Immunological changes in young and old adults during brief laboratory stress.

Abstract

Few data are available on the response of the human immune system to acute psychological stressors under controlled laboratory conditions. Young female subjects (21-41 years) showed increases in natural killer (NK) cell activity, and in the numbers of circulating CD8 suppressor/cytotoxic T cells, and natural killer lymphocytes following a brief (12 minute) stressful mental arithmetic examination. Older female subjects (65-85 years) failed to show the stress-related increase in NK activity. The psychological stress did lead to increases in the numbers of circulating CD8 suppressor/cytotoxic T cells and NK lymphocytes in old subjects to a similar degree as that seen in the young group. No changes in the numbers of helper/inducer T cells (CD4), total T cells (CD3), or B cells (CD20) were found following the stressor for either group. Cardiovascular, catecholamine, and subjective stress responses were similar for the two age groups. These results demonstrate that brief psychological stress is associated with some rapid immune cell changes, including release of CD8 suppressor/cytotoxic T cells and NK cells into circulation, and in young subjects, increases in NK activity. The absence of an NK activity increase in the older subjects indicates that NK cell mobilization and cell lysis induced by NK cells may be differentially affected by stress. The results also suggest the possibility of an age-related deficit in the up-regulation of NK activity under some environmental demands.

Reduced Brainstem Inhibition during Anticipated Pelvic Visceral Pain Correlates with Enhanced Brain Response to the Visceral Stimulus in Women with Irritable Bowel Syndrome

“…To best capture mood state during the session, the mean of the two assessments was used. The SSR is a validated multidimensional instrument for measuring acute changes in mood during experimental stress (Naliboff et al, 1991). It consists of 12 semantic differential scales, each of which is a 10 cm line anchored by opposite descriptor words (e.g., calm-stressed).…”

Sympathetic modulation of immunity: Relevance to disease

“…Negative psychosocial factors and chronic stress interact to negatively affect tumor immunity, whereas psychosocial interventions for stress reduction and improved coping strategies positively impact immunity [407,411,412; reviewed in 413]. In contrast, acute psychological stress increased circulating NK cell numbers and/or NK cell activity [414][415][416], but this effect may be followed by reduction below baseline shortly after stress [416]. Interpersonal difficulties, depression, anxiety and chronic stress reduce the number and function of circulating NK cells [417][418][419][420][421][422][423]; effects associated with elevated cortisol levels [424].…”

Effects of beta-adrenergic blockade on immunologic and cardiovascular changes induced by mental stress.

“…These effects were abolished under 8-blockade, indicating that effective ,B-blockade was achieved. In the immune system, significant increases were found for the number of NK cells and NK cell activity in the placebo group; these increases M W f any studies have shown that acute mental stress is accompanied by rapid and transient increases in cardiovascular variables like blood pressure and heart rate.1-7 These heart rate responses can be inhibited by prior administration of /3-antagonists, indicating that mental stressors activate the (3-adrenergic system.2-4 It has repeatedly been shown in other studies that acute mental stress also affects parameters of the immune system, [8][9][10][11][12] parallel to the effects on the cardiovascular system. As a result, the number and activity of natural killer (NK) cells in peripheral blood increases significantly.…”