Illness and the immune system
The autonomic nervous system sends nerves directly into the tissues that form and store cells of the immune
system. True or false ?
Cells in the immune system are sensitive to the level of cortisol.
True or false ?
When the immune system becomes …under vigilant…….. infections can enter the body.
When the immune system becomes ………over vigilant……………………. The immune system itself causes illness.
Which are components of the immune system? …circle the correct answers
Thyroid Thymus Thalamus Liver Spleen Pancreas Lymph nodes Nodes of Ranvier Bone marrow Red blood cells
Write a paragraph connecting the following words:
Blood samples Medical students
1984 NK cell Kiecolt-Glaser natural experiment immune system functioning
Kiecolt-Glaser (1984) conducted research on whether short-term stress had an effect on the immune
system functioning of medical students. It was a natural/quasi experiment as the IV was naturally
occurring. The IV was when the blood test was taken before and during medical exams. Blood samples
were taken and NK cell activity measured. NK cell activity was affected by the stress of the exams.
This is also supported by other evidence. Wounds take longer to heal when the individual is stressed.
Marucha (1998)
Another word for LEUCOCYTES ? ……white blood cells ………Where LEUCOCYTES are produced……bone marrow
What is the difference between B cells T cells and Macrophages?
Leucocytes that stay in the bone marrow are B cells. Those that migrate to the Thymus are T cells
Th2 immunity is when a specific B cell produces millions of antibodies to eliminate an antigen True or false?
Natural Killer cells (NK cells) kill both the antigen and the cell that is harbouring it. This is part of Th1 immunity. True or false?
What role do CYYTOKINES play?
Chemicals which regulate Th1 and Th2 immunity. If Th1 is active it produces chemicals (cytokines) which inhibit Th2 and
vice versa.
According to Lazarus (1992) why it is so difficult to establish a relationship between illness and stress?
1.
2.
3.
Because health is affected by many different factors not just stress, like genetics and life style.
Health is stable and slow to change so it is difficult to link it to a particular stressor
It is too expensive to conduct research into the effects of long term stress on health as it would take so long and
require so many measurements
Segerstrom (2004 ) conducted a meta-analysis of
183 363 293 studies over the last 20 30 40 years.
He concluded that ……short term/acute stress… can boost the immune system
However, ….long term/chronic stress… suppress immunity
Make a list of stress related illnesses:
Anxiety; depression; high blood pressure, coronary heart disease
To what extent does research support a link between stress and illness? (12)
Use the ‘matching task’ activity for research evidence that creates the case that stress results in illness. You could site the
research of Williams (2000), Russek (1962), Sheps (2002) Brown & Harris (1978).
What might your counter argument be? You could mention the conclusion of Lazarus (1992) see above. You could mention
the interaction between a biological predisposition to stress and an environmental trigger (stress diathesis).