title: Comorbidity Factors and Brain Mechanisms Linking Chronic Stress and Systemic Illness.
abstract: Neuropsychiatric symptoms and mental illness are commonly present in patients with chronic systemic diseases. Mood disorders, such as depression, are present in up to 50% of these patients, resulting in impaired physical recovery and more intricate treatment regimen. Stress associated with both physical and emotional aspects of systemic illness is thought to elicit detrimental effects to initiate comorbid mental disorders. However, clinical reports also indicate that the relationship between systemic and psychiatric illnesses is bidirectional, further increasing the complexity of the underlying pathophysiological processes. In this review, we discuss the recent evidence linking chronic stress and systemic illness, such as activation of the immune response system and release of common proinflammatory mediators. Altogether, discovery of new targets is needed for development of better treatments for stress-related psychiatric illnesses as well as improvement of mental health aspects of different systemic diseases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Des Moines University, Des Moines, IA 50312, USA.
authors.forename: Vanja
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Duric
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Des Moines University, Des Moines, IA 50312, USA.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Clayton
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Des Moines University, Des Moines, IA 50312, USA.
authors.forename: Mai Lan
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Leong
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Des Moines University, Des Moines, IA 50312, USA.
authors.forename: Li-Lian
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Yuan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D016207:Cytokines / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D019964:Mood Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000503:physiopathology*
chemical_list: D016207:Cytokines; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors