| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
ORIGINAL ARTICLES |
From the Department of Psychology (S.C., G.E.M.), Carnegie Mellon University; and the Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic (G.E.M.) and Department of Pathology (B.S.R.), University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Address reprint requests to: Sheldon Cohen, PhD, Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213. Email: scohen{at}andrew.cmu.edu
OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review was to evaluate the evidence for the hypothesis that psychological stress influences antibody response to immunization in humans.
METHODS: A critical review of the literature was conducted.
RESULTS: The evidence supports an association between psychological stress and suppression of humoral immune (antibody) response to immunization. This association is convincing in the case of secondary immune response but weak for primary response. The lack of consistent evidence for a relation with primary response may be attributed to a failure to consider the critical points when stress needs to be elevated in the course of the production of antibody. Lower secondary antibody responses were found among patients with chronically high levels of stress (severe enduring problems or high levels of trait negative affect). These responses were found most consistently among older adults. Lower secondary responses were also found for those reporting acute stress or negative affect, but only in studies of secretory immunoglobulin A antibody in which psychological and antibody measures were linked very closely in time. Health practices did not mediate relations between stress and antibody responses; however, there were indications that elevated cortisol levels among stressed patients could play a role. Evidence also suggests the possible influences of dispositional stress-reactivity and low positive affect in the inhibition of antibody production.
CONCLUSIONS: The literature supports a relationship between psychological stress and antibody responses to immunizations. The data are convincing in the case of secondary response but weak for primary response. More attention to the kinetics of stress and antibody response and their interrelations is needed in future research.
Key Words: stress • antibody • immunization • primary antibody response • psychological stress • secondary antibody response.
Abbreviations: ELISA = enzyme linked immunosorbent assay; Hep B = hepatitis B; HI = hemagglutination inhibition; Ig = immunoglobulin; KLH = keyhole limpet hemocyanin; MHC = major histocompatibility complex; OD = optical density; S-IgA = secretory immunoglobulin A.
This article has been cited by other articles:
 |
|
 |
|
  S. Gallagher, A. C. Phillips, M. T. Drayson, and D. Carroll Caregiving for Children With Developmental Disabilities Is Associated With a Poor Antibody Response to Influenza Vaccination Psychosom Med, April 1, 2009; 71(3): 341 - 344. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
K. M. Edwards, V. E. Burns, A. E. Adkins, D. Carroll, M. Drayson, and C. Ring Meningococcal A Vaccination Response is Enhanced by Acute Stress in Men Psychosom Med, February 1, 2008; 70(2): 147 - 151. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. Li, L. G. Cowden, J. D. King, D. A. Briles, H. W. Schroeder Jr, A. B. Stevens, R. T. Perry, Z. Chen, M. S. Simmons, H. W. Wiener, et al. Effects of Chronic Stress and Interleukin-10 Gene Polymorphisms on Antibody Response to Tetanus Vaccine in Family Caregivers of Patients With Alzheimer's Disease Psychosom Med, July 1, 2007; 69(6): 551 - 559. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. Savard, S. Simard, H. Ivers, and C. M. Morin Randomized Study on the Efficacy of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia Secondary to Breast Cancer, Part II: Immunologic Effects J. Clin. Oncol., September 1, 2005; 23(25): 6097 - 6106. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 P. Franks, K. Fiscella, C. G. Shields, S. C. Meldrum, P. Duberstein, A. F. Jerant, D. J. Tancredi, and R. M. Epstein Are Patients' Ratings of Their Physicians Related to Health Outcomes? Ann. Fam. Med, May 1, 2005; 3(3): 229 - 234. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 E. S. Costanzo, S. K. Lutgendorf, M. L. Kohut, N. Nisly, K. Rozeboom, S. Spooner, J. Benda, and J. E. McElhaney Mood and Cytokine Response to Influenza Virus in Older Adults J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., December 1, 2004; 59(12): 1328 - 1333. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. Fleshner and M. L. Laudenslager Psychoneuroimmunology: Then and Now Behav Cogn Neurosci Rev, June 1, 2004; 3(2): 114 - 130. [Abstract] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
G. E. Miller, S. Cohen, S. Pressman, A. Barkin, B. S. Rabin, and J. J. Treanor Psychological Stress and Antibody Response to Influenza Vaccination: When Is the Critical Period for Stress, and How Does It Get Inside the Body? Psychosom Med, March 1, 2004; 66(2): 215 - 223. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
V. E. Burns, M. Drayson, C. Ring, and D. Carroll Perceived Stress and Psychological Well-Being Are Associated With Antibody Status After Meningitis C Conjugate Vaccination Psychosom Med, November 1, 2002; 64(6): 963 - 970. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Fujimoto, Y. Osuga, T. Yano, M. Kusumi, T. Kurosawa, T. Fujii, and Y. Taketani Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome complicated by peritonitis due to perforated appendicitis: Case Report Hum. Reprod., April 1, 2002; 17(4): 966 - 967. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
V. E. Burns, D. Carroll, C. Ring, L. K. Harrison, and M. Drayson Stress, Coping, and Hepatitis B Antibody Status Psychosom Med, March 1, 2002; 64(2): 287 - 293. [Abstract] [Full Text]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
