Basics in Psychoneuroimmunology

Abstract

Central nervous, endocrine and immune systems (IS) are all considered to be important regulators of psychological and physical wellbeing. Research into psychoneuroimmunology became relatively widespread in the 1970s. More and more studies considered these systems to be interactive units. Disciplines ranging from anatomy to psychology revealed the IS as the target of brain and endocrine signals. Findings also suggest that the IS is active even in a bidirectional feedback loop. Today the IS is no longer regarded as autonomous and scientists begin to see the emergence of a new psychosomatic paradigm. So far, evidence for the mind-body interaction paradigm has been collected with regard to the role of nerve fibres in lymphatic tissues, the effects of brain lesions on the IS, the interplay of neurotransmitters, hormones and immunotransmitters in a network of bidirectional feedback loops between the brain and the IS, the effects of ontogeny, learning and conditioning on the development of the IS, the impact of experimental and naturally occurring stressors on the IS, the possible immune modulating effects of personality characteristics, life style and psychodynamic processes and the role of the IS in disease. Research findings in most of the mentioned topics are presented.

The Impact of Abbreviated Progressive Muscle Relaxation on Salivary Cortisol and Salivary Immunoglobulin A (sIgA)

“…Both salivary cortisol and salivary IgA levels differed as predicted, and supported the immunoenhancement theory which implies that as relaxation occurs, the immune system may benefit (Hall et al, 1996). These results indicate that a behavioral manipulation of the endocrine and immune systems is possible, and lend support to the theory that the negative effects of stress on the immune system may be reversible (Kropiunigg, 1993). The findings are significant in that they add further support to research suggesting that relatively brief relaxation methods can significantly alter immune and endocrine variables in adults (Reid et al, 2001;Lowe et al, 2001).…”

“…repeatedly associated with psychological stress (Hall, Altman, & Blumenthal, 1996), and since reducing cortisol levels has been suggested as a way to reduce the negative effects of stress on the immune system (Kropiunigg, 1993), salivary cortisol was chosen as our first dependent variable.…”

Psychoneuroimmunology: An Interpretation of Experimental and Case Study Evidence towards a Paradigm for Predictable Results

“…It seems unlikely that well-timed measurement of immunological functions can be used to validate experiments since individual differences and the number of variables simply overwhelm the analytical tools available. The immune system appears to be an interactive system (Kropiunigg, 1993), so perhaps instead of looking to measure particular chemicals and their effect on outcome, it would be more sensible to look for positive outcome with respect to the disease or symptom and then look to see what factors arose over time when that outcome occurs. Sometimes positive changes to the immune system through psychotherapy did not show up for six months or more (Gruber, Hall, Hersh & Dubois, 1988).…”

The role of obesity and diet in urological carcinogenesis

“…Many urological surgeons now routinely give their patients dietary guidelines after radical prostatectomy [ 88]. Patients are generally more satisfied when family members and physicians give them guidance, such as dietary counselling [ 89–91]. Thus, there are more physicians and surgeons who encourage dietary changes in their patients after cancer surgery, giving the patients a sense of well‐being [ 90, 91].…”