Positive Health Online

Abstract

MILLS and DIMSDALE, Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla USA conducted a pilot study to examine the effects of a 6-minute speaking stressor upon several cellular adhesion molecules, which are cell-surface receptors responsible for mediating interactions among leukocytes, platelets and vascular endothelium.

Background

Methodology

22 healthy men and women were included in the study, which looked at several CAMs, including L-selectin, ICAM-1 and the integrins.

Results

The psychologic stressor caused a significant decrease in L-selectin. During stress women increased whereas men decreased in 3 markers of the integrin family, LFA-1, LFA-2 and LFA-3. There was no significant task effect upon ICAM-1 nor group differences in state anger or anxiety ratings. Changes in LFA-1 and LFA-2 were negatively correlated with age, indicating that older subjects showed less change in these markers than younger subjects.

Conclusion

These preliminary results suggest that the immune activation which acompanies acute psychological stress may be sufficient to change the expression of certain cellular adhesion molecules. Further research should be directed towards determining whether cellular adhesion molecule expression is changed equally across various leukocyte subsets or is restricted to specific cell types.

References

Mills PJ and Dimsdale JE. The effects of acute psychologic stress on cellular adhesion molecules. J Psychosom Res 441(1): 49-53. Jul 1996.

Comment

The sophistication of the above research studies shows the depth and breadth of psychoneuroimmunology, even as it relates to serious diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, and lupus.