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THE EFFECT OF MENTAL STRESS ON THE EOSINOPHIL LEUCOCYTE COUNT IN MAN
Author(s) -
Kerr A. C.
Publication year - 1956
Publication title -
quarterly journal of experimental physiology and cognate medical sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.925
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1469-445X
pISSN - 0033-5541
DOI - 10.1113/expphysiol.1956.sp001158
Subject(s) - eosinophil , significant difference , mental stress , medicine , physical examination , oral examination , dentistry , surgery , asthma , oral health
1. Hourly eosinophil counts were made in the afternoon on five students engaged in their final examination in operative dental surgery. Four showed a fall of more than 80 per cent; these were obviously anxious. In the fifth the count remained steady; he was unperturbed by the examination. 2. Similar counts on nine subjects performing routine operative dentistry and on nine subjects engaged in routine dental mechanics showed no constant downward trend and no fall greater than 35 per cent of the initial count. 3. The difference between the group under examination stress and the other groups was very highly significant. 4. It is concluded that the mental stress associated with a serious examination can produce a significant fall in the eosinophil count during the examination. A similar influence may be at work in some patients being subjected to medical investigations.