PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS AND IMMUNOLOGICAL RESPONSIVENESS IN NORMALLY CYCLING, FOLLICULAR-STAGE WOMEN

Nineteen women in the follicular stage of their menstrual cycles were assessed for immunological responsiveness to a 50-min series of three psychological tasks which reliably elicit cardiovascular and neuroendo crine stress responses. Ten follicular-stage women not subjected to st ress served as controls. Stress decreased lymphocyte responsiveness to PHA and PWM, percent of CD4(+) cells and the ratio of CD4(+)/CD8(+) c ells. Conversely, stress increased natural killer cell number and cyto lytic activity, white blood cell, lymphocyte, T and B cell count. Exce pt for natural killer cell number, none of these changes was exhibited by controls. Most of these stress responses are similar to those repo rted for men and form the basis for a continuing study of the effects of reproductive hormones and stress on cardiovascular and immunologica l function in women.