Chronic Stress, Leukocyte Subpopulations, and Humoral Response to Latent Viruses

Psychological stress has been shown to affect immune system status and function, but most studies of this relationship have focused on acute stress and/or laboratory situations. The present study compared total numbers of leukocytes and lymphocyte subpopulations (determined by flow cytometry) and an...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Health psychology 1989, Vol.8 (4), p.389-402
Main Authors: McKinnon, William, Weisse, Carol S, Reynolds, C. Patrick, Bowles, Charles A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
560151 - Radiation Effects on Animals- Man
Accidents
Adult
ANIMAL TISSUES
ANTIBODIES
Antibodies, Viral - analysis
Arousal - physiology
ATTITUDES
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BIOLOGICAL STRESS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
Chronic Stress
DISEASE INCIDENCE
Disease Susceptibility - immunology
ENRICHED URANIUM REACTORS
Experimental Replication
FEDERAL REGION III
Herpes Simplex - immunology
Human
Humans
Immune Tolerance
Immunology
Industrial Accidents
Leucocytes
Leukocyte Count
LEUKOCYTES
Leukocytes - immunology
Longitudinal Studies
MARYLAND
MATERIALS
MICROORGANISMS
NORTH AMERICA
NUCLEAR FACILITIES
NUCLEAR POWER
NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS
Nuclear Reactors
Nuclear Technology
PARASITES
POWER
POWER PLANTS
POWER REACTORS
Psychophysiology
PWR TYPE REACTORS
RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT
REACTORS
RETICULOENDOTHELIAL SYSTEM
Simplexvirus - immunology
Stress
Stress, Psychological - complications
THERMAL POWER PLANTS
THERMAL REACTORS
THREE MILE ISLAND-1 REACTOR
TISSUES
USA
Viral Infections
VIRUSES
WATER COOLED REACTORS
WATER MODERATED REACTORS
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Summary:Psychological stress has been shown to affect immune system status and function, but most studies of this relationship have focused on acute stress and/or laboratory situations. The present study compared total numbers of leukocytes and lymphocyte subpopulations (determined by flow cytometry) and antibody titers to latent and nonlatent viruses among a group of chronically stressed individuals living near the damaged Three Mile Island (TMI) nuclear power plant with those of a demographically comparable control group. Urinary catecholamine and cortisol levels were also examined. Residents of the TMI area exhibited greater numbers of neutrophils, which were positively correlated with epinephrine levels. The TMI group also exhibited fewer B lymphocytes, T-suppressor/cytotoxic lymphocytes, and natural killer cells. Antibody titers to herpes simplex were significantly different across groups as well, whereas liters to nonlatent rubella virus as well as IgG and IgM levels were comparable. Key words: stress, chronic stress, psychoneuroimmunology
ISSN:0278-6133
1930-7810
DOI:10.1037/0278-6133.8.4.389