Gómez GB, Escobar A

Language: Spanish
References: 50
Page: 30-38
PDF size: 173.84 Kb.

ABSTRACT

Stress is defined as the relationship between adverse stimuli that seriously threaten homeostasis and the physiological and behavioral responses of the organism to those stimuli. Central nervous system executes control on the stress response by coordinating those systems involved in homeostasis maintenance, namely the autonomic, neuroendocrine and immune systems. Since the first report of the general adaptation syndrome by Hans Selye in 1936, it was described that stress produces thymus and lymph nodes hypotrophy. Later, clinical and experimental studies in humans and on animal models have shown that stress suppresses immune function with concomitant consequences on individual’s health. In young and adult human beings, psychosocial stress has been related to increased susceptibility and longer duration of infectious diseases, such as influenza, herpes virus infection and AIDS, and stress is also capable to prolong wound healing. Also in animal models, stress reduces antibody production, inhibits normal functioning of natural killer cells, cytotoxic lymphocyte T cells and macrophages and can increase the growth rate and metastasis of carcinogenic tumors, such as mammary gland tumor, controlled by natural killer cells. The adverse immunosuppressive stress effects are mediated by the stress hormones glucocorticoids and catecholamines, epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline). Glucocorticoids, cortisol in humans, are released by the adrenal gland cortex, whereas the catecholamine epinephrine (adrenaline) is synthesized and released by the adrenal gland medulla; both hormones, cortisol and adrenaline, reach higher concentrations in the blood stream during exposure to stress stimuli. At the same time, noradrenaline is released directly on immune organs and tissues by terminal endings of sympathetic nervous system neurons, which form synaptic-like connections with the immune cells. Adrenalectomy or sympathectomy in animal models prevent the stress response, thus glucocorticoides, adrenaline and noradrenaline blood levels remain unchanged and immunosupression does not develop. In conclusion, stress and its hormones, glucocorticoids and catecholamines, are capable to alter the illness onset and course and also delay healing of wounds, with a consequent significant economical and social impact.

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