The mind and chronic inflammation
Recent research has revealed that certain social, environmental and lifestyle factors, including psychological stress, can promote systemic chronic inflammation that can, in turn, lead to diseases that represent the leading causes of disability and mortality worldwide, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, cancer, chronic kidney disease, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, and neurodegenerative and autoimmune disorders [Furman et al., 2019]. The association between chronic disease and inflammation is widely recognized. Healthcare systems are buckling due to the cost of treating a worldwide population burdened by these chronic health problems.
Psychological stress also leads to inflammation in the brain. This can impact the regulation of mood and cognition, with possible connections to Alzheimer’s disease.
Psychological stress induces many of the same inflammatory signals as injury and disease. This raises questions: How and why does mental stress activate inflammation?
Related Posts
Psychological impact on cancer
M.A. Visintainer et al. conducted a study with rats. After implantation of a tumor, some were administered electric shocks and some were not. Of the former, some could escape the shocks and some could not [Visintainer et al., 1982]. Afterward, they checked the number of rats that rejected the tumor (and thus were cured). The Read the full article…
The Meaningful Immune System
We tend to speak of the immune system as something we have. Yet it never exists on its own: it belongs to a living person, embedded in a life of relationships, expectations, challenges, memories, purpose, and meaning. Taking this seriously does not make immunity less biological. It may help us see biology more completely. Increasingly, Read the full article…
Lisa for Pandemic Preparedness
The blogs “Mind on Infections“ and “Why Subconceptual Influences on Infections Matter Most“ explore how stress and deeper mental processes affect the body’s ability to fight infections. The present blog ties these insights together to explain how preparing for the next viral pandemic should go beyond the physical and include deeper mental layers. By integrating Read the full article…