Introduction

Question 1

Definition

Answer 1

psychoneuroimmunology is a young discipline which comprehension immunology, neurology, endocrinology, psychology and behavior medicine, and which is interest in the complex interactions between behavior, immune system and nervous system in both healthy and ill organisms

• Solomon, 1999

Question 2

Main topic of psychoneuroimmunology today

Answer 2

• psychiatry
• personality and coping
• the effects of psychosocial interventions
• stress research
• interpersonal relationships
• methodological improvements
• health consequences

Question 3

Immune response

Answer 3

protection of the organism against foreign material by binding, precipitating or killing them.

Question 4

Antibodies

Answer 4

molecules that selectively and specifically bind to foreign agens and precipitate or dissolve them

Question 5

Antigenes

Answer 5

Any molecule or agent that elicit immune reaction

Question 6

Classificiation of antigens

Answer 6

hetero-antigens: from another species

Izo-antigens: from another individual of the same species

auto-antigens: from the same organism

Question 7

Immune response (natural and adaptive)

Answer 7

Natural:

• fast, immediate reaction
• automatic recognition of typical antigene-pattern
• no learning or adaption
• mainly agains viruses or circulating tumorous cells

Adaptive:

• is able to learn new antigens
• slower reactions
• very specific recognition

Question 8

Neutrophil granulocytes

Answer 8

consume an digest inactivated bacteria and immune complexes

Question 9

B-lymphocytes

Answer 9

produce and secreting antibodies

Question 10

T-lymphocytes

Answer 10

elements of the cell-mediated immune response

Question 11

Phases of the immune response

Answer 11

Afferent phase:
- antigene detection/identification

Activation period:

• immune communication
• antibody production

Efferent phase:

• killing foreign cells
• formation of memory-cells

Question 12

Primary immune response

Answer 12

Reaction to the antigenes is relatively slow and weak

Question 13

Secondary immune response

Answer 13

Fast, intensive and effective reaction to already familiar antigene systems with the help of earlier formed memory cells.

Question 14

Proliferation

Answer 14

cell division

Question 15

Immune response

Answer 15

1. sensitisation
2. proliferation (cell division)
3. Effector phase

Question 16

Antibodies

Answer 16

molecules produced by the immune-system against the antigens which are able to neutralize them

Question 17

Primary lymphoid organs

Answer 17

Thymus: located in front of the heart and aortas, behind the sternum

Question 18

Secondary lymphoid organs

Answer 18

Spleen: immune response against antigens in the blood delivered via the bloodstream

Question 19

Immune mediators

Answer 19

Cytokines

Question 20

Immune-aging

Answer 20

The concentration of leukocytes, granulocytes and lymphocytes do not decline strongly with age

A decline in the number of lymphocytes in very old age

Question 21

Primary immune-deficiency

Answer 21

Temporary, physiological

Question 22

Secondary immune deficiency

Answer 22

Because of other illness or pathological state (cancer, infectious disease, diabetes, lack of spleen, AIDS)

pregnancy, old age

Question 23

Immune-complex disorders

Answer 23

antigen-antibody complexes in the organs + inflammation

Symptoms: depends on the localization of immune complexes.

Question 24

The component of sickness behavior

Answer 24

psychological response:

• fever
• change in the metabolism of the liver

Stress response:

• activation of the SNS
• activation of the HPA

Behavioral response:

• decrease in consumption of food and drink
• depressed mood
• cognitive changes

Question 25

The adaptivity of different components of sickness behavior

Answer 25

fever behavior pain

Question 26

The adaptivity of different components of sickness behavior - FEVER

Answer 26

- Slowing down the reproduction of microorganisms | - activating the HPA-axis

Question 27

The adaptivity of different components of sickness behavior - BEHAVIOR

Answer 27

- Decreaseing the energy-loss - the production of fever - decreasing heat-loss and producing energy

Question 28

Pain as a part of sickness behavior

Answer 28

- has a reestablishing function (help recovery-behavior) - force to immobilization - hyperalgesia

Question 29

Main characteristics of cytokines

Answer 29

- multieffective bioactive agents, not hormones - small size proteins - can have different effects in different organs

Question 30

Where are cytokines produced?

Answer 30

CNS

Question 31

Mechanisms of cytokine-brain communication

Answer 31

- in regions where BBB (blood-brain-barrier) is lacking - with the help of carrier-molecules - through peripheral afferent nerve-endings

Question 32

The effects of testosterone on immune functions

Answer 32

- enhance the vulnerability to infections | - suppress the symptoms of some inflammatory disease

Question 33

Growth hormones

Answer 33

two of the hypothalamic hormones positively affect immune functions - promotes growth in almost all body-cells

Question 34

Growth hormones on lymphocytes

Answer 34

can directly and/or indirectly modulate the immune response to infection or stress. its role: maintaining the homeostasis in the immune system

Question 35

Substance P

Answer 35

Primary function: the transmission of pain signals in the spinal cord

Question 36

Melatonin

Answer 36

improtant factor of circadian and seasonal rhythmicity

Question 37

Disturbance of melatonin production?

Answer 37

Can lead to affective disorder, psychosomatic disorders, psychiatric problems, cancer