Fundamentals Of Psychoneuroimmunology

Fundamentals of Psychoneuroimmunology Cai Song University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, and Brian E. Leonard National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland The long-held concept that the nervous, endocrine and immune systems are separate entities has given way to a new understanding of human biology. Psychoneuroimmunology addresses the realisation that the neural, immune, and endocrine systems are inextricably linked and that the effects of each affect all-the systems work together as a complicated set of triggers and balances, an intertwining of the physiological and emotional states. Beginning with the fundamentals of immune and neuroendocrine function, Fundamentals of Psychoneuroimmunology explores the complexities of behavioural assessment, the basic types of immunity, the importance of immune cell redistribution in the response to challenges such as infection and stress, and the multifaceted roles of nerves, hormones and cytokines. This text provides a sound introduction to the field and also serves as a valuable reference to those more familiar with the subject. Fundamentals of Psychoneuroimmunology: * Is the first book to cover this rapidly growing speciality comprehensively * Provides a sound biological basis to the discipline * Covers topics from the biology of immune and neuroendocrine function to the future of psychoneuroimmunology This volume, by the author of the acclaimed Fundamentals of Psychopharmacology, will be an essential reference for psychiatrists, neurologists, neuroimmunologists, neuroendocrinologists and psychologists, and will, it is hoped, stimulate further exploration into this exciting area of research.

Psychoneuroimmunology is the first textbook to examine the complex functional relationships between the nervous system, the neuroendocrine and the immune system. The international leaders in this field have been brought together to create this pioneering text; each contributing from their area of expertise. The result is a comprehensive yet accessible interdisciplinary introduction to psychoneuroimmunology which also takes you further than the foundations of those fascinating topics by covering the most recent research in HIV/AIDS, autoimmune diseases, and the reactivation of latent herpes viruses. Attention is also given to the effects of behavior such as physical exercise, sleep, acute and chronic stress, and conditioning of immune functions in animals and humans. The whole is brought together with a wealth of cited research studies, and over 200 illustrations.

Health is maintained by the coordinated operation of all the biological systems that make up the individual. The Introduction to Psychoneuroimmunology, Second Edition, presents an overview of what has been discovered by scientists regarding how bodily systems respond to environmental challenges and intercommunicate to sustain health. The book touches on the main findings from the current literature without being overly technical and complex. The result is a comprehensive overview of psychoneuroimmunology, which avoids oversimplification, but does not overwhelm the reader. Single authored for consistency of breadth and depth, with no redundancy of coverage between chapters Covers endocrine-immune modulation, neuro-immune modulation, and the enhancing or inhibiting processes of one or more systems on the others Expanded use of figures, tables, and text boxes

Psychoneuroimmunology is the study of interactions among behavioral, neural and endocrine, and immunologic processes of adaptation. These two volumes provide a clearly written, extensively referenced summary of some of the behavioral, neural and endocrine regulators of immune responses and immunologically mediated disease processes and of the behavioral and neuroendocrine effects of immune system activity. Several chapters expand upon topics reviewed in earlier editions of this series; most chapters cover active areas of research that have not previously been reviewed. As illustrated in this fourth edition, interdisciplinary research continues to provide evidence that the brain and immune system represent a single, integrated system of defense. Fully revised and updated fourth edition of the classic reference Provides a neuroendocrine and immunologic perspective for the behavioral scientist Provides a behavioral and neuroscience perspective for the immunologist Helps the reader translate basic science findings into clinically relevant information Provides the reader with the background for and foundation of integrative research and integrative medicine Provides an encyclopedic resource for advanced undergraduates and for pre- and post-doctoral students as well as active researchers

This comprehensive resource details the history, methodology and development of research into psychoneuroimmunology, balancing it with meticulous coverage of both the clinical aspects and practical applications of the subject. A much-needed reference including overviews of key advances in the field Discusses how psychoneuroimmunological research is conceived and executed Includes contributions from a wealth of experts in the field Forward by Robert Ader and Nicholas Cohen, founders of the discipline Authoritative and interdisciplinary in scope - integrating biological and behavioral science

Mind-body interactions have been the subject of debate for many generations. However, it is only in recent years that these interactions have become the subject of rigorous scientific enquiry. Advances in our understanding of the stress process, the endocrine and immune systems and the methodologies used to investigate these phenomena have resulted in an explosion of research activity in the field known as Psychoneuroimmunology.