Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) described the origin of chronic disease through the symbols of her visions, highlighting the importance and interdependence between physiological, environmental, mental and spiritual factors. Starting from the study and interpretation the Hildegard’s of Bingen texts, the aim of this research work is to lay the inspiring foundations for a new model of approach to the treatment of chronic disease that can be defined as systemic. This research work is also able to bring the humanities and scientific disciplines into dialogue, in order to integrate into a single paradigm, the reductionist vision about the man-cosm link, with that holistic one. Today, the complexity of the interaction between the organism and the environment can be studied and measured through biodynamic interfaces. The nature of interfaces incorporates components from all the interacting systems and their time-varying interactions but exhibits operational independence with respect to each of the systems and, for this, is therefore measurable. In order to identify a biodynamic interface capable of predicting the transition from a state of health to a state of disease, the my research work analyzed, in the light of modern scientific evidence, Hildegard of Bingen’s medical approach and her original humoral theory, in order to identify possible insights included in her medicine that could be referred to in the context of modern evidence-based medicine. In particular, the abbess's humoral theory identifies the distinction between genetic and epigenetic processes in determining the disease phenotype and, surprisingly, a specific sex-gender pathogenetic process common to all forms of chronic pathology in which physiological and environmental determinants merge with those specifically linked to the sensitive experience of every man and woman. In particular, the abbess's humoral theory suggests the identification of biodynamic interfaces with sex hormones and their receptors. Estrogen receptors, for example, are found in regions of the brain involved in emotional and cognitive regulation, controlling the molecular mechanism of brain function. Estrogen receptors are involved in the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and in the epigenetic regulation of responses to physiological, social and hormonal stimuli. Furthermore, estrogen affects gene methylation on its own and related receptor promoters, in discrete regions of the developing brain. This scenario was strikingly perceived by the abbess in the XII century. She depicted a complex interplay among different humors and flegmata that she recognized to be sex-specific and environmentally regulated. In few words, the Hildegard model suggests that estrogens and estrogen receptors could represent a good example of a molecular interface capable of modulating the interaction between the internal environment of the organism and environmental factors. Considering the function played by hormones and the theory of biodynamic interface we might recognize the Hildegardian insights as the first attempt to describe modern holistic medicine based on sexual features of our organism. Hildegard also anticipated a concept of pathogenesis that sees a central role for endocrinology in sex-specific diseases and enhances the specificity of each person, man and woman, in the pathogenetic process. In conclusion Hildegard transmits to us a new model of precision medicine capable of combining the holistic vision with the more specifically deterministic one.

La medicina di Ildegarda di Bingen e la medicina genere-specifica: anticipazioni di una nuova medicina di precisione / Sabrina Melino , 2023 Mar 20. 35. ciclo, Anno Accademico 2019/2020.

La medicina di Ildegarda di Bingen e la medicina genere-specifica: anticipazioni di una nuova medicina di precisione

MELINO, SABRINA
2023-03-20

Abstract

Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179) described the origin of chronic disease through the symbols of her visions, highlighting the importance and interdependence between physiological, environmental, mental and spiritual factors. Starting from the study and interpretation the Hildegard’s of Bingen texts, the aim of this research work is to lay the inspiring foundations for a new model of approach to the treatment of chronic disease that can be defined as systemic. This research work is also able to bring the humanities and scientific disciplines into dialogue, in order to integrate into a single paradigm, the reductionist vision about the man-cosm link, with that holistic one. Today, the complexity of the interaction between the organism and the environment can be studied and measured through biodynamic interfaces. The nature of interfaces incorporates components from all the interacting systems and their time-varying interactions but exhibits operational independence with respect to each of the systems and, for this, is therefore measurable. In order to identify a biodynamic interface capable of predicting the transition from a state of health to a state of disease, the my research work analyzed, in the light of modern scientific evidence, Hildegard of Bingen’s medical approach and her original humoral theory, in order to identify possible insights included in her medicine that could be referred to in the context of modern evidence-based medicine. In particular, the abbess's humoral theory identifies the distinction between genetic and epigenetic processes in determining the disease phenotype and, surprisingly, a specific sex-gender pathogenetic process common to all forms of chronic pathology in which physiological and environmental determinants merge with those specifically linked to the sensitive experience of every man and woman. In particular, the abbess's humoral theory suggests the identification of biodynamic interfaces with sex hormones and their receptors. Estrogen receptors, for example, are found in regions of the brain involved in emotional and cognitive regulation, controlling the molecular mechanism of brain function. Estrogen receptors are involved in the regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and in the epigenetic regulation of responses to physiological, social and hormonal stimuli. Furthermore, estrogen affects gene methylation on its own and related receptor promoters, in discrete regions of the developing brain. This scenario was strikingly perceived by the abbess in the XII century. She depicted a complex interplay among different humors and flegmata that she recognized to be sex-specific and environmentally regulated. In few words, the Hildegard model suggests that estrogens and estrogen receptors could represent a good example of a molecular interface capable of modulating the interaction between the internal environment of the organism and environmental factors. Considering the function played by hormones and the theory of biodynamic interface we might recognize the Hildegardian insights as the first attempt to describe modern holistic medicine based on sexual features of our organism. Hildegard also anticipated a concept of pathogenesis that sees a central role for endocrinology in sex-specific diseases and enhances the specificity of each person, man and woman, in the pathogenetic process. In conclusion Hildegard transmits to us a new model of precision medicine capable of combining the holistic vision with the more specifically deterministic one.
20-mar-2023
estrogen; Hildegard of Bingen; gender; biodynamic interface
estrogeni; Hildegard of Bingen; genere; interfaccia biodinamica
La medicina di Ildegarda di Bingen e la medicina genere-specifica: anticipazioni di una nuova medicina di precisione / Sabrina Melino , 2023 Mar 20. 35. ciclo, Anno Accademico 2019/2020.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12610/72665
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