Immunological Consequences of Social Stratification and Change

摘要

To characterize predictors of individual variation in immune responses and toassess some of the soluble physiological mediators of the relationship between psychological factors and immunity. Initially, the studies focused on the effects of social relationships and housing conditions on immune responses in the rhesus monkey. Later, the research addressed some of the long-term effects of early rearing conditions on the physiological set points for certain immune responses. Similar types of relationships between psychological factors and immune responses were investigated in several human studies. Finally, the major thrust of the work focused on the physiological and psychological effects of a major cytokine, interleukin-1. Our studies examined the endocrine and immune effects of exogenously administered IL-1, and also characterized its actions on cognitive and emotional processes. We also found that the cells in the CNS produce higher levels of IL-1 during periods of stress.