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Immune system
What is sickness?
The behavior and physiology of sick people
(and animals) changes dramatically. They
tend to:
What is psychoneuroimmunology
Psychoneuroimmunology is the study
of the interaction between the mind,
brain, and immune system.
As we will see, ones psychological
state can interact with the immune
system and vice versa. These
interactions are important for
everything from the common cold to
cancer.
This field of study constitutes a major
advance from earlier viewpoints that
saw infectious diseases as strictly
physical phenomena.
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Rationale of psychoneuroimmunology
Given that physical illness causes changes in
behavior, it is reasonable to expect that the
immune system has some way of
communicating with the brain in order to bring
about this behavioral change.
On the other hand, emerging evidence
suggests that our emotional state can influence
immune function.
The communication between the brain and
immune system is therefore bi-directional.
Disorders such as depression have symptoms
that somewhat resemble sickness behavior
(anhedonia, excess sleep, social withdrawal,
etc.,). The immune system may be involved in
these symptoms.
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Thymus!
Lymph nodes!
Spleen!
Bone marrow!
Innate immune
system
Cell-mediated
immunity
Antibodymediated
immunity
Macrophage!
T helper
cell
Cytokines also:
Trigger an inflammatory response (redness,
fever, aches, etc.)
Attract more innate immune cells.
Activate the adaptive immune system.
IL-2!
Plasma
(B) cell!
Cytotoxic
T cell!
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IL-1!
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Hypothalamus!
Ant.
pituitary!
Insomnia
Inhibited eating, sexual activity, and
menstruation
Hypersecretion of cortisol
ACTH!
CRH!
Cortisol!
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Hypothalamus!
Ant.
pituitary!
ACTH!
CRH!
Cortisol!
Hypothalamus!
Ant.
pituitary!
ACTH!
CRH!
Cortisol!
Hypothalamus!
Ant.
pituitary!
ACTH!
CRH!
Cortisol!
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