title: Worry affects the immune response to phobic fear.
abstract: Worry, the cognitive enumeration and anticipation of potential future negative events, is associated with autonomic dysregulation, which may in turn have implications for the immune system. People endorsing high (n = 7) and normal levels of trait worry (n = 8) were briefly exposed to a phobic stimulus and the autonomic and immune responses and recovery were assessed. A time-matched control group (n = 6) was not exposed to any stimulus. Both worry groups showed increased heart rate and skin conductance in response to phobic fear. However, only the normal worry group showed a concomitant increase in natural killer cells in peripheral blood. Patterns of change during the follow-up period suggested that phobic fear had disrupted a normal circadian increase in natural killer cells. Adrenergic and hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal mechanisms may be responsible for the differences between high and normal worry groups in their natural killer cell response to and recovery from phobic fear.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, Kentucky 40506-0044, USA.
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Segerstrom
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Glover
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Craske
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Fahey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005239:Fear / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000502:physiology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity / Q000502:physiology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000276:immunology* / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires