Abstract
This study assessed the psychosocial modulation of cellular immunity in 34 medical-student volunteers. The first blood sample was obtained 1 month before examinations, and the second on the day of examinations. There were significant declines in the percentage of helper/inducer T- lymphocytes, in the helper/inducer-suppressor/cytotoxic-cell ratio, and in natural killer-cell activity in the blood samples obtained on the day of examinations. Half of the subjects were randomly assigned to a relaxation group which met between sample points; the frequency of relaxation practice was a significant predictor of the percentages of helper/inducer cells in the examination sample. Three biochemical nutritional assays (albumin, transferrin, and total iron-binding protein) were within normal limits on both samples. Data from the Brief Symptom Inventory showed significantly increased global self-rated distress associated with examinations in the no-intervention group, compared to nonsignificant change in the relaxation group. Clinical and theoretical implications are discussed.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aarstad, H. J., Gaudernack, G., and Seljelid, R. (1983). Stress causes reduced NK activity in mice.Scand. J. Immunol. 18: 461–464.
Ader, R. (ed.). (1981)Psychoneuroimmunology, Academic Press, New York.
Benson, H., Greenwood, M. M., and Klemchuck, H. (1975). The relaxation response: Psychophysiological aspects and clinical applications.Int. J. Psychiat. Med. 6: 87–98.
Benson, H., Frankel, F. H., Apfel, R., Danields, M. D., Schniewind, H. E., Nemiah, J. C., Sifneos, P. E., Crassweller, K. D., Greenwood, M. M., Kotch, J. B., Arns, P. A., and Rosner, B. (1978). Treatment of anxiety: A comparison of the usefulness of self-hypnosis and a meditation relaxation technique.Psychother. Psychosom. 30: 229–242.
Buffone, G. J. (1980).Transferrin, ICS-14, Beckman Instruments, Fullerton, Calif.
Chandra, R. K., and Newberne, P. M. (1977). Nutrition, immunity and infection. InMechanisms of Interactions, Plenum Press, New York, pp. 235–248.
Coe, C. L., Weiner, S. G., Rosenberg, L. T., and Levine, S. (1985). Endocrine and immune responses to separation and maternal loss in nonhuman primates. In Reite, M., and Field, T. (eds.),The Biology of Social Attachment, Academic Press, New York, (in press).
Cousins, N. (1976). Anatomy of an illness (as perceived by the patient).New Engl. J. Med. 295: 1458–1467.
DeLongis, A., Coyne, J. C., Dakof, G., Folkman, S., and Lazarus, R. S., (1982). Relationship of daily hassles, uplifts, and major life events to health status.Health Psychol. 1: 119–136.
Derogatis, L. R., and Spencer, P. M. (1982).The Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI): Administration, Scoring, and Procedures Manual, I, Clinical Psychometric Research, Baltimore, Md.
Doumas, B. T., Watson, W. A., and Biggs, H. G. (1971). Albumin and the measurement of serum albumin with bromcresol green.Clin. Chim. Acta 31: 87–96.
Edmonston, W. E. (1981).Hypnosis and Relaxation, John Wiley, New York.
English, E. H., and Baker, T. B. (1983). Relaxation training and cardiovascular response to experimental Stressors.Health Psychol. 2: 239–259.
Glaser, R., and Gottlieb-Stematsky, T. (eds.) (1982).Human Herpesvirus Infections: Clinical Aspects, Marcel Dekker, New York.
Glaser, R., Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K., George, J. M., Speicher, C. E., and Holliday, J. E. (1985). Stress, loneliness, and herpesvirus latency.J. Behav. Med. 8: 249–260.
Herberman, R. B. (1982). Possible effects of central nervous system on natural killer (NK) cell activity. In Levy, S. M. (ed.),Biological Mediators of Health and Disease: Neoplasia, Elsevier, New York, pp. 235–248.
Kanner, A. D., Coyne, J. C., Schaefer, C., and Lazarus, R. S. (1981). Comparison of two modes of stress measurement: Daily hassles and uplifts versus major life events.J. Behav. Med. 4: 1–39.
Keyser, J. W. (1979).Human Plasma Proteins, John Wiley, New York.
Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K., Garner, W., Speicher, C., Penn, G. M., Holliday, J. E., and Glaser, R. (1984a). Psychosocial modifiers of immunocompetence in medical students.Psychosom. Med. 46: 7–14.
Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K., Glaser, R., Williger, D., Stout, J., Messick, G., Sheppard, S., Ricker, D., Romisher, S. C., Briner, W., Bonnell, G., and Donnerberg, R. (1985a). Psychosocial enhancement of immunocompetence in a geriatric population.Health Psychol. 4: 25–41.
Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K., and Greenberg, B. (1984). Social support as a moderator of the aftereffects of stress in female psychiatric inpatients.J. Abnorm. Psychol. 93: 192–199.
Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K., Ricker, D., George, J., Messick, G., Speicher, C. E., Garner, W., and Glaser, R. (1984b). Urinary cortisol, cellular immunocompetency and loneliness in psychiatric inpatients.Psychosom. Med. 46: 15–24.
Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K., Speicher, C. E., Holliday, J. E., and Glaser, R. (1984c). Stress and the transformation of lymphocytes by Epstein-Barr virus.J. Behav. Med. 7: 1–12.
Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K., Stephens, R. E., Lipetz, P. D., Speicher, C. E., and Glaser, R. (1985b). Distress and DNA repair in human lymphocytes.J. Behav. Med. 8: 311–320.
Lazarus, R. S. (1982). Stress and coping as factors in health and illness. In Cohen, J., Cullen, J. W., and Martin, L. R. (eds.),Psychosocial Aspects of Cancer, Raven Press, New York, pp. 163–190.
Lehrer, P. M., Schoickett, S., Carrington, P., and Woolfolk, R. L. (1980). Psychophysiological and cognitive responses to stressful stimuli in subjects practicing progressive relaxation and clinically standardized meditation.Behav. Res. Ther. 18: 293–303.
Levy, S. M., Herberman, R. B., and Maluish, A. M. (1984). Behavioral and immunological risk factors in primary breast cancer. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, Philadelphia, Pa.
Moll, B., Emeson, E. E., Small, C. B., Friedland, G. H., Klein, R. S., and Spigland, I. (1982). Inverted ratio of inducer to suppressor T-lymphocyte subsets in drug abusers with opportunistic infections.Clin. Immunol. Immunopathol. 25: 17–423.
Monroe, S. M. (1983). Major and minor life events as predictors of psychological distress: Further issues and findings.J. Behav. Med. 6: 189–205.
Reinherz, E. L., and Schlossman, S. F. (1980). Current concepts in immunology: Regulation of the immune response —Inducer and suppressor T-Iymphocyte subsets in human beings.N. Engl. J. Med. 303: 370–373.
Rodkey, F. L. (1965). Direct spectrophotometric determination of albumin in human serum.Clin. Chem. 11: 478–487.
Rubenstein, C., and Shaver P. (1982). The experience of loneliness. In Peplau, L. A., and Perlman, D. (eds.),Loneliness: A Sourcebook of Current Research, Theory, and Therapy, Wiley Interscience, New York.
Russell, D. (1980). The revised UCLA Loneliness Scale: Concurrent and discriminant validity evidence.J. Personal. Soc. Psychol. 39: 472–480.
Russell, D. (1982). The measurement of loneliness. In Peplau, L. A., and Perlman, D. (eds.),Loneliness: A Sourcebook of Current Research, Theory and Therapy, John Wiley and Sons, New York.
Shaver, P., Furman, W., and Buhrmester, D. (1984). Aspects of a life transition: Network changes, social skills, and loneliness. In Duck, S., and Perlman, D. (eds.),The Sage Series in Personal Relationships, Vol. 1, Sage, London.
Strayer, D. R., Carter, W. A., Mayberry, S. D., Pequignot, E., and Brodsky, I. (1984). Low natural cytotoxicity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells in individuals with high familial incidences of cancer.Cancer Res. 44: 370–374.
Surwit, R. S., and Feinglos, M. N. (1983). The effects of relaxation on glucose tolerance in non-insulin-dependent diabetes.Diabetes Care 6: 176–179.
Tietz, N. W. (1976). The determination of iron and iron-binding capacity.Foundamentals of Clinical Chemistry, W. B. Saunders, Philadelphia, pp. 926–928.
Waller, R. A., and Duncan, D. B. (1969). A Bayes rule for the symmetric multiple comparisons problem.Am. Stat. Assoc. J. 64: 1483–1503.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
This study was supported in part by funds from the State of Ohio Department of Mental Health, the Bremer Foundation, and the Samuel J. Roessler Fund and by Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center Grant CA-16058-09 from the National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kiecolt-Glaser, J.K., Glaser, R., Strain, E.C. et al. Modulation of cellular immunity in medical students. J Behav Med 9, 5–21 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00844640
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00844640