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Conditioning of the immune response
1Department of Psychiatry, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, NY 14642.
The Netherlands Journal of Medicine
|October 1, 1991
Summary
Behavioral conditioning can alter immune responses. These conditioned immunomodulatory effects influence disease progression and demonstrate the immune system
Area of Science:
- Neuroimmunology
- Behavioral immunology
Background:
- Classical conditioning can modify physiological processes.
- Immune responses, including humoral and cell-mediated immunity, can be classically conditioned.
- Conditioned immunomodulation is not limited to specific drugs or conditioning paradigms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the evidence for classically conditioned alterations in immune responses.
- To explore the implications of conditioned immunomodulation for disease progression.
- To highlight the integration of the immune system with other physiological processes, including the brain.
Main Methods:
- Review of experimental studies in humans and animals.
- Analysis of studies using various conditioning procedures and unconditioned stimuli (e.g., cyclophosphamide).
- Examination of data on the modulation of pathophysiological processes by conditioned immunologic reactivity.
Main Results:
- Classical conditioning can induce significant changes in both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses.
- Conditioned immunomodulatory effects have been observed across different conditioning paradigms and stimuli.
- These immune changes can influence the progression of various diseases in experimental models.
Conclusions:
- The immune system is interconnected with other physiological systems and the brain.
- Behavioral conditioning represents a powerful tool for studying and potentially manipulating immune function.
- Conditioned immunomodulation has implications for understanding and treating diseases involving immune system dysregulation.