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Overview of psychoneuroimmunological stress‐ and intervention studies in humans with emphasis on the uses of immunological parameters
Author(s) -
Schulz K.H.,
Schulz H.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
psycho‐oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.41
H-Index - 137
eISSN - 1099-1611
pISSN - 1057-9249
DOI - 10.1002/pon.2960010203
Subject(s) - psychoneuroimmunology , psychosocial , intervention (counseling) , psychology , disease , relevance (law) , categorization , clinical psychology , immunology , medicine , psychotherapist , psychiatry , computer science , immune system , artificial intelligence , pathology , political science , law
Psychoneuroimmunological stress‐ and intervention studies are summarized and discussed especially with respect to the immunological parameters used. A description is given of the studies on bereavement, on examinations, and on the effects of various psychosocial situations and on experimental manipulations on immunological parameters as well as of intervention studies. Following an analysis of the immunological parameters regarding their susceptibility to psychosocial changes, a model for research in the field of psychoneuroimmunology is presented. This overview reveals that the results of the reviewed studies prove to be inconsistent. Cell counts and mitogen assays are the most frequently used parameters, while NKCA and specific anti‐viral antibodies against latent viruses give the clearest results. When interpreting results of psychoneuroimmunological studies it should be considered that for most of the parameters the pathophysiological relevance is not yet established. A model which connects interrelations between psychosocial conditions, immunological parameters and disease outcome can be useful to categorize and evaluate existing and future studies and also can prevent misleading conclusions. Derived from this model recommendations for future research will be discussed.