Abstract
Research scientists in psychiatry, psychology, and immunology have become increasingly interested in the influence of the environment on the immune system. Currently many researchers are investigating the effects of mood states and everyday stress on immune system function. Results of our own work corroborate claims of intriguing connections between emotional distress and immunity. The expected pervasiveness of such effects, however, is best not overstated without corroborating evidence since an assumption that the immune system is susceptible to even minor environmental stressors does not appear to be consistent with an adaptive evolutionary process.
The work reported in this chapter reflects a ten year collaborative effort with two colleagues, Dr. Marvin Stein, Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and Dr. Steven Keller, a pathologist/immunologist, Department of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Both Dr.’s Keller and Schleifer are currently at the University of Medicine and Dentistry - New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ.
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© 1989 Plenum Press, New York
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Schleifer, S.J. (1989). Bereavement, Depression, and Immunity: The Role of Age. In: Carstensen, L.L., Neale, J.M. (eds) Mechanisms of Psychological Influence on Physical Health. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0775-4_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0775-4_4
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