Abstract:
Psychoneuroimmunology, a joining of immunology and neurobiology, is a new field
that has emerged over the past 30 years. The central nervous system and the immune system are both stimulus response systems with sophisticated memories mediating defense and adaptation to external and internal threats. There is mounting evidence that these two systems share their information in a bidirectional flow of cytokines, steroids and neuropeptides. Regulatory molecules or cytokines elaborated from activated immune cells evoke a central nervous system response which, in turn, affects the immune system. The brain is normally part of the immunoregulatory network. Therefore, stress, in particular. compromises immunity. Stressful life events have been linked with susceptibility to infection, reactivation of herpesvirus and with cancer and HIV progression.
