title: Affective style and in vivo immune response: neurobehavioral mechanisms.
abstract: Considerable evidence exists to support an association between psychological states and immune function. However, the mechanisms by which such states are instantiated in the brain and influence the immune system are poorly understood. The present study investigated relations among physiological measures of affective style, psychological well being, and immune function. Negative and positive affect were elicited by using an autobiographical writing task. Electroencephalography and affect-modulated eye-blink startle were used to measure trait and state negative affect. Participants were vaccinated for influenza, and antibody titers after the vaccine were assayed to provide an in vivo measure of immune function. Higher levels of right-prefrontal electroencephalographic activation and greater magnitude of the startle reflex reliably predicted poorer immune response. These data support the hypothesis that individuals characterized by a more negative affective style mount a weaker immune response and therefore may be at greater risk for illness than those with a more positive affective style.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory for Affective Neuroscience, Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin, 1202 W. Johnson Street, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
authors.forename: Melissa A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rosenkranz
authors.forename: Daren C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: Kim M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Dalton
authors.forename: Isa
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dolski
authors.forename: Carol D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Ryff
authors.forename: Burt H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Singer
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.forename: Ned H
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Kalin
authors.forename: Richard J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Davidson
mesh_terms: D000339:Affect; D004569:Electroencephalography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013216:Reflex, Startle