MSI Psychoneuroimmunology

Question 1

The study of interrelations between the central nervous system and the immune system, via the endocrine system.

Answer 1

Psychoneuroimmunology

Question 2

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

Answer 2

psychological

Question 3

Classic early study found decreased _________ activity in response to stress- termed the ‘influence of psychic acts’ (Ishigami, 1918)

Answer 3

phagocyte

Question 4

Stress is not the circumstance, but it actually one’s own __________ and emotional response to that

Answer 4

appraisal

Question 5

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

Answer 5

Higher

Question 6

** 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

Answer 6

Emotion, Problem

Question 7

‘Effective __________strategies are indicators for stronger adaptive relationships, stronger social support, and enhancing cognitive reserve’.

Answer 7

coping

Question 8

General Adaptation Syndrome (created by Hans Selye, the founder of ‘stress theory’) consists of 3 phases: ______, resistance/adaptation, and exhaustion/recovery

Answer 8

Alarm

Question 9

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 ________

Answer 9

Cortisol

Question 10

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

Answer 10

antibody

Question 11

SNS and HPA affect immune function with SNS increasing immune system activity [e.g. __ cells].

Answer 11

NK

Question 12

The HPA axis suppresses some immune activity via _______ [anti-inflammatory]

Answer 12

cortisol

Question 13

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].

Answer 13

resistance

Question 14

___________, 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].

Answer 14

Inflammation

Question 15

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]

Answer 15

IL-6

Question 16

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

Answer 16

NK

Question 17

_________ interventions to treat negative mood can affect course of immune disorders: interventions that improve psychological wellbeing can lead to improved immune functionality/recovery

Answer 17

Psychological

Question 18

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 ____________.

Answer 18

helper T lymphocytes

Question 19

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

Answer 19

longer-lasting

Question 20

_______ support has beneficial effects on stress-related responses in immune, neuroendocrine, and cardiovascular systems.

Answer 20

Social

Question 21

High levels of _________ and small social networks linked to lowest antibody response to a flu vaccination

Answer 21

loneliness

Question 22

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.

Answer 22

relationship

Question 23

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

Answer 23

immune