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital, acknowledged that Psoriasis is strongly influenced by environmental causes when interviewed.
Chemical compounds in the environment may also have negative effects on gut bacteria causing an immune reaction.
