Stress and the Immune System

Stress can slow down the healing of wounds by 24 to 40 percent due to its link to suppression of the immune system. In a study, 11 dental students had a punch biopsy wound performed on their hard palate twice. The first biopsy was during summer vacation and the second was 3 days before a major examination. The wounds healed 40 percent more slowly during the stressful period before the examination than during vacation. For every person in the study, the healing time was longer when the wound occurred during high stress versus low stress ( Hooley et al., 2019).

Stress and the Immune System

Stress can have a negative impact on the immune system, making us more susceptible to illness. This is because stress can disrupt the production of cytokines, which are small protein molecules that serve as chemical messengers and allow immune cells to communicate with each other.

There are two main types of cytokines: proinflammatory cytokines and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Proinflammatory cytokines help to amplify the immune response, while anti-inflammatory cytokines help to dampen the response.

Under conditions of stress, the production of proinflammatory cytokines is disrupted. This can lead to a decrease in the number of immune cells and a decrease in the production of antibodies, which are proteins that help to fight infection.

As a result, people who are under stress are more likely to get sick. They are also more likely to have slower wound healing and to have more severe symptoms when they are sick.

References

Hooley, J. M., Nock, M. K., & Butcher, J. N. (2019). Abnormal Psychology (18th ed.). Pearson Education (US). https://bookshelf.vitalsource.com/books/9780135191033