CATECHOLAMINES, STRESS, AND DISEASE - A PSYCHOBIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE

Objective: Research on the relationship between physiological response s to stressful stimulation and the onset of psychosomatic illnesses ha s been an area of intense interest for many years. Studies using anima l models have contributed significantly to this field of inquiry by ta king several complementary approaches. Methods: Three specific researc h strategies taken in our laboratory will be highlighted here. Each in volves studies in conscious, freely behaving animals. Results: Genetic ally selected animals have been exposed to acute stressors to unmask n euroendocrine and autonomic abnormalities related to disease susceptib ility. In addition, studies of aged animals suggest that exaggerated p hysiological responses to acute stress may underlie some age-related p athologies. Finally, a series of studies had revealed that exposure of laboratory animals to stressful stimulation may exert long-lasting in fluences on the ways in which these subjects respond in the future to the same or novel stressors. Conclusions: These findings illustrate ho w studies with laboratory animals have the potential for refining the questions that are posed in research with clinical population and for providing insight into the underlying physiological mechanisms of indi vidual variability in disease susceptibility and the development of ap propriate therapeutic interventions.