lecture 4

Question 1

what is one of the ways we immediately react to injuries or viruses

Answer 1

inflammation

Question 2

how are cortisol and inflammation related

Answer 2

increased cortisol leads to increased inflammation

Question 3

acute inflammation

Answer 3

seconds to days

Question 4

chronic inflammation

Answer 4

weeks to months, associated w pathologies/age related diseases

Question 5

what are cytokines + their purpose

Answer 5

proteins secreted by cells for intracellular signaling and communication

critical in modulation and regulation of innate and adaptive immune system

can stimulate movement of cells toward site of inflammation, infection, or trauma

Question 6

pro inflammatory cytokines

Answer 6

enhance or stimulate inflammatory response

Question 7

anti inflammatory cytokines

Answer 7

reduce or dampen inflammatory response

Question 8

c reactive protein (CRP)

Answer 8

protein made by liver in response to inflammation

it is a strong indicator of systemic inflammation

Question 9

study on CRP and pneumonia results + implication

Answer 9

those w more severe pneumonia have increasing CRP in body, suggesting that as we get sicker we have increase of inflammation

Question 10

increased CRP in the blood is associated w mental health and severe influenza, true or false?

Answer 10

true

Question 11

what is another word for cytokine storms?

Answer 11

hypercytokinemia

Question 12

what causes cytokine storms, and why does it happen?

Answer 12

caused by uncontrolled or excessive release of pro inflammatory cytokines

why it happens:
- infection triggers a response
- cytokine are released
- over release of pro inflammatory overrides the anti inflammatory release, so the pro inflammatory just keeps going because there is nothing to counteract it

Question 13

what is IL-6 and what do they inform us about

Answer 13

pro inflammatory cytokine

informs us about inflammation response intensity

Question 14

what does too much cytokine activity (cytokine storm) lead to?

Answer 14

endothelial dysfunction

Question 15

what happens when endothelial dysfunction occurs?

Answer 15

endothelium breaks down and permeability is increased

inflammatory responses follow, and sepsis can even occur

makes it more likely for a cell not to function normally and receive a virus

Question 16

what is acute respiratory distress syndrome

Answer 16

a severe form of acute lung injury

Question 17

describe the process of acute lung injury

Answer 17

endothelium barriers breaks down and permeability increases
- lots of endothelium debris in the alveoli of the lungs
- walls of alveoli thicken and get more rigid due to inflammation
- this thickness makes it hard for us to breathe

Question 18

challenges with treating hypercytokinemia

Answer 18

we tend to focus on an anti inflammatory approach, but inflammation is usually happening for a REASON, so we should look at the cause of the inflammation first

Question 19

what is psychoneuroendocrinology

Answer 19

field of research integrating psych, endocrinology, and neuroscience to study interactions between brain and hormonal function

Question 20

relationship between cytokines and mental health

Answer 20

increased cytokines connected to increased stress, severity of mental health symptoms, burnout, and lower cognitive control

Question 21

UCLA loneliness study

Answer 21

• there was an under expression of genes with anti inflammatory glucocorticoid elements
• there was an over expression of genes with pro inflammatory transcription factors

conclusion:
if you perceive yourself as isolated and lonely, it can create an over expression of pro inflammatory transcription

Question 22

Cohen study on social support and immune functioning (method+findings)

Answer 22

isolated ppl and exposed them all to a flu virus and made them isolate

asked them to report stress levels and waited to see who got sick

findings:
- those w severe stress (over a month) had double the risk of getting the virus
- those w severe stress (over 2 years) had quadrupled risk of getting virus
- interpersonal and job stress were most strong predictors of stress
- HPA axis was low due to prior stress, and their cortisol lvls increased, which weakens immune system, making it easier to get sick

Question 23

study on caregivers and stress

Answer 23

• gave former and current caregivers and controls the flu shot

results:
- current caregivers had lowest number of antibody response throughout 6 months following shot (the shot was less effective on them)

implications:
- stress suppresses immune response to vaccines and antibiotics

Question 24

relationship between age and telomeres

Answer 24

with age our telomeres get smaller, so we show signs of aging bc body cannot reproduce the damaged chromosomes

Question 25

study on telomeres and stress

Answer 25

chronic caregivers had shorter telomeres and they degenerated faster

caregivers in social groups had lower rates of telomere degradation

implication:
- social support slows down telomere degradation
- the more stress you perceived yourself to be, the more you are aging yourself!

Question 26

how can you boost your microbiome

Answer 26

exposure to plants and animals

Question 27

relationship between negative moods (depression and anxiety) with cytokines and stress

Answer 27

negative mood enhances production of pro inflammatory cytokines

negative mood causes increased risk for infection, and delayed wound healing

Question 28

probiotics

Answer 28

live microorganisms that can be beneficial to health when consumed or applied to body

Question 29

study on probiotics

Answer 29

diet with increased probiotic for 30 days vs a placebo

probiotic group had lower lvls of anxiety, depression, and somatization condition, as well as lower cortisol

Question 30

hypovitaminosis D

Answer 30

decreased muscle function and performance, increase in disability

Question 31

hormones and immune system relationship

Answer 31

hormones act as immunomodulators, altering the sensitivity of immune system

Question 32

how does exercise reduce depression and stress

Answer 32

burns off energy
improves cardiovascular abilities
prevents immune system from getting repressed
endorphins feel good

Question 33

any alteration in balance between anti and pro inflammatory cytokines results in:

Answer 33

exaggerated sickness response to activation of peripheral immune system or direct activation of brain cytokine system

Question 34

study on positive emotion and immune function

Answer 34

told participants to feel care and compassion for 5 minutes
- 41% increase in IgA levels over next 6 hours

5 days later told them to imagine an experience that made you very angry and recapture that feeling for 5 minutes
- IgA levels dropped to about 1/2 of what they were before the anger introduction

Question 35

study on awe and immune system

Answer 35

showing ppl images of awe inspiring things resulted in lower levels of IL-6