Dissimilar allergic disease in identical twins; a study of psychosomatic aspects

Identical twins with bronchial asthma were studied. One had the first attack of the disease in late adolescence, the other not until he was adult. Both were demonstrated by immunologic means to be sensitive to house dust and certain foods. Yet, of itself, the factor of exposure to a known allergen seemed not enough to precipitate clinical allergic reaction in either of them. It is believed that emotional stress is accompanied by physiologic changes which facilitate increased reactions to antigenic agents that in normal circumstances would not cause clinical disease.The twins were widely different with regard to emotional development and in their reaction to situations of stress. In both of them allergic manifestations were associated with periods of emotional conflict.The dissimilar clinical manifestations of allergy in these identical twins may be explained by differences in personality and therefore in reactions to stress situations.