Stress, Coping, and Infectious Illness: Persistently Low Natural Killer Cell Activity as a Host Risk Factor.
Abstract
Recent Japanese research, as well as pilot work preliminary to this current project, have pointed to a possible association between mood and lowered natural killer (NK) cell activity. In this previous work, a subgroup of individuals characterized by persistently low NK activity, and self-reported depression and fatigue, tended to report more serious illness on follow-up assessment. In this current study, we have accrued approximately, sixty-two normal individuals to this prospective project. Subjects are assessed both psychologically and physically at baseline, and are serially monitored over a six-month follow-up period in order to identify predictors of infectious illness over time. As in the preliminary work, we are finding that approximately 1/3 of the sample has persistently low NK activity, and this immunological pattern is strikingly associated with daily stress levels, as well as reports of depression and chronic anxiety. In a very preliminary fashion, we have also found a trend of association between this low NK activity pattern, and some categories of follow-up illness.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 14, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA192826
Entities
People
- Anne Simons
- Ronald B. Herberman
- Sandra M. Levy
- Theresa L. Whiteside
Organizations
- University of Pittsburgh