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Psychoneuroimmunology: conditioning and stress
1Department of Psychiatry and Microbiology and Immunology, University of Rochester, School of Medicine and Dentistry, New York 14642.
Annual Review of Psychology
|January 1, 1993
Summary
Behavioral conditioning and stress significantly impact immune responses, affecting both antigen-specific and nonspecific defense systems. The precise mechanisms and conditions influencing these brain-immune interactions require further investigation.
Area of Science:
- Psychoneuroimmunology
- Behavioral immunology
- Neuroendocrinology
Background:
- Conditioning and stress demonstrably alter immune system responses, influencing both antigen-specific and nonspecific defense mechanisms.
- These brain-immune interactions are reproducible and can affect the development and progression of immunological disorders.
- Generalizing findings across different stressors or immune parameters is challenging due to numerous interacting variables.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the complex relationship between the brain and the immune system.
- To determine the specific conditions under which neuroendocrine factors influence immune responses and vice versa.
- To elucidate the neural and neuroendocrine pathways mediating behavioral effects on immunity.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on conditioned immune responses and stress-induced immunomodulation.
- Analysis of factors influencing the direction and magnitude of immune response modulation.
- Hypothesizing the involvement of neuroendocrine mediators like steroids, opioids, and catecholamines.
Main Results:
- Behavioral interventions and stressors can modulate immune responses in a context-dependent manner.
- The interplay between the neuroendocrine system and the immune system is bidirectional.
- Specific neuroendocrine responses are induced by different environmental circumstances, influencing ongoing immune reactions.
Conclusions:
- The brain and immune system are functionally interconnected, with behavior and stress acting as significant modulators.
- Understanding the precise parameters and pathways is crucial for comprehending and potentially manipulating these interactions.
- Further research is needed to parametrically analyze stimulus conditions, neuroendocrine/immunologic states, and sampled responses to fully map these complex interactions.