UNDERSTANDING

STRESS AND DISEASE

CHAPTER 6
 The Immune System
 The system responsible for recognizing SELF
from NON-SELF.
 Solely responsible for killing NON-SELF
 Works 24/7. You are never not bombarded
with things that are NOT SELF (Sorry germ
phobics)
Those That Are Not Self
 Antigen - any substance that
can trigger an immune
response. Some are
pathogens.
 Bacterial – microorganisms
in the environment. Grow
rapidly and compete with our
cells for nutrients.
 Fungi – organisms like mold
and yeast. Absorbs nutrients.
 Viruses – proteins and
nucleic acid. Take over cell
and generate their own
genetic instructions.
Immune System Structure
 Lymph Nodes
 Bean-shaped spongy tissue
 Largest are in the neck, arm-
pit, abdomen, and groan
 Filters to capture antigens
(foreign material) and has
compartments for
lymphocytes.
 Lymph vessels
 Connects to lymph nodes and
carries fluid called lymph into
the blood stream
Immune System Units
 Leukocytes
 White Blood Cells
 Macrophages
 Granulocyte
 Lymphocytes
 Produced by bone
marrow
 T Cells
 B Cells
TYPES OF IMMUNE RESPONSES
 Innate Immunity  Adaptive Immunity
 invariant (generalized)  variable (custom)
 early, limited specificity  later, highly specific
 ‘‘remembers’’ infection
 the first line of defense
 Also called Specific
 Also called Nonspecific  T cells – Cell mediated
 Barriers  B cells - Humoral
 Skin
 Tears
 Macrophages
 Granulocytes
 Mast Cells
 Nonspecific Response: Inflammation
 Acute inflammation in initiated
by a stimulus such as injury or
infection.
 Inflammatory mediators are
produced at the site of the
stimulus. CYTOKINES
 This increases pain too
 Blood vessels dilate and increase
permeability
 Attract phagocytes to the site of
inflammation and activate them.
 These cells then eat or destroy
invaders
Specific Response: T and B Cells
Cell-Mediated Immunity
 T cells recognize foreign
antigens on the surface of cells,
organisms, or tissues:
 Helper T cells – Present things
 Cytotoxic T cells – Kill things
 Suppressor T cells – Turn off
 T cells regulate proliferation and
activity of other cells of the
immune system: B cells,
macrophages, etc.
 Defense against:
 Bacteria, fungi and viruses that
are inside host cells and are
inaccessible to antibodies.
 Cancer cells
Humoral Immunity
 Antibodies are produced by
B cells.
 B cells are stimulated and
actively secrete antibodies
These cells are called
plasma cells.
 Antibodies are found in
extracellular fluids (blood
plasma, lymph, mucus, etc.)
and the surface of B cells.
 Defense against bacteria,
bacterial toxins, and viruses
that circulate freely in body
fluids, before they enter
cells.
Immunological Memory
Overview of Immune Response
Overview of the Immune
Response
 IMMUNE DISORDERS
 IMMUNE DEFICEINCY

 HIV/AIDS

 CANCER? – IMMUNE SURVEILLENCE THEORY

 AUTOIMMUNE DISORDERS

 ALLERGIES
 Autoimmune Disorders
•Organ-specific
•Multiple Sclerosis
• Type I Diabetes
•Hashimoto’s Thyroiditis
•Systemic
•Systemic Lupus
Erythematosus
•Rheumatoid arthritis
Gender and Immune Function
 Women respond to antigens more
strongly than men

 Estrogen may affect the

development or function of
immune cells

 May explain why more women

develop autoimmune diseases
PSYCHONEUROIMMUNOLOGY
 STRESS

 IMMUNE FUNCTION

 DISEASE

THE STUDY OF HOW THESE INTERACT

 PNI: From stressor to illness
 We differ as to the pattern and frequency of stressors to
which we are exposed
 These variations determine the magnitude and
frequency with which we turn on the stress-response
 The magnitude and frequency of the stress response
regulate immune competence (e.g., via glucocorticoids)
 Level of immune competence determines susceptibility
to disease
PSYCHONEUROIMMUNOLOGY
 STRESS IMPAIRS IMMUNE FUNCTION
 DIRECT – SYMPATHETIC NS & HORMONES
 Cohen et al. (2007) – Being unemployed reduced natural
killer cell cytotoxicity. Getting a job recovers function
 INDIRECT – LIFESTYLE/COPING

 IMPAIRED IMMUNE FUNCTION CAN

CAUSE DISEASE
Cohen et al. (2007)
 Direct and Indirect Paths
EVENT
DISEASE

APPRAISAL

IMMUNE
SUPPRESSION

RESPONSE

LIFESTYLE
 STRESS AND DISEASE
 HEADACHES

 INFECTIONS

 CARDIOVASCULAR
DISEASE

 DIABETES

 RHEUMATOID
ARTHRITIS
 THE DISPOSITION FACTOR
 DIATHESIS-STRESS MODEL
 GENETIC FACTORS
 PHYSICAL
 PSYCHOLOGICAL

 EXPOSURE
 DEVELOPMENTAL

 PERSONALITY
 Hardiness
 Optimism
 Personality Factors: Hardiness

 Hardiness
 Cluster of stress-buffering traits
consisting
of commitment, challenge, control
 Linked to lower levels of anxiety,
adaptive coping styles, and
adjustment to cancer,
cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and
many other health problems
 Hardy people are more likely to
engage in positive reappraisal of
stressful events
 Personality: Optimism and Immune
Functioning (Segerstrom et al. 1998)
 Examined law students
over the course of the first
semester of LS.
 Took measures (T1 & T2)
of dispositional and
situational optimism &
pessimism
 Drew blood at T1 & T2 to
measure numerous immune
parameters.
PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER
AGENT
Germ
Tobacco ENVIRONMENT
Life Events
Hassles
HOST Social Support
Diathesis Exposure Risk
Hardiness
Appraisal

DISEASE