HEALTH PSYCHOLOGY - PSYCHOLOGICAL-FACTORS AND PHYSICAL DISEASE FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF HUMAN PSYCHONEUROIMMUNOLOGY

This review addresses the importance of studies of human psychoneuroim munology in understanding the role of psychological factors in physica l illness. First, it provides psychologically and biologically plausib le explanations for how psychological factors might influence immunity and immune system-mediated disease. Second, it covers substantial evi dence that factors such as stress, negative affect, clinical depressio n, social support, and repression/denial can influence both cellular a nd humoral indicators of immune status and function. Third, at least i n the case of the less serious infectious diseases (colds, influenza, herpes), it considers consistent and convincing evidence of links betw een stress and negative affect and disease onset and progression. Alth ough still early in its development, research also suggests a role of psychological factors in autoimmune diseases. Evidence for effects of stress, depression, and repression/denial on onset and progression of AIDS and cancer is less consistent and inconclusive, possibly owing to methodological limitations inherent in studying these complex illness es, or because psychological influences on immunity are not of the mag nitude or type necessary to alter the body's response in these cases. What is missing in this literature, however, is strong evidence that t he associations between psychological factors and disease that do exis t are attributable to immune changes.