Psychoneuroimmunology Flashcards
What is psychoneuroimmunology
study of relationship between the immune and the central nervous system
what are the 3 lines of defenses of the immune system
skin, innate response, acquired immunity
what is the innate line of defense
fast and nonspecific response, usually inflammation, natural killer cells released
what is acquired immunity
slow and specific response, lymphocytes are released (t-cells and b-cells)
acute stress impact on immune function
improves the natural response of the body to antigen, on high alert due to fight or flight, leads to changes in leukocyte trafficking.
Evidence = Stress right before vaccine lead to better response to the vaccine
chronic stress impact on immune function
greater immune dysregulation , opposite of acute stress
what were the results of the PNI immune response conditioning study (flavored water)
Paired sugar flavored water with immunosuppressant drug that causes nausea, Presentation of sugar flavored water over the next several days, Sugar flavored water eventually led to suppressed immune function even without the drug
what task serves as a human model of chronic stress
caregiving for loved ones with dementia → causes higher risk of depression, cardiovascular disease and death
what are the stages of wound healing
inflammation, proliferation, remodeling
what are some studies that show stress causes wounds to take longer to heal
punch biopsy on arm → dementia caregiver and students in exam period took longer to heal,
couple study : couples in interpersonal stress discussion group took longer to heal compared to those in the social support discussion groups
what is the method for monitoring wound healing
trans epidermal water loss → two sensors compute level of humidity and temperature, more inflammation and heat = greater innate response and more healing
what were the results of the oxytocin manipulation in paired siberian hamsters
first group housed in pairs but given meds to block oxytocin, second injected oxytocin in single housed hamsters .results = Oxytocin antagonist blocked the effect of pair housing, Oxytocin administration mimic the effect of pair housing, Oxytocin mediated the impact of social relationships on wound repair
what were the results of the virus inoculation study
entering the study with higher perceived stress result in greater risk of developing clinical symptoms, Risk to develop cold symptoms increases linearly with greater perceived stress and the duration of major life stressor
how do vaccines work
weakened form of virus is injected so antibody production is activate, t cells and b cells develop memory of virus and know how to fight it
what are opportunistic viruses
express only when the host experiences decline in immune functioning. The virus hides within the nucleus of the cell and remains dormant (undetected can’t be attacked) and waits till immune system is low then becomes active
