Psychoimmunology

Psychoimmunology is the study of how different psychological factors influence the immune system’s functioning and the mechanisms underlying brain-immune system interactions. Psychoimmunology constitutes an interdisciplinary scientific field that draws information from the areas of psychology and immunology. Researchers in the psychoimmunology field have produced significant evidence that different psychological processes are linked to the body’s capacity to protect itself from health threats.

For example, studies show that experiencing psychological stress decreases the immune systems response and people who suffer from a disease or are recovering from a medical intervention tend to show slower rates of recovery if exposed to stress-inducing situations.