MSI Psychoneuroimmunology Flashcards
The study of interrelations between the central nervous system and the immune system, via the endocrine system.
Psychoneuroimmunology
The focus of psychoneuroimmunology is to explore the extent that __________ factors affect states of immunity, and whether psychologically induced changes in immunity alter susceptibility to immune system-mediated diseases
psychological
Classic early study found decreased _________ activity in response to stress- termed the ‘influence of psychic acts’ (Ishigami, 1918)
phagocyte
Stress is not the circumstance, but it actually one’s own __________ and emotional response to that
appraisal
People vary in their reactivity to stress- depending on the nature of the stressor/stress; as well as personality, childhood, security of attachment, internal/external resources, and support available.
Reactivity refers to the magnitude of autonomic, neuroendocrine, and immune responses to stressor [or perceived stressor].
________ physiological reactivity is related to worse health outcomes in response to chronic stress
Higher
** 2 major modes of coping with stress:
i). ___________-focused
Behavioural adaption
Altered cognitive appraisal
ii). _________-focused aimed at:
Reducing demands of situation and/or
Increasing resources to deal with stressful situation
Emotion, Problem
‘Effective __________strategies are indicators for stronger adaptive relationships, stronger social support, and enhancing cognitive reserve’.
coping
General Adaptation Syndrome (created by Hans Selye, the founder of ‘stress theory’) consists of 3 phases: ______, resistance/adaptation, and exhaustion/recovery
Alarm
In stressful situations there are 2 types of psychoneuroendocrine responses as part of the fight/flight response:
1) sympathetic adrenal medullary [sympathetic NS] system response- stimulation of adrenal glands that results in flight/flight response
2) Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal [HPA] and release of CRF, ACTH, and ________
Cortisol
Cortisol acts to conserve carbohydrate stores, bodily protein and fat stores are mobilised, cortisol helps to reduce inflammation [upregulates IL4, 10, 13], cortisol also inhibits ________ formation
antibody
SNS and HPA affect immune function with SNS increasing immune system activity [e.g. __ cells].
NK
The HPA axis suppresses some immune activity via _______ [anti-inflammatory]
cortisol
Chronic stress can be harmful due to disruption of both psychological and physiological functioning. This includes glucocorticoid sensitivity and/or __________ [short and longer term plastic changes].
resistance
___________, peripheral and central, may be considered the ‘biological scar’ of the exposure to high levels of stressful circumstances [or, circumstances which have been appraised as stressful].
Inflammation
Negative emotions - loneliness, pessimism, depression - impair immune function
= greater susceptibility to infections
= slower wound healing
= altered immune functionality
reduced number/functionality of lymphocytes
reduced number/functionality of NK cells
changes in pro-inflammatory cytokines; increases in _____
Also noted: a ‘dose-response’ effect - more severe depression is related to greater immune effects [cytokine hypersecretion]
And…
Exogenously administered cytokines can induce a syndrome mimicking many symptoms of the depression [sickness behaviour]
IL-6
Negative mood [outside of depressive disorder diagnosis] has been shown to be associated with reduced __ cells; and negative mood is linked to more rapid progression of disease, including: HIV/AIDS and Cancer
Effects of negative mood may be:
Direct: effect on immune function Indirect: unhealthy behaviour/lower treatment concordance
NK
_________ interventions to treat negative mood can affect course of immune disorders: interventions that improve psychological wellbeing can lead to improved immune functionality/recovery
Psychological
Increasing evidence that positive moods [and personalities] are related to enhanced immune function. Personality traits such as optimism, emotional expressiveness, extraversion associated with: NK cell cytotoxicity and proliferation of ____________.
helper T lymphocytes
Positive events and moods may have ___________ effects on immune function than negative events; important implications for healthcare interventions.
** Studies have shown that psychosocial treatment components are associated with immune related health outcomes including infectious disease, cancer, wound healing, autoimmune disease, and HIV
longer-lasting
_______ support has beneficial effects on stress-related responses in immune, neuroendocrine, and cardiovascular systems.
Social
High levels of _________ and small social networks linked to lowest antibody response to a flu vaccination
loneliness
Social support influencing immunity. Can have Direct effects:
via psychosocial influences on endocrine and immune function - i.e. people feel less stressed
or Indirect effects:
people with better social support are more likely to adhere to medication and more likely to use health services
** The link between personal ________and immune function is one of the most robust findings in the field of psychoneuroimmunology.
relationship
Caregivers of those living with Alzheimer’s dementia are found to have prolonged endocrine and immune dysregulation, alterations in vaccine response, and delayed wound healing.
Spousal caregivers of those living with a dementia who had lower levels of social support had the greatest negative changes in the ________ function at one year follow up
immune
