Effect of Psychological Intervention in the Form of Relaxation and Guided Imagery on Cellular Immune Function in Normal Healthy Subjects

Zachariae, Robert; Kristensen, J S; Hokland, Peter; Ellegaard, Jørgen; Metze, E; Hokland, Marianne

doi:10.1159/000288374

Cited by 44 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Higher lymphocyte counts after intervention were also found by Gruber et al [13] and Schedlowski et al [12] in breast cancer patients that were chemotherapy naive. The effect in the present study is in line with studies that show increases in lymphocyte subpopulations or functions in cancer patients [13,14,33], HIV-positive gay men [9], geriatric residents [34], and healthy subjects [4][5][6]8] fol lowing intervention. Still, two studies have reported brief suppression of lymphocyte-related variables after psycho logical intervention [7,35].…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Immune Effects of Relaxation during Chemotherapy for Ovarian Cancer

Lekander

Fürst

Rotstein

et al. 1997

Psychother Psychosom

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Background: Psychological interventions, such as relaxation training, have been applied to strengthen resistance to disease. There is evidence that relaxation can modify immune parameters in healthy populations and in chemotherapy naive cancer patients. Methods: In this study, 22 patients receiving chemotherapy for ovarian cancer were allocated to relaxation training with a clinical psychologist or to a control group. After 2 months’ training, blood was sampled 2 days before chemotherapy in the patients’ homes, and at the hospital prior to treatment. Results: On average, the intervention group showed higher lymphocyte counts, and a tendency to higher white blood cell numbers as compared to the control group. No significant effects were found in proliferative responses to mitogen and natural killer cell activity after intervention. Relaxation training did not modify the magnitude of changes in immune variables between home samples and at the hospital in anticipation of treatment. Conclusion: The study suggests that relaxation training can positively affect immune parameters in cancer patients, even if training is performed during myelosuppressive therapy.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 90%

Immune Effects of Relaxation during Chemotherapy for Ovarian Cancer

Lekander

Fürst

Rotstein

et al. 1997

Psychother Psychosom

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“…Another study (Zachariae et al, 1990) examined systemic immunity as well as natural killer ceils' responses to relaxation with different types of imagery, one that images immunity and one that images progressive muscle relaxation technique. This study's intervention, most similar to the type of imagery in the line of research we are conducting, will be discussed here in detail.…”

Section: Imagery and Immunitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Other constraints on the evidence from the Zachariae et al (1990) study need to be addressed specifically. First, only the type of imagery appeared to produce different immune effects, but no conclusion could be drawn whether one type of imagery was better than the other.…”

Section: Imagery and Immunitymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…First, only the type of imagery appeared to produce different immune effects, but no conclusion could be drawn whether one type of imagery was better than the other. Further, the Zachariae et al (1990) report could not specify causal attribution to relaxation, mental imagery, or both. Therefore, as a highly speculative proposition, at this juncture, could an imagery-immune specificity exist in location of the immune response?…”

Section: Imagery and Immunitymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Absorption and imagery locate immune responses in the body

Gregerson

Roberts

Amiri³

1996

Biofeedback and Self-Regulation

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Imagery instructions specifying mucosal immunity should alter mucosal immunoglobulin A (m-IgA) levels in high absorbers, whose intent concentration evokes intense physiological responses. After screening for health status, 121 high or low absorbers were randomly assigned to either Relaxation Alone (R), Relaxation with Mucosal Immune Imagery (RI), or Vigilance Task control (VT). Before and after one 60-min intervention, subjects reported theory-relevant psychological variables and provided 5 ml whole saliva, which was immediately frozen and assayed later en masse with enzyme-linked immunoabsorbence (ELISA). MANOVA analysis of psychological variables replicated past research. ANOVA on residualized m-IgA found Time x Absorption interaction and Condition main effects. High more than low absorbers responded to relaxation with mucosal immune imagery by producing higher m-IgA. High absorbers appear able to locate where their immune systems will respond. Individual differences like absorption level need to be emphasized in diagnosis and treatment responsiveness.

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“…O uso do relaxamento para reduzir a ansiedade pré-cirúrgica foi mostrado efetivo tanto em relação ao bem-estar subjetivo, auto-informado pelo paciente, quanto pelas medidas psicofisiológicas objetivas: observa-se uma diminuição do ritmo cardíaco e da pressão arterial, e melhora da imunidade humoral e celular (Green, Green & Santoro, 1988;Zachariae, Kristensen, Hokland, Ellegaard, Metze & Hokland, 1990 Instruções comportamentais específicas pós-cirúrgicas. Estas instruções servem de guia (orientação) para facilitar a recuperação do paciente.…”

Section: Técnicas Comportamentaisunclassified

Intervenção psicológica em cirurgia

Gaudêncio¹,

Sirgo²,

Perales-Soler³

et al. 2000

Psicol. estud.

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RESUMO. Na situação de cirurgia existem três tipos de estresse, (1) Estresse produzido pela avaliação da situação cirúrgica como ameaça, dano ou perda (estresse psicológico), (2) Estresse produzido pela enfermidade prévia do paciente, e (3) Estresse produzido pela intervenção cirúrgica em si (estresse cirúrgico). Dotar o paciente de estratégias de confronto frente à cirurgia, reduz o estresse. Os resultados podem ser medidos tanto em termos clínicos quanto econômicos, diminuindo a permanência do paciente no hospital e a ingestão de analgésico e sedativo. Neste artigo, apresentam-se as técnicas concretas e adaptadas ao ambiente hospitalar que se mostram mais efetivas na avaliação e redução da ansiedade pré-cirúrgica. Palavras -chave:ansiedade pré-cirúrgica, avaliação,técnicas de intervenção. PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTION IN SURGERYABSTRACT. In a surgery situation we can clearly find three types of stress, (1) the stress derived from the assessment of the surgical situation as a threat, injury or loss (psychological stress), (2) the stress derived from the illness itself, and (3) the stress derived from surgery itself (surgical stress). Stress can be reduced if the patient is trained to cope with certain strategies. Results will be related to clinical and economical issues, provided that the length of the stay at the hospital will be shorter and the intake of analgesics and sedatives will decrease. This paper is a theoretical review about the psychological techniques adapted to the hospital setting which have demonstrated to be more effective in the assessment and reduction of the pre-surgical anxiety.

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Effect of Psychological Intervention in the Form of Relaxation and Guided Imagery on Cellular Immune Function in Normal Healthy Subjects

Cited by 44 publications

References 25 publications

Immune Effects of Relaxation during Chemotherapy for Ovarian Cancer

Immune Effects of Relaxation during Chemotherapy for Ovarian Cancer

Absorption and imagery locate immune responses in the body

Intervenção psicológica em cirurgia

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