Psychoneuroimmunology Flashcards
What is psychoneuroimmunology?
Interaction of immune system and neurobehavioral factors
Where does immune system derive from?
From the White Blood Cells (WBC) that develop in bone marrow and thymus gland. Some WBC roam the blood and lymphatic system others stay permanently in one place
What are the two types of immune response to invade organisms (bacteria, virus, fungi)?
Chemically mediated & Cell mediated
What are the proteins on infectious microrganisms called?
anitgens
How does immune system learn to recognize the organisms by their antigens?
Exposure, and it learns to destroy it.
What is produced in the bone marrow and how does it fight antigens (chem mediated immune reaction)?
B-lympocytes are prod in bone marrow, and they carry and release antibodies, which are called immunoglobulins.
When the B-lymphocytes detects invading bacterium, it releases antibodies that bind to antigens on the surface of the microorganism either killing the whole organism directly or attract WBC which kill it.
What is an immunoglobulin?
Chain of proteins that are identical except for one end that’s unique and specific receptor for a particular antigen.
What is the Cell-mediated response of the immune system and how is diff than Chem-mediated?
Cell mediated is T-Lymphocytes developed in the thymus gland. It also produces antibodies but remain attached to membrane.
What does cell-mediated response fight against?
Fungi, viruses, and multicellular parasites.
How does T-lymphocyte fight against antigens?
When bind w/ an antigen, it either destroys invader or signal WBC to come n’ kill it.
What are CYTOKINES?
They are the chemicals that communicate between immune cells - to activate WBC.
It’s released by WBC and cause other WBC’S to proliferate and destroys the invading organism.
How does glucocorticoids interfere w/ the immune system?
Suppresses the immune system by interfering w/ messages conveyed by the cytokines
What controls the release of glucocorticoids?
Controlled by amygala connections to the hypothalamus. The mechanism which controls neg. emotional response also likely responsible for stress reponse and immune suppression.
What’s the research on stress and compromised immune functioning?
Alzheimer’s caregivers have impaired immune responses.
After longtime spounse dies, surviving spouse often dies soon thereafter due to infection.
Med and clinical psych students have more acute infections and show evidence of immune sys suppression during finals.
Study show increased unpleasant events and decreased pleasant event (i/e., stress) in the 3-5 before developing sxs of upper respiratory infection.
