Psychoneuroimmunology

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.

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

Psychoneuroimmunology, Second Edition presents reports on the relationship between the nervous and immune systems. The book is divided into four sections. The first section details the role of neural structures and neurotransmitter signals in communication with the immune system. It documents the extensive neural connections with organs of the immune system; the dynamics of noradrenergic sympathetic innervation of spleen and thymus; and the evidence for immune signaling of the CNS. Part II elaborates the role of hormones in the modulation of immune functions; the basis for bidirectional communication between the neuroendocrine and immune systems; and the potential physiological implications of these neuroendocrine-immune system interactions. The third part addresses behavioral influences on immune response; the effects of conditioning, stress and social interactions in modulating immune responses; and the behavioral consequences of experimentally altered or genetically determined immunologic states. The final section presents the effects of psychosocial factors on immune responses and the potential impact of behavioral interventions in modulating immunity in healthy human subjects and in patients with AIDS. Neuroscientists, endocrinologists, and immunologists will find the book interesting.

Psychoneuroimmunology has emerged as a discipline advancing our knowledge of the relationships among psychosocial factors, the central nervous system, the immune system, and disease. The growing volume of evidence suggests that psychological states, including exposure to stressors and the presence of depressive states, may influence health and disease by altering immunologic states. Psychoneuroimmunology, a collaborative work of 50 international experts, expands on the American Psychiatric Association's symposium on this topic to present never-before-compiled scientific research from this evolving field. Maintaining a clinical focus, this book illustrates clinical effects by examining relevant research studies and models including Psychoneuroimmunological factors involved in specific illnesses such as cervical cancer, breast cancer and HIV/AIDS The role psychoneuroimmunology plays in carcinogenesis and the progression of established tumors, as well as findings on the progression of cancer that have general clinical relevance The effects of specific psychotropic medications; the effects of life stressors, bereavement, and and social support; the response to those stressors; and stress management and psychosocial predictors of disease The impacts of gender-specific factors, diurnal variation, and behavioral genetics on the immune function The Stressor-Support-Coping model, which integrates existing psychoneuroimmunology findings and lays the groundwork for use in support group intervention This book is a first step toward organizing psychoneuroimmunology findings into coherent theoretical models and concludes with a look at future clinical applications. Complete with charts, references, and a detailed index, it is the most comprehensive source on psychoneuroimmunology.

This volume collects the state-of-the-art applications of psychological theory to the interactions among the mind, the nervous system, and the immune system, including applications drawn from affective science, developmental psychology, behavioral neuroscience, and clinical psychology.

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.

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.