CHRONIC STRESS BURDENS IMMUNE SYSTEM

liver411

Date:  Mon, 4 Nov 2002 09:07:32 -0500
Health Tips ... from UPI
By Lidia Wasowicz
UPI Senior Science Writer
From the Science & Technology Desk
Published 11/4/2002 4:45 AM


CHRONIC STRESS BURDENS IMMUNE SYSTEM

New research indicates chronic stress can interfere with the normal function of the disease-fighting immune system. Chronic stress can increase a person's vulnerability to inflammatory illness, such as allergies,
autoimmune disease or cardiovascular problems, doctors said. It can impair
the immune system's ability to respond to its own anti-inflammatory signals
that are triggered by certain hormones, possibly altering the course of an
inflammatory disease, scientists said in the journal Health Psychology,
published by the American Psychological Association. Chronic stress seems to impair the immune system's capacity to respond to glucocorticoid hormones that normally stop inflammation after infection or injury, said Gregory Miller of Washington University.