Issues in psychoneuroimmunology research.

Careful design of studies is crucial for meaningful progress in this area of inquiry. Along with systematic evaluation of immunologic factors, clear understanding of antecedent factors is also important. Age, sex, and other sociodemographic factors might play a major role in how an individual reacts to a given situation when compared with another individual.

Psychoneuroimmunology: past, present, and future.

Provides a brief overview of the history and current status of behavioral immunology research, as well as speculation on likely future directions, and suggests that the field may have broad implications for basic biological sciences and medicine. In addition, the field has clear relevance for health psychology; its relevance to actual health outcomes, however, is not yet known.

Upsetting social interactions and distress among Alzheimer's disease family care-givers: a replication and extension.

Although several studies have suggested that negative aspects of relationships have a greater impact on mood than positive elements, the individuals in these studies have been victims of life crises. To assess the generality of these findings, social support and mood data were collected from two well-matched groups that differed with respect to the presence of a chronic stressor in their lives. The 34 family care-givers for Alzheimer's disease victims and 34 comparison persons (non-care-givers) did not differ in the frequency of contacts, the closeness of their relationships, or ratings of the helpfulness or upset associated with the relationships.

Marital discord and immunity in males.

While limited data suggest significant gender differences in mental and physical health risks following marital disruption, men have not been studied as intensively as women. In this study, self-report data and blood samples were obtained from 32 separated or divorced men and 32 sociodemographically matched married men. Separated/divorced men were more distressed and lonelier, and reported significantly more recent illness than did married men; the former also had significantly poorer values on two functional indices of immunity (antibody titers to two herpesviruses), while not differing significantly on quantitative indices (percentages of helper and suppressor cells and their ratio).

Immunological consequences of acute and chronic stressors: mediating role of interpersonal relationships.

This review presents recent studies examining the relationship between acute and chronic stressors, changes in immune function, and interpersonal relationships. Data are given which document immunosuppressive effects of commonplace, short-term stressors, as well as more prolonged stressors, such as marital disruption and caregiving for a relative with Alzheimer's disease. Immune changes included both quantitative and qualitative changes in immune cells, including changes in herpes virus latency, decreases in the percentages of T-helper lymphocytes and decreases in the numbers and function of natural killer cells.

Methodological issues in behavioral immunology research with humans.

This paper summarizes important methodological issues that are particularly relevant for behavioral immunology research with humans. The assessment of such salient parameters as nutrition, drug/alcohol use, physical activity, and health are discussed. In addition, a number of logistical issues are addressed.

Chronic stress and immunity in family caregivers of Alzheimer's disease victims.

Although acute stress has been associated with transient immunosuppression, little is known about the immunologic consequences of chronic stress in humans. In order to investigate possible health-related consequences of a long-term stressor, we obtained blood samples for immunologic and nutritional analyses and psychologic data from 34 family caregivers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) victims and 34 sociodemographically matched comparison subjects. Family caregivers for AD victims were more distressed than comparison subjects without similar responsibilities.

Self-blame, compliance, and distress among burn patients.

This study addressed self-blame and adaptation by using data collected from 49 patients hospitalized for the treatment of acute burn wounds. Nurses and physical therapists rated patients' compliance with the therapeutic activities essential for proper healing, and they rated pain behavior. After controlling for burn severity and time since admission, regression analyses showed that behavioral self-blame for the burn accident was a significant predictor of poorer compliance with nurses, more pain behavior, and greater depression.

Marital quality, marital disruption, and immune function.

Marital disruption is associated with significant increases in a variety of psychologic and physical disorders. In order to examine psychologic and physiologic mediators, self-report data and blood samples were obtained from 38 married women and 38 separated/divorced women. Among married subjects, poorer marital quality was associated with greater depression and a poorer response on three qualitative measures of immune function.

Stress depresses interferon production by leukocytes concomitant with a decrease in natural killer cell activity.

This study addressed the effects of a commonplace stressful event on interferon production and natural killer (NK) cell activity and numbers. The quantity of interferons (IFN) produced by concanavalin A stimulated leukocytes obtained from 40 medical students during examinations was significantly lower when compared with IFN levels produced by peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) taken 6 weeks earlier (baseline). In addition, three different assays measuring NK cells also showed significant decrements during examinations when compared with baseline samples.

Modulation of cellular immunity in medical students.

This study assessed the psychosocial modulation of cellular immunity in 34 medical-student volunteers. The first blood sample was obtained 1 month before examinations, and the second on the day of examinations. There were significant declines in the percentage of helper/inducer T-lymphocytes, in the helper/inducer-suppressor/cytotoxic-cell ratio, and in natural killer-cell activity in the blood samples obtained on the day of examinations.

Distress and DNA repair in human lymphocytes.

This research assessed differences in DNA repair in lymphocytes from high- and low-distressed individuals. A median split on Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) Scale 2 divided 28 newly admitted nonpsychotic psychiatric inpatients into high- and low-distress subgroups. The high-distress subgroup had significantly poorer DNA repair in lymphocytes exposed to X-irradiation than low-distress subjects.

Stress-related impairments in cellular immunity.

The percentages of total T-lymphocytes (OKT-3+), helper T-cells (OKT-4+), and suppressor T-cells (OKT-8+) were significantly lower in blood samples obtained from 40 medical students during examinations, compared to baseline values obtained 6 weeks earlier. In addition, the response of T-lymphocytes to stimulation by phytohemagglutinin and concanavilin A was also significantly lower during examinations, compared to baseline. Self-report data documented significantly greater distress associated with examinations.

Stress, loneliness, and changes in herpesvirus latency.

This study used a prospective design to examine the influence of examination stress and loneliness on herpesvirus latency as measured by changes in antibody levels to three herpesviruses, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), Herpes simplex type I (HSV-1), and cytomegalovirus (CMV). Three blood samples were obtained from 49 first-year medical students, with the first sample drawn 1 month before final examinations, the second on the first day of final examinations, and the third during the first week after their return from summer vacation. A median split on the UCLA Loneliness Scale divided subjects into high- and low-scoring loneliness groups.