In 1964, George Solomon coined the term psychoneuroimmunology. In the intervening 30 years, this term has emerged into a dynamic field of study which investigates the unique interactions between the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems. The Handbook of Human Stress and Immunity is a comprehensive reference for this dynamic new field. Focusing on how stressors impact the central nervous system and the resulting changes in immune responses, the Handbook is the first to describehow stress specifically affects human immune systems. It discusses how stress generally makes people more susceptible to infection, how personal support systems can counteract the physiological effects of stress, and how stress, or lack of stress, affects the aging process. Chapters are authored by the leading names in the field and cover such diseases as autoimmune disease, viral pathogenesis, herpes, HIV, and AIDS.

Written by a renowned figure in the field of immunology and compiling a wealth of scientific information, Stress, Immune Function, and Health: The Connection looks at the long-term effects of stress on human health from a psychoneuroimmunological approach. The recent changes in dietary modifications, clinical applications, and evolution in the field of immunology have created the need for a book which addresses the growing awareness of health benefits that can be achieved by buffering the effects of stress on the immune system. Emphasizing the importance of the interaction among the mind, the body, and physical health, this reference includes important developmental procedures that can be used to resist stress on the immune system. By examining components of the immune system, along with the effects of psychological stress and the capacity for hormonal response, author Bruce Rabin demonstrates, in a concise, accessible manner, the ability of an individual's immune system to alter susceptibility to immune-mediated diseases. In addition, the book examines several key issues in this rapidly expanding field, including: * Information and examples that illustrate how distinct areas of the brain that perceive the presence of a stressor are able to communicate with the cells of the immune system * The correlation between stress-related changes in health practices and stressor-induced risks of disease development * The effect on the immune system due to stress from an increased concentration of neuropeptides and hormones * Behaviors and beliefs that can reduce the harmful effects of stress on the immune system by interfering with the stress-responsive areas of the brain * The issue of stress during pregnancy and the early period of development on behaviors and immune functions in children An authoritative guide for all researchers and students in the fields of immunology, neuroscience, and psychology, Stress, Immune Function, and Health: The Connection is also an essential reference for physicians and nurses concerned with stress and immune-related diseases.

Stress: Immunology and Inflammation, Volume Five in the Handbook of Stress series, covers the influence physiologic stress has on immunity, immunology and inflammation. It provides a quick orientation to the subject for research, in clinic use, and in everyday life. Integrated closely with new behavioral findings and with relevance to human conditions, the concepts and data in this volume offer readers cutting-edge information. It will be of prime interest to neuroscientists, clinicians, researchers, academics, and students in Neuroendocrinology, Neuroscience, Biomedicine, Immunology, Endocrinology, Psychology, Psychiatry and some aspects of the Social Sciences. The effect of stress on our emotional and physical health can be devastating. There have been significant advances in our understanding of the influence stress has on inflammation in the human body and also our immunity to various afflictions. Articles carefully selected by eminent stress researchers and prepared by contributors representing outstanding scholarship in the field, with each chapter fully vetted for reliable expert knowledge Richly illustrated with explanatory figures and tables Each chapter includes a boxed “Key points call out section The volume is fully indexed All chapters are electronically available via ScienceDirect Affordably priced, self-contained volume for readers specifically interested in the interaction between stress inflammation and the immune response, obviating the need to purchase the whole Handbook series

Stress and Immunity introduces and updates the status of research on stress and immunity. Clinical aspects of stress and immunity are presented in the first 17 chapters and include discussions regarding the influence of depression disorders on immune functions and stress interrelationships with cancer, AIDS, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, and Herpes Simplex infections. There is also a review of physical exercise and immunity. The second half of the book is devoted to discussions regarding basic research being conducted in the field of stress and immunity. This includes discussions on the interrelationships of the central nervous system and the immune system and research on stress hormones (e.g., enkephalins, endorphins) as they interrelate with the immune system. In addition, animal models for the study of stress and immunity are discussed. Psychiatrists, neurologists, psychologists, clinical psychologists, internists, immunologists, and researchers in psychosomatic disorders should consider this an essential reference volume.

This comprehensive resource details the history, methodology and development of research into psychoneuroimmunology, balancing it with meticulous coverage of both the clinical aspects and practical applications of the subject. A much-needed reference including overviews of key advances in the field Discusses how psychoneuroimmunological research is conceived and executed Includes contributions from a wealth of experts in the field Forward by Robert Ader and Nicholas Cohen, founders of the discipline Authoritative and interdisciplinary in scope - integrating biological and behavioral science

This volume collects the state-of-the-art applications of psychological theory to the interactions among the mind, the nervous system, and the immune system, including applications drawn from affective science, developmental psychology, behavioral neuroscience, and clinical psychology.