title: Immunologic response to acute psychological stress in MS patients and controls.
abstract: To determine whether MS patients differ from healthy subjects in stress-related immune changes, we examined immunologic alterations following a public speaking task in 25 MS patients and 25 healthy controls. Both groups demonstrated similar autonomic, neuroendocrine and immunologic responses to acute stress. Neutrophils, monocytes, CD8+ suppressor/cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and NK-cells transiently increased, with parallel changes in NK-cell activity. T-cell proliferation declined at 20 min, followed by increased reactivity at 60 min relative to baseline. This data suggests that stress-induced immune alterations remain intact in MS patients, and may contribute to immune changes associated with disease exacerbation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. ackerman+@pitt.edu
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Ackerman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Martino
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Heyman
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Moyna
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Rabin
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000523:psychology; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D015415:Biomarkers; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000523:psychology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006854:Hydrocortisone