For a long time psychologists were aware of the impact stress had
on the body's ability to fight infections, but now a study
has shown how stress also plays a major influence in altering the
functions of the immune system.
Studies on Stress and the Immune System
-
293 stress-related studies were performed between
the years of 1960 and 2001
-
18,941 subjects were evaluated in the studies
Findings From the Studies
-
Periods of short-term stress triggered the immune
system to prepare for injury or infection, similar to a "flight
or fright" response
-
Long-term stress caused excessive wear on the body
and activated a deterioration of the immune system
-
The immune systems of the elderly and those already
suffering with some kind of illness were less capable of coping
with stressful situations
Examples of the Five Stressors Used in
the Studies
-
Acute time-limited stressors: Stress such as that
brought on from speaking in front of large groups of people
-
Brief naturalistic stressors: Challenges that occur
throughout certain points in a person's life such as taking
school exams
-
Stressful event sequences: A specific life-changing
event such as loss of a loved one in which the stress will eventually
subside
-
Chronic stressors: Stress induced by an extreme change
in lifestyle such as becoming a caregiver for a chronically
ill person or becoming permanently disabled from an accident
in which there seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel
-
Distant Stressors: Stress that is the result of a
traumatic event from the past that continues to wreak havoc
on the immune system such as child abuse or post-traumatic stress
experienced by war veterans
Researchers concluded that the stressors that most negatively compromised
the immune system were the chronic stressors. Researchers also discovered
the longer the duration of stress or perceived length of the stress,
the less the body's ability to adapt to the stressful situation.
It was determined this kind of stress could lead to serious negative
health repercussions beginning with attacking the immune system
at the cellular level then going after the overall broader functions
of the immune system.
Researchers plan to conduct future studies to evaluate the degree
that stress-related changes altered the immune system and how it
could result in leaving otherwise healthy individuals vulnerable
to diseases.
Psychological
Bulletin July 4, 2004, Full-Text
PDF (30 pages)