title: Psychosocial factors and secretory immunoglobulin A.
abstract: This review focuses on studies that have examined the relation between psychosocial factors and secretory immunoglobulin A (s-IgA). Several studies have examined the relation between s-IgA and stressful circumstances ranging from major life events to minor daily events. The findings from these studies were often contradictory, since different experimenters reported different stress-related changes in s-IgA. The effects of stress reduction interventions, such as relaxation and imagery, on s-IgA levels have also been examined. Although these studies indicate that various interventions are associated with increases in s-IgA levels, methodological refinements are needed before more definitive conclusions can be made. The possibility that the relation between stress and s-IgA may be moderated by personality characteristics or mediated by psychological distress was supported in some studies. The review concludes with suggestions for future research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York 10021, USA.
authors.forename: H B
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Valdimarsdottir
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Stone
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D006801:Humans; D019018:Imagery, Psychotherapy; D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory / Q000032:analysis*; D008016:Life Change Events; D010551:Personality; D011598:Psychoneuroimmunology; D012064:Relaxation Therapy; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D007071:Immunoglobulin A, Secretory