Stress and the Immune System

[liveonearth]

STRESS
--decreases cytokines especially IL-12 (reduces Th1 responsiveness)
--effect on IL-2 not known but suspect it is increased
--increases IL-6 --> anxiety, acute inflam, visceral fat, increasing BMI,
--increases cortisol (& other glucocorticoids) -->immunosuppression
--decreases antigen presentation
--decreases lymphocyte proliferation
--decreases natural killer cell activity
--decreases chemokines

RELAXATION
--increases antigen presentation
--decreases IL-6
--increases lymphocytes
--increases NK numbers and activity
--increases chemokines

HAPPY THOUGHTS
--only two consistent results:
--increase salivary IgA
--increases IFNgamma-->increase Th1, decrease Th2, good for dealing with infx and for allergies

CATASTROPHIZING
--current study at OHSU
--n=40, age 40-60
--increase IL-6 with panic, stays high longer in females
--takes 10 minutes to increase IL-6 after panic, stays up 5 hours
--not cortisol or BMI related, checking relation to sleep & caffeine
--IL-1 is normal in these individuals