Lecture 5: Stress & Immune Function

Question 1

Stress: Personality Factors

Answer 1

Basically people who internalize stress are at a higher risk for heart disease and ulcers

Type ‘A’ personality (less and less evidence as a personality type)

Question 2

Two Main Immune Mechanisms

Answer 2

1. normal way to fight infection→ develop antigens
   o this work is being done in the bone marrow
   o similar to the mechanism of vaccines
2. Lymph nodes
   o constant maintenance
   • cell monitoring and replication

Question 3

Effect of Stress on Lymph Nodes

Answer 3

The lymph nodes are where the effects of sustained levels of cortisol are really felt

For normal stress, there is a short burst of cortisol, slight hit to the lymph nodes but okay

Sustained level of stress→sustained level of cortisol, decreases productivity of lymph nodes

Question 4

Effects of Stress on Gut

Answer 4

The immune system maintains the level of H. pylori

When the immune response is weakened, level of H. pylori increases, deterioration of stomach lining leads to ulcers

Question 5

H. pylori

Answer 5

• “good” bacteria in stomach
• helps maintain stomach lining
• excess of H. pylori eats away at stomach lining→Ulcers