Perceived stress and cellular immunity: when coping counts

Area of Science:

• Psychoneuroimmunology
• Gerontology
• Immunology

Background:

• Stress significantly impacts immune function.
• Coping strategies are psychological responses to stress.
• The interplay between stress, coping, and immunity in older adults requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the differential relationships between active and avoidance coping strategies and immune function.
• To investigate whether these relationships are moderated by perceived stress levels.
• To assess immune cell counts and T-lymphocyte proliferative responses in healthy older adults.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study design.
• Assessment of perceived stress and coping methods in 173 healthy older adults.
• Measurement of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T lymphocyte counts and percentages.
• Evaluation of peripheral blood leukocyte proliferative responses to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (Con A).

Main Results:

• Both active and avoidance coping significantly interacted with perceived stress to affect mitogen-induced proliferative responses.
• Higher active coping was associated with a more robust T-lymphocyte proliferative response, particularly under high stress conditions.
• At low stress levels, active coping showed no significant association with proliferative responses, whereas avoidance coping was linked to a greater response to Con A.

Conclusions:

• The relationship between coping strategies and immune function is contingent upon the individual's perceived stress level.
• Active coping may bolster immune responses during heightened stress, while avoidance coping might be beneficial under lower stress conditions.
• These findings highlight the complex interplay between psychological factors and immune regulation in aging.