3-14: Psychoneuroimmunology Flashcards
Distinguish between natural and specific immunity.
Natural immunity is the body’s general defense system, which acts immediately in response to invading, either by engulfing them, poisoning them, or changing the conditions in an area to make them unsuitable. Specific immunity is slower and targets a specific antigen and destroys it.
Identify three types of cells involved in natural immunity, including the function of each.
Two types of cells involved in natural immunity, neutrophils and macrophages, are considered granulocytes. They engulf cells and engage in phagocytosis. Neutrophils are found in the blood, whereas macrophages, which also release cytokines (inflammation-producing proteins) are found in tissue. The third type of cell is the natural killer cells, which releases substances that lyse (break up and disintegrate) invading cells.
Distinguish between the two types of specific immunity.
Humoral immunity is mediated by B lymphocytes, which produce toxins that get spread through the circulatory and lymphatic systems and that combat bacterial and viral infection.
Cell-mediated immunity involves T lymphocytes from the thymus gland, which go directly to cells infected with a virus and destroy them using specific antibodies.
Describe the two general approaches to assessing immunocompetence
- Measuring the number of T, B, and NK cells in the blood.
- Assessing the function of immune cells, such as the ability of lymphocytes to kill invading cells, to reproduce, or to ingest foreign substances.
Compare the immune effects of short-term stressors, brief naturalistic stressors, and chronically stressful events.
- Short-term stressors produce a fight-or-flight response and elicit an immune response that anticipates the risk of injury and the possible entry of infectious agents into the bloodstream. These stressors cause an up-regulation of natural immunity, with an increase in NK cell and granulocyte activity, and a down-regulation of specific immunity.
- Brief naturalistic stressors are ones that last several days, such as preparing for an exam. They result in the mobilization of cytokine production and focus on humoral immunity.
- Chronically stressful events, including living with a disability, being unemployed, or engaging in long-term, difficult care-giving, cause a down-regulation of both cellular and humoral immunity, and a decline in almost all immune functions.
Explain how stress-related changes in the HPA axis affect immune response.
Stress-related changes in the HPA axis lead to the release of cortisol, which reduces the number of white blood cells, affecting the function of the lymphocytes and reducing the release of cytokines.
Discuss the documented effects of space travel and Hurricane Andrew on immune response.
Space flight causes an increase in the number of circulating white blood cells, whereas the number of natural killer cells decreases. At the time of landing, catecholamine levels and the number of white blood cells both increase, whereas T-cell counts decrease.
Hurricane Andrew produced overall declines in immune function.
Indicate what happens when healthy participants are asked to write about traumatic experiences in their lives.
Healthy adults who are asked to write about traumatic events in their lives—especially ones associated with shame and guilt—show an increase in cytokine activity. These findings suggest that self-related emotions can cause changes in inflammatory processes.
Summarize the findings of studies involving people living near Three Mile Island.
People living near Three Mile Island have shown lover levels of B and T cells, as well as lower saliva IgA (immunoglobulin A, an important antibody) levels and overall compromised immune function.
Identify the health effects experienced by children and adults under stress
Children and adults under stress show increased vulnerability to infectious disease, including colds, flus, and herpes virus infections, chicken pox, mononucleosis, and Epstein-Barr virus.
Describe the effects of depression on cellular immunity.
Depression is associated with lower cellular immunity, lowered response of lymphocytes to foreign invaders, lowered NK cell activity, and reduced white blood cell counts.
Cite evidence that marital disruption, marital conflict, and care-giving have an adverse effect on immunity.
- Marital disruption: Women who have been separated 1 year or less—especially those who continued experiencing attachment and preoccupation with their ex-husbands– showed lower immune functioning overall than did their married counterparts.
- Marital conflict: Couples whose discussions or marital problems include conflict show lowered immune response—especially the women.
- Care-giving: Long-term caregivers show reductions in T-cell counts, wound repair, and NK cell activity, as well as more adverse reactions to vaccines.
List three ways that feelings of self-efficacy and control can affect immunity.
- Perceived self-efficacy may reduce the experience of stress itself.
- It may reduce the tendency to develop depression in response to stressful events.
- It may create some expectancy-based central nervous system modulation of immunologic reactivity.
Discuss the effects of relaxation training on melanoma patients.
Melanoma patients doing relaxation training show higher NK activity as well as larger numbers of NK cells and are less likely to have a melanoma recurrence.
psychoneuroimmunology
Study of the interactions among behavioral, neuroendocrin, and immunological processes of adaptation.
