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Essay / Research Paper Abstract
This 3 page paper provides a summary and discussion of a journal article entitled ‘Psychological Stress, Immunity, and Upper Respiratory Infections’. Bibliography lists 1 source.
Page Count:
3 pages (~225 words per page)
File: ME12_PGpsyrl.rtf
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other infectious illness. The question is why does this happen? How can emotional or psychological stress cause a person to get sick? The answer has to do with what happens
to the immune system when a person is feeling a great deal of stress. Stress alters the immune systems normal functioning. Cohen explains that white blood cells and accessory cells
are the defense mechanisms in the immune system. Stress reduces the ability of the immune system to perform its functions and when the immune system is compromised, people are more
likely to become ill because the system is not as capable of fighting off the many infectious agents that we are exposed to all the time. Many times persons
face life events that exceed their ability to cope. This causes a negative emotional response and that response interferes with any of three pathways to the immune system, nerve fibers,
behavioral changes and hormonal responses. Nerve fibers connect the central nervous system to the immune system at which point they release certain chemicals that may suppress the immune cells. Stress
can also inhibit the central nervous systems ability to produce and distribute various hormones, such as cortisol and epinephrine. These hormones act to protect the body. A persons behavior
almost always changes when that person is feeling great stress. The person does things in an attempt to deal with and control the stress and often, those behaviors are unhealthy.
For example, some people overeat, some stop eating, some drink and many have sleep disturbances. Any of these behaviors can change the immune function. Studies have shown that immune function
is inhibited in persons taking important tests, in people caring for a chronically ill relative, and in persons in a variety of negative stressful conditions. Researchers have also set up
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