[Stress, endocrine, and immune system; stress induces the onset of autoimmune diseases]

Stress can affect endocrine and immune function. In this paper, we reviewed the interaction between stress and Graves disease, which is induced by thyroid-stimulating autoantibodies. Psychological stress was reported to be a risk factor for Graves' disease, although the mechanism by which stress induces autoimmune disease remains unknown. Moreover, we found that other stress, such as delivery and allergic rhinitis can induce the onset of Graves' disease. Immune rebound after delivery and the overproduction of Th 2 (type 2 helper T cells)-derived cytokines after an attack of allergic rhinitis might help produce thyroid-stimulating autoantibodies.