Zeitschrift für metabolisches Syndrom

The Impact of Stress on the Body's Defenses

Abstract

Haydory Ahmed

Infection resistance is enhanced by acute stress. Chronic stress alters this mechanism, reducing the body's capacity for a robust immune response and leading to an increase in morbidity. While chronic stress impairs this mechanism, acute stress likely induces an increase in chemotaxis and adhesion molecules expression through a sympatho–adrenergically mediated mechanism, thereby promoting immune cell migration to infection and/or inflammation sites. Extended distressing circumstances decline NK cytotoxic limit. The increase in cytokine production by macrophages is mediated by a substance called P in stressful conditions. Through a beta2–adrenergically mediated process, acute stress increases T cell mobilization, whereas chronic stress reduces it. The immune system's ability to produce antibodies in response to a vaccine is impaired by psychological stress, making the organism more susceptible to infections.