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First C2S Colloquium Highlights How Stress Can Kill Dr. Janice Kiecolt-Glaser of Ohio State University launched the C2S Colloquium on Oct.10. Speaking on "How Stress Kills: New Perspectives on Emotions, Morbidity, and Mortality from Psychoneuroimmunology," she provided numerous examples of the detrimental effects of stress on human functioning and well-being. More than 75 people from Northwestern's Chicago and Evanston campuses took part in the lecture. Stress and Immune Dysregulation Kiecolt-Glaser began by highlighting research that provides evidence of the influence of chronic stress on immune function. Analyses of wound healing in caregivers and students reveal that the stress associated with these roles leads to significantly slower wound healing (Kiecolt-Glaser et al., 2005; Marucha, Kiecolt-Glaser, & Favageghi, 1998). Additionally, several studies have demonstrated decreased antibody responses to vaccinations in these populations (Glaser et al., 2000; Vedhara et al., 1999; Kiecolt-Glaser et al., 1996). Studies of wound healing in animals have also produced the same pattern of results (Rojas et al., 2002), adding to the multiple lines of converging evidence for the influence of stress on immune function. The Biological Basis for Stress and Health Risks To explain the link between stress and immune system dysfunction, Kiecolt-Glaser emphasized the role of stress in increasing pro-inflammatory cytokine production. Focusing on the pro-inflammatory cytokine Interleukin 6 (IL-6), she provided evidence for the importance of these inflammatory mechanisms in resolving infections and repairing tissue damage. Recently, she and Dr. Ronald Glaser have shown that chronic stress substantially accelerates age-related changes in IL-6, a cytokine that has been linked to some cancers, cardiovascular disease (Ridker et al., 2000; Ferrucci et al., 1999), type II diabetes (Pradhan et al., 2001), osteoporosis, arthritis, frailty, and function decline. Factors Related to Stress and Immune Function Kiecolt-Glaser also described the role of health behaviors in moderating levels of Il-6 in the body. For example, obesity, sleep deprivation, smoking, depression, and a lack of physical activity can contribute to increased levels of IL-6 in otherwise healthy participants, increasing the susceptibility of the individual to immune dysfunction (Redwine et al., 2000; Papanicolau et al., 1998; Espersen et al., 1996). Additionally, recent work has demonstrated the persistence of changes in immune system function in caregivers: Data have shown that changes in immune system function exist several years or more after caregiving has ended (Kiecolt-Glaser et al., 2003; Maes et al., 2001). Her latest work focuses on the ways in which personal relationships influence immune and endocrine function, and health, demonstrating that married couples with more hostile interactions report decreased wound healing and increased IL-6 production (Kiecolt-Glaser et al., in press). About Dr. Kiecolt-Glaser Dr. Kiecolt-Glaser holds the S. Robert Davis Chair of Medicine in The Ohio State University College of Medicine. She is also professor of psychiatry and psychology, and director of the Division of Health Psychology in the Department of Psychiatry, as well as a member of the OSU Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research. Working in the area of psychoneuroimmunology, she has authored more than 175 articles, chapters, and books, many in collaboration with Dr. Ronald Glaser. |