THE VARIABILITY OF TYPE-I HYPERSENSITIVITY REACTIONS - THE IMPORTANCEOF MOOD

Immediate (Type I) hypersensitivity skin reactions to allergens or ant igens have been used as immune measures that may be subject to intenti onal modulation. In preliminary experiments using hypnosis we encounte red unacceptably large, uncontrollable variability. A method was subse quently devised in which serial, five-fold dilutions of allergen or hi stamine were administered to the subject's forearm and reactions were recorded photographically on slide film. Areas were determined by comp uter-assisted image analysis. Seven healthy volunteers were tested for eight sessions (testing included mood scales, blood pressure, pulse a nd skin temperature). Mean wheal size and titration gradient data from allergen reactions correlated strongly with the psychological factor of liveliness but not stress, although no manipulation of mood was inv olved. A stepwise regression analysis accounted for 61% of the varianc e of the allergen mean wheal data, and 31% was from the liveliness fac tor alone. Thus, the more lively the subject felt, the smaller was the allergic response.