This document discusses psycho neuroimmunology, which is the study of the interaction between psychological processes, the nervous system, and the immune system. It introduces key concepts like the mind-body connection, the role of stress and emotions in immune function, and the involvement of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and neurotransmitters. Chronic stress can compromise immune function and increase depression and disease risk by impacting neurogenesis in the hippocampus. Psychological interventions may boost immune responses to help fight cancer and other illnesses.

1. Psycho Neuroimmunology

2. Introduction
• Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI), also called
psychoendoneuroimmunology (PENI), deals with the study
of the interaction between psychological processes and the
nervous and immune systems of the human body.
• Until 1970, it was thought among the modern Western
medical community that immune system function without
any influence from any other parts or functions of body
• .
• Dr. Robert Ader in 1975 coined the term
Pyschoneuroimmunology to show that there exists a link
between the way people think and about their health.

3. Example
• For example, if a person is told that they have a
dangerous and possibly fatal disease, they are more
likely to become depressed.
• Psycho neuroimmunology suggests that this depression
can actually lead to more health problems
• Research of the late 20th and early 21st century
indicates that there is a connection between strong
emotions like fear, rage and anger and the strength of
the immune system. when emotions are not expressed
in a proper way there is an excess of epinephrine
which weakens the immune system and causes
susceptibility to disease.

4. Components of Immune system
• The immune system consists of three different types of
cells: T, B, and natural killer (NK) cells. Collectively, these
cells are called as lymphocytes or white blood cells.
• The function of T cells is to seek out and destroy cells which
are infected with pathogens they may include different
infectious agents like bacteria, viruses, etc. B cells tends to
produce antibodies which attack antigens .
• . NK cells do not need an antigen as a trigger for action. NK
cells are continuously surveying our bodies to help keep us
safe. When they encounter an antigen, they kill it; thus, the
name "natural killer" cell.

5. • We need a strong immune response to be healthy and
get rid of different infections.Different events or factors
weaken our immune system such as the death of a
loved one, severe abuse or trauma, marital separation,
social failures, social isolation.
• Chronic stressors that last over periods of one or more
years compromise immune function,it may lead to an
increased risk of developing physical illnesses which
creates an increased likelihood of becoming depressed.
In humans, chronic stress influences the serotonin,
norepinephrine, and dopamine neurotransmitter
systems, in those people who are socially isolated or
have poor coping skills.

6. • A research suggests that stress may leads to
decline in the rate of formation of new neurons
(neurogenesis) in the hippocampus which is the
part of brain.
• Autopsy evidence suggests that depressed people
who experienced chronic stress and committed
suicide showed reduced neurogenesis in the
hippocampus. While those depressed people
who took antidepressants or received
electroshock therapy both show increased
neurogenesis.

7. Psychoneuroimmunology and diseases
• Psychoneuroimmunology plays a very
important role in research of mechanism and
treatment of different diseases
• It is the study of the interaction between
psychological processes and the nervous and
immune systems of the human body for
different diseases

8. Psychoneuroimmunology and cancer
• It gives us an idea about effect of
psychological and behavioural factors on
• Progression of cancer
• Treatment of cancer

9. Stress and cancer
• Distress or depression is associated with three
important processes for carcinogesis
1) poorer repair of demaged DNA
2) Altrlerations in apoptosis
3)Increase in sister chromatid exchange
4)NK cells plys a important role in surveillance
of tumor cells ..stress down regulate NK cells
Thus,increase the progression of cancer

10. Effect of psychological interventions
• Psychological interventions increases the funtion
of immune system through different mechanisms.
1) relaxations therapy increase the activity of
NK cells
• Weekly supportive group therapy with self
hypnosis can improve pain of advanced disease
• thus increases the survival of cancer patients.

12. Stress and immune system
• A specific response by the body to a stimulus
that disturbs or interferes with normal
physiological equilibrium/homeostasis.
• It is state of emotional or mental disturbance
caused by factors known as stressors
Stressors include,
• Biological agent,
• Physiological or chemical agent

13. Causes of stress
Stress is linked to disease through 3 pathways:
• direct physiological effects (elevated catechol
amines,cortisol)
• changes in health behaviors (e.g. drinking
more),
and
• changes in medical utilization/adherence.

14. Stress and Immune system
• Stress is non homeostatic condition within a
biological system .
• No one is immune from stress.
• Stressors lead to loss of immune function.
• It yield diseases like SMIDS and NCDs, which
may be short term or prolonged.
for example,
Dementia, Depression

15. Immunologic functions
• The brain is the master controller of the
nervous, endocrine, and immune system
However, the brain is also a target for these
systems subject to both protection and
damage .
• PNS , ANS functions against stressors.
• HPA axis activates.(Hypothalamic pituitary
adrenal Axis)

16. Immunologic functions
• Human Information Processing
(HIP)
• The Human Information
Processing (HIP) is defined as a
methodology of
neuropsychology to understand
the stimulus information
processing.
• detection of stimulus,
• decision,
• memory (updating of
information)
• and motor response, which
describes the processing of
automatic functional response.
• Allostasis (Eyre in 1988 )
• It is process of maintaining
stability, or homeostasis,
through physiological or
psychological change. This
can be carried out by means
of alteration in HPA axis
hormones, the autonomic
nervous system, cytokines.
• If function with help of
endocrine system and
adapting changes within
body.

17. Regulations
ANS
• Stressor  Adrenal
glands secrete
adrenaline
• Sympathetic
Physiological response
– Heart rate increases
– Breathing increases
– Perspiration
Endocrine system
• Stressor triggers
Hypothalamus which
stimulates Pituitary
gland  ACTH
• Adrenal glands Produce
adrenaline and gluco
corticoids 
Physiological response

18. Brain Psycho neuroimmunology
• The central nervous system and the Immune
system are two extremely complex and highly
adaptive systems. The communication b/w
these two systems is well tuned and balanced.
“the study of the interaction b/w
psychological factors, the central nervous
system and immune system as modulated by
the neuroendocrine system”

19. • Maier, a professor of psychology study about the ‘non-
specific Immune response’ the body’s rapid first line of
defense against infection. This non-specific immune
system is alo called as sickness response because it
includes fever, reduced sexual activity and increased
anxiety.
• According to him, the sickness pattern is attempt to
produce energy for fighting infection. The first step was
how’s the brain knows there’s an infection. Immune
cells called macrophages which are first on scene of
any infection create pro inflammatory molecules and
experiments shows that they act inside the brain.
When he inactivate these cytokines animals show no
sign of sickness and if he administered these molecules
to the brain, the animals show all the signs of
infections.

20. HPA Axis
• The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is a
complex set of direct influences and feedback
interactions among three endocrine glands:
the hypothalamus, the pituitary and adrenal
glands.

22. Thanks