Psiconeuroimunologia

17 Psychoneuroimmunology
MICHAEL R. IRWIN AND GEORGE M. SLAVICH
OVERVIEW external physical and social environment can also strongly

Immune responses are mediated by the activation of influence immune system activity by affecting neural and
immune response genes that encode regulatory and effec- endocrine processes that regulate immune system
tor molecules, such as cytokines, antimicrobial peptides, dynamics. In addition to providing important new insights
antibodies, and cytolytic molecules. Transcriptional acti- into the mechanisms underlying many mental and physi-
vation of innate immune cells is triggered by two types of cal health problems, discoveries in this field have begun to
signals from the body’s internal “environment” – namely, inform the development of novel interventions for improv-
the presence of pathogen-associated molecular patterns ing human health.
(PAMPs) and “danger signals” derived from host cell stress The goal of this chapter is to provide an overview of
or death (Matzinger, 2007). A growing body of research contemporary models and recent research in psycho-
suggests that a third class of macro-environmental stimuli neuroimmunology. First, we summarize the main features
exists in the form of neural and endocrine signals and that of the innate and adaptive immune system. Second, we
these stimuli also play a significant role in modulating describe the neural and physiologic pathways that have
immune responses (Glaser & Kiecolt-Glaser, 2005). the ability to alter immune system dynamics. Third, we
In addition, immune mediators such as cytokines feed review work linking a variety of different psychoneuroim-
back to the brain to regulate neural and endocrine activity munological processes (e.g., life stress exposure, sleep dis-
(Dantzer, O’Connor, Freund, Johnson, & Kelley, 2008). turbance, depression) with infectious and inflammatory
The resulting neuroimmune circuit coordinates immune disease risk. Fourth, we examine the types of behavioral
responses with other physiological processes such as interventions that have been shown to alter immune sys-
fight-or-flight stress responses to maximize the overall tem processes and impact health. Finally, we conclude
fitness of the organism within highly complex, contem- with ideas for future research.
porary physical and social environments that bear multi-
ple microbial, physiological (e.g., trauma, sleep loss), and
social-ecological threats (e.g., predation, conspecific vio- IMMUNE SYSTEM
lence, interpersonal loss, etc.) (McEwen, 2007). This neu- The immune system is primarily responsible for coordi-
roimmune circuit was initially discovered in the context nating the body’s response to physical injuries and infec-
of adaptive immune responses (Glaser & Kiecolt-Glaser, tions. It is thus critical for human health and well-being.
2005). Recent findings, however, suggest that this circuit Two interconnected branches, called innate immunity and
originates with the innate immune system (Cole, adaptive immunity, are generally conceptualized as com-
Hawkley, Arevalo, & Cacioppo, 2011b; Powell, Mays, prising the immune system. Innate immunity is the first
Bailey, Hanke, & Sheridan, 2011). This review highlights and evolutionarily older branch. As the body’s first line of
emerging biological themes on the reciprocal regulation defense against tissue damage and microbial infection
of immune response gene expression and CNS function. (Medzhitov, 2008), innate immunity includes immune
Psychoneuroimmunology is the study of how psycholo- cells such as monocytes/macrophages and dendritic cells,
gical, neural, and immunologic processes interact and which circulate throughout the body. By using a fixed
shape human health and behavior. Classic views of the small class of receptors to detect a wide variety of patho-
immune system focused largely on how immune system gens, these cells initiate a cascade of inflammatory pro-
processes are regulated by factors that are present inside cesses that signal the occurrence of injury or infection
the body, such as viruses and bacteria, and chemical sig- (Medzhitov, 2008). Innate immunity is non-specific and
nals released during host cell stress or death. It is now rapid, occurring over minutes or hours, and does not con-
widely recognized, however, that characteristics of the fer long-lasting protection to the host.
377
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378 IRWIN AND SLAVICH
The second branch of the immune system, called adaptive (Slavich, 2015), there has recently been intense interest in
immunity, becomes active when innate immune system understanding the mechanisms that underlie inflamma-
defenses are insufficient (Barton, 2008). Adaptive immunity tion and the role inflammation plays in disease.
involves the proliferation of microbial-specific white blood Inflammatory cytokines are very important in this context
cells (i.e., lymphocytes) that attempt to neutralize or elim- because they are released from immune cells, such as
inate microbes based on an immunological memory of hav- monocytes/macrophages, dendritic cells, and neutrophils,
ing responded to a specific pathogen in the past (Gruys, and coordinate cell-to-cell communication; they also alter
Toussaint, Niewold, & Koopmans, 2005). Compared with neurochemical and neuroendocrine processes with wide-
innate immunity, the adaptive immune response takes days ranging effects on physiology and behavior (Curfs, Meis, &
to fully develop (Barton, 2008), and by virtue of the devel- Hoogkamp-Korstanje, 1997). Similar to neurotransmit-
opment and maintenance of immunological memory, con- ters and hormones, inflammatory cytokines mediate
fers lasting protection to the organism. physiological responses, rely on receptor–ligand interac-
tions, and have self (autocrine), local (paracrine), and dis-
tal (endocrine) effects. Cytokines either increase or
Innate Immune System
decrease inflammatory activity, and these cytokines are
Highly conserved features of microbes or pathogen- called pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory, respec-
associated molecular patterns (i.e., pathogen-associated tively. A description of cytokines commonly studied in
molecular patterns, or PAMPs) are recognized by receptors psychoneuroimmunology is presented in Table 17.1.
of innate immune cells. This “hard-wired” recognition strat- Among the pro-inflammatory cytokines, (IL)-1, IL-6,
egy, which uses a relatively small number of immune cell and TNF-α coordinate several cell functions that stimulate
types to detect and generate a response to a wide range of and enhance inflammation. These pro-inflammatory cyto-
microbial diversity, is termed pattern recognition. Hence, kines also have effects on adaptive immunity; for example,
innate immune receptors that use this strategy are called they can promote the differentiation of lymphocytes called
pattern recognition receptors, and activation of these recep- cytotoxic T cells that kill pathogens. Moreover, inflamma-
tors triggers an acute-phase response, which leads to an tory cytokines induce increased vascular permeability and
increase in inflammatory activity that can occur both cellular adhesion, which enable the migration of immune
locally and throughout the body (Medzhitov, 2008). cells from the circulation into the tissues where they can
Toll-like receptors (TLRs), one class of pattern recogni- eliminate pathogens (Dhabhar, Malarkey, Neri, &
tion receptors, are found on macrophages, neutrophils, McEwen, 2012). By activating the expression of the
and dendritic cells (Medzhitov, 2008), and these TLRs endothelial adhesion molecule intercellular adhesion
recognize conserved components of microbes including molecule-1, which then binds integrin (e.g., LFA-1) on
bacteria, viruses, and fungi. Within the “family” of TLRs, the surface of immune cells, IL-1 promotes adhesion to
there is some specificity of ligand recognition. For exam- endothelial cells and eventual extravasation (Smith,
ple, TLR4 is one type of TLR, and this receptor binds Marlin, Rothlein, Toman, & Anderson, 1989). Similarly,
lipopolysaccharide (LPS), an endotoxin that is the major TNF-α stimulates the production of the adhesion molecule
component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bac- E-selectin on the endothelium, which binds to adhesion
teria. Hence LPS is a prototypical PAMP (Raetz & molecules on neutrophils (Hubbard & Rothlein, 2000).
Whitfield, 2002). Response to TLR4 activation can be char- A family of small cytokines, called chemokines, are acti-
acterized by examining activation of a conserved signaling vated by TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1 and help redistribute cells
cascade, which includes key intra-cellular transcription to sites of injury or infection by acting as chemoattractants
factors such as nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and activator that recruit immune cells to the site of inflammatory activ-
protein 1 (AP-1) (Karin, 2006). Activation of NF-κB, for ity (Murphy, 2001).
example, leads to the transcription of pro-inflammatory Intra-cellular processes at the genomic level regulate the
immune response genes such as tumor necrosis factor inflammatory response, and the specific pathway involved
(TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1 and the translation and depends on the type of danger signal present (Amit et al.,
production of pro-inflammatory cytokines that help coor- 2009). During exposure to extracellular pathogens such as
dinate the inflammatory response (Karin, 2006). Levels of bacteria, transcription factors NF-κB and activator pro-
spontaneous and activated NF-κB activity can be assayed tein 1 (AP-1) are activated, which subsequently induce
in nuclear extracts of immune cells including peripheral the expression of pro-inflammatory immune response
blood mononuclear cells, lymphocytes, and monocytes. genes such as IL1B, IL6, IL8, and TNF. In contrast, follow-
Additionally, the intra-cellular production of inflamma- ing exposure to an intra-cellular pathogen such as a virus,
tory cytokines can be assayed using flow cytometric transcription factors such as interferon regulatory factors
approaches that quantify relative amounts of pro- are activated, which induce anti-viral immune response
inflammatory cytokines that are produced at the single genes such as type I interferon genes. In turn, translation
monocytic cell level. of interferon (IFN) can activate signal transducer and acti-
Because several of the leading causes of death today vator of transcription (STAT)-1, leading to the production
involve inflammation (i.e., cardiovascular disease, cancer) of pro-inflammatory cytokines (Slavich & Irwin, 2014).
PSYCHONEUROIMMUNOLOGY 379
Table 17.1 Inflammatory cytokines and their key characteristics
Cytokine Family Producer cells Function
Pro-inflammatory cytokines
Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) Unassigned Macrophages Key mediator of sickness behavior; promotes fever and pain
hypersensitivity; involved in HPA axis activation, lymphocyte
activation, macrophage and neutrophil activation, endothelial
activation, prostanoid synthesis, and IL-6 synthesis
Interleukin-2 (IL-2) Hematopoietins T cells Facilitates immunoglobulin production by B cells, and
differentiation and proliferation of NK cells
Interleukin-6 (IL-6)a Hematopoietins Macrophages, Key mediator of acute phase response; promotes fever, and
T cells T and B cell differentiation and activation; can down-regulate
inflammation by inhibiting TNF-α and IL-1 production
Interleukin-8 (IL-8) Chemokines Macrophages Key mediator of inflammation; recruits neutrophils to the site
of inflammation and induces chemotaxis in target cells
Tumor necrosis TNF family Macrophages, Key mediator of sickness behavior; promotes fever and
factor-α (TNF-α) NK cells suppresses appetite; stimulates HPA axis, endothelial
activation, and neutrophil activation; induces apoptotic cell
death
Anti-inflammatory cytokines
Interleukin-4 (IL-4) Hematopoietins T cells Inhibits production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α
and IL-1; stimulates B and T cell proliferation
Interleukin-10 (IL-10) Unassigned Macrophages, Inhibits production of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1, IL-6,
T cells and TNF-α; enhances B cell proliferation and antibody
production
NK cells = Natural killer cells; HPA axis = Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis.
a
Although IL-6 is listed as a pro-inflammatory cytokine, as described, it can also have anti-inflammatory effects. From Slavich & Irwin,
2014.
Adaptive Immune System Both co-stimulatory signals (e.g., pro-inflammatory

cytokines like IL-6) and inhibitory signals (e.g., anti-
Based on an immunological memory of having responded
inflammatory cytokines like IL-10) regulate this multi-
to a specific pathogen or antigen in the past, adaptive
cell response to microbial challenge. In comparison,
immunity coordinates a specific response to an infectious
when challenge with an intra-cellular pathogen such as
challenge by a sequence of coordinated steps (Murphy,
a virus occurs, transcription factors such as interferon
2001). First, antigen-presenting cells (APCs) such as
(IFN) regulatory factors are activated, which induce anti-
macrophages or dendritic cells are attracted to a site of
viral immune response genes such as type I IFN genes
intrusion and take up invading antigen. Upon migration to
(Slavich & Irwin, 2014). An inadequate immune response
local lymph nodes, the APCs present antigen to T helper
leads to immune deficiency and susceptibility to infec-
(Th) cells and release pro-inflammatory cytokines, as
tions, whereas a response that is too robust can result in
noted above. These inflammatory signals induce Th cells
autoimmunity or septic shock.
to become activated, proliferate, and then differentiate
into one of two cell types. One type of Th help B cells
become antibody-producing cells (i.e., plasma cells);
another type leaves the lymph node to coordinate cyto- PSYCHONEUROIMMUNOLOGY PATHWAYS OF
toxic cell responses that act to eliminate the pathogen. IMMUNE REGULATION
When the initial adaptive immune response is complete, The CNS plays a critical role in sensing external physical
a fraction of antigen-specific Th cells, cytotoxic T cells, and and social conditions (the environment, broadly speak-
B cells survive, forming immunological memory. Hence, ing), assessing their implications for organismic well-
with initiation of that specific infectious challenge again, being (fitness), and modulating the activity of internal
a more rapid response is achieved. The memory T cell physiological processes to optimally adapt to existing con-
response can be assayed by evaluating the responder cell ditions (Irwin & Cole, 2011). When there is a perception of
frequency, which determines the number of T cells that threat, adaptive changes in physiological function (e.g.,
recognize and respond to a specific antigenic challenge. fight-or-flight stress responses) are signaled by the CNS,
which leads to the release of neuroeffector molecules sequences, activation of the glucocorticoid receptor inhi-
such as norepinephrine from nerves of the sympathetic bits the transcription of immune response genes.
nervous system (SNS) or glucocorticoids from the Additionally, activation of the glucocorticoid receptor
hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA)-axis (Irwin & induces transcriptional expression of anti-inflammatory
Cole, 2011). In turn, these biochemical manifestations of genes (e.g., IκBα-encoding NFKBIA), and also acts in the
CNS-perceived external conditions regulate cells of the non-genomic antagonism of pro-inflammatory transcrip-
immune system (Plate 21). tion factors such as NF-κB and AP-1 via protein–protein
The CNS gives the immune system, and specifically the interactions (Rhen & Cidlowski, 2005) (Plate 21).
innate immune system, the ability to prepare the body for When inflammation levels become high or metabolic
physical wounding or injury prior to the exposure to resources need to be shifted, brain detection of peripheral
pathogens resulting from an actual assault that could inflammatory and anti-viral cytokines via multiple path-
lead to an infection. As a preparatory “pathogen host ways (see below) stimulates HPA axis glucocorticoid
defense,” this response coordinates an anticipatory (i.e., release, which systemically inhibits immune response
pre-injury) redistribution and trafficking of innate gene transcription (Dantzer, O’Connor, Freund,
immune cells to sites of possible injury or infection. Johnson, & Kelley, 2008; Pace, Hu, & Miller, 2007).
The result is enhanced post-injury wound healing and Hence, glucocorticoid feedback inhibition of immune
recovery, which can be critical for survival (Dhabhar response gene transcription is not only a prototype of our
et al., 2012). most effective anti-inflammatory drugs, but also
At the genomic level, immune response genes “listen” for a fundamental physiological mechanism for protection
chemical signals indicating an increased risk for wound- against hyper-inflammatory disease (Pace et al., 2007;
related bacterial infection stemming from social- Rhen & Cidlowski, 2005).
environmental danger. Recent research has demonstrated These dynamics typically occur when HPA axis activa-
that exposure to adverse conditions involving social tion is intermittent. When HPA axis activity is repeated or
evaluation, rejection, isolation, and exclusion in the con- chronic, a different set of dynamics can emerge wherein
temporary social environment activate the innate immune elevated inflammation occurs despite HPA axis activity
system (Slavich, O’Donovan, Epel, & Kemeny, 2010). (Avitsur et al., 2007). This process, called glucocorticoid
The temporal features of present-day adverse social con- resistance or glucocorticoid insensitivity, involves
ditions, however, partly determine the type of innate a desensitization of immune cells to the anti-
immune system response that is initiated. Acute stress, inflammatory effects of glucocorticoids. In such instances,
for example, has been found to enhance anti-viral defenses excessive inflammation can occur with implications for
(Edwards et al., 2006; Mays et al., 2010; Phillips, Carroll, mental and physical health (Irwin & Cole, 2011). For
Burns, & Drayson, 2009), whereas prolonged stress and example, evidence of glucocorticoid resistance has been
depression have been associated with reduced anti-viral found in individuals with anxiety, depression, post-
immune responses (Irwin et al., 2011, 2013). In this con- traumatic stress disorder, arthritis, cardiovascular dis-
text, up-regulation of pro-inflammatory immune response ease, autoimmune diseases, and some cancers (Irwin &
genes – which combat bacteria and other extracellular Cole, 2011; Jarcho, Slavich, Tylova-Stein, Wolkowitz, &
pathogens – and a reciprocal down-regulation of anti- Burke, 2013; O’Donovan, Slavich, Epel, & Neylen, 2013).
viral immune response genes – which target intra-cellular
pathogens such as viruses – has been called a conserved
Sympathetic Nervous System
transcriptional response to adversity (CTRA) (see Slavich &
Cole, 2013). Although this response is adaptive in counter- A second neural pathway mediated by the SNS allows the
ing injuries associated with actual physical threat, activa- CNS to “steer” innate and adaptive immune responses
tion of this ancestral host defense program by non-physical between pro-inflammatory and anti-viral phenotypes
social, symbolic, anticipated, or imagined threats increases (Cole et al., 2010; Collado-Hidalgo, Sung, & Cole, 2006).
an individual’s risk for both viral infection and The SNS releases the neurotransmitter norepinephrine
inflammation-related disease (Slavich & Cole, 2013). into tissue microenvironments, including all primary and
secondary lymphoid organs and most visceral organs and
musculoskeletal structures (Nance & Sanders, 2007).
Hypothalamus–Pituitary–Adrenal Axis
When the SNS is activated, the production and trafficking
Brain activation of the HPA axis, one the earliest identified of immune cells occurs, including up-regulation of myelo-
CNS-mediated immunoregulatory functions of the brain, poiesis and mobilization of hematopoietic stem cells, nat-
stimulates glucocorticoid release that suppresses ural killer cells, and splenic neutrophils and monocytes
transcription of both pro-inflammatory and anti-viral (Nance & Sanders, 2007). In addition, norepinephrine
gene programs (Berkenbosch, van Oers, del Rey, Tilders, stimulates β-adrenergic receptors associated with the ade-
& Besedovsky, 1987; Besedovsky, del Rey, Sorkin, & nylyl cyclase cAMP–PKA signaling cascade (Nance &
Dinarello, 1986; Sapolsky, Rivier, Yamamoto, Plotsky, & Sanders, 2007). This signaling modulates adaptive
Vale, 1987). By suppressive binding to gene promoter immune responses by stimulating transcription of
T helper 2 (Th2)-type cytokine genes (e.g., IL4 and IL5) (Murray et al., 1992). Indeed, experimental studies have
and suppressing Th1-type gene expression (e.g., IFNG and found that β-adrenergic antagonism can block the effects
IL12B) (Cole, Korin, Fahey, & Zack, 1998; Lee et al., 2000; of acute stress on immune cell distribution (Friedman &
Panina-Bordignon et al., 1997), which together contribute Irwin, 1997; Murray et al., 1992). When psychological
to decreased anti-viral immune response and increased stress exposure is chronic, there appears to be minimal
risk of infectious disease. SNS activation also steers innate effect on immune cell numbers, although some studies
immune response programs; along with suppression of have found that individuals with depression have
type I IFN-mediated anti-viral responses (Collado- increased numbers of T cells bearing T cell activation
Hidalgo et al., 2006), there is up-regulated transcription markers, including CD4+ (T helper cells) and CD8+ (T
of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL1B, TNF, and IL6 suppressor/cytotoxic cells), along with decreases in the
(Cole et al., 2010; Grebe et al., 2009) (Plate 21). numbers and relative percentage of NK cells (Irwin &
In addition to being regulated by these cellular and Miller, 2007).
microbial microenvironments, anti-viral and inflamma- Psychological stress and depression have potent effects
tory responses are influenced by the broader macroenvir- on the regulation of adaptive immunity, with meta-
onment of the host body and its surrounding social analyses showing a reduction in non-specific lymphocyte
ecology as perceived by the CNS (Cole et al., 2007, 2011b; proliferative responses to mitogenic stimulation such as
Sloan et al., 2007). Hence, the discovery that the SNS phytohemagglutinin (PHA), Concanavalin A (Con-A), or
could simultaneously inhibit anti-viral genes and activate pokeweed mitogen (PWM). Major depression and major
pro-inflammatory genes has provided a plausible mechan- life stressors are also associated with decreases in the
istic explanation for understanding how adverse social production of the T cell cytokine IL-2 and a shift in the
environments increase risk of infectious disease (presum- relative balance of anti-viral immune responses with
ably due to insufficient immune gene expression) on the a decrease in the production of IFN relative to increases
one hand, and inflammation-associated cardiovascular, in IL-10, although some studies have reported increased
autoimmune, neurodegenerative, and neoplastic diseases production of interferon-γ (Irwin & Miller, 2007).
(presumably due to excessive immune gene expression) on Similarly, sleep loss, which is ubiquitous in psychologi-
the other hand (Cohen, Janicki-Deverts, & Miller, 2007; cally stressed and depressed populations, also has robust
Cole et al., 2010; Kiecolt-Glaser et al., 2003; Miller, effects with a reduction in T cell production of IL-2, which
Maletic, & Raison, 2009a). is independent of the total number of circulating T cells
(see Irwin, 2015). Similarly, there is a shift in the Th1 to
Th2 cytokine balance toward increased Th2 cytokine
PSYCHONEUROIMMUNOLOGY INFLUENCES ON
activity (Irwin, 2015), as well as a decrease in monocyte
ADAPTIVE IMMUNITY AND INFECTIOUS DISEASE
production of IL-12, a cytokine that supports Th1
RISK
responses. In contrast, sleep loss increases the production
of IL-10, a cytokine that promotes Th2 responses (Irwin,
Adaptive Immunity
2015).
Inescapable stress, a putative animal model of depression, Extension of this research to viral-specific immune
increases susceptibility to viral diseases such as herpes responses has begun to yield promising findings linking
simplex, influenza, and coxsackie virus infections via psychological stress with altered immune dynamics and
alterations in immune function (Glaser & Kiecolt-Glaser, increased risk of infectious disease. Specifically, data have
2005). In humans, prospective epidemiologic studies and shown a decline in specific immune responses to immuni-
experimental viral challenge studies show that persons zation against viral infections following stress (Miller
reporting more psychological stress, depression, and/or et al., 2004; Vedhara et al., 1999). Likewise, in major
sleep disturbance have both a higher incidence and depression, there is evidence of a functional decline in
a greater severity of certain infectious illness, including memory T cells that respond to varicella zoster virus
the common cold (Cohen, Tyrrell, & Smith, 1991; Cohen, (Irwin et al., 1998). Moreover, depressed patients have
Doyle, Alper, Janicki-Deverts, & Turner, 2009; Glaser & diminished memory T cell response to varicella zoster
Kiecolt-Glaser, 2005). Finally, psychological stress, vaccine, which persists for two years following vaccination
depression, and sleep disturbance alter disease-specific (Irwin et al., 2013). Because higher levels of memory T cell
dynamics of the immune system in vivo, as probed by responses correlate with lower risk and severity of herpes
experimental vaccinations (Cohen et al., 1991, 2009; zoster, untreated depression may increase the risk and
Irwin et al., 2013; Kiecolt-Glaser, Glaser, Gravenstein, severity of herpes zoster, and reduce the efficacy of zoster
Malarkey, & Sheridan, 1996; Vedhara et al., 1999). vaccine.
Acute psychological stress is known to have a robust Supporting a causal association between depression
effect on immune cell distribution leading to increases in and changes in adaptive immunity, treatment of major
the number of lymphocytes, and especially T suppressor/ depression has been found to reverse the suppression of
cytotoxic lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells, which adaptive immune responses. In a longitudinal case-control
are subtypes that have the largest density of β-receptors study, depressed patients exhibited an increase in NK
activity during a six-month course of tricyclic antidepres- Sleep disturbance is one of the most prominent com-
sant medication treatment and symptom resolution, in plaints of persons undergoing psychological stress; it is
which improvements of NK activity correlated with also a prodromal symptom of depression risk and
declines of symptom severity (Irwin, Lacher, & Caldwell, a common residual symptom of the disorder. Hence it is
1992). Although NK cells are considered an innate thought that sleep disturbance may be one behavioral
immune response, these lymphocyte subtypes have a role mechanism that accounts for the association between psy-
in anti-viral immunity and their activation can shift the chological stress, depression, and suppression of adaptive
balance toward an adaptive, cytotoxic T cell immune immunity or anti-viral immune responses. In animals,
response. In another longitudinal study of young adults there is evidence that sleep deprivation is associated with
with unipolar depression involving six weeks of treatment slowed clearing of influenza (Brown, Pang, Husband, &
with nortriptyline and alprazolam (Schleifer, Keller, & King, 1989), although the results are mixed (Renegar,
Bartlett, 1999), clinical improvements in depression sever- Floyd, & Krueger, 1998). In humans, sleep loss is asso-
ity were associated with decreased numbers of circulating ciated with reduced response to influenza A (Spiegel,
lymphocytes and decreased responses to PHA and Sheridan, & Van Cauter, 2002) and reduced response to
Con A but not PWM. In addition, decreases in T cells, the hepatitis A vaccine, with lower virus-specific antibody
CD4+, and CD29 were found, although there were no titers (Lange, Perras, Fehm, & Born, 2003), due to
changes in B cell numbers or CD8+ cells. Whereas none a reduced frequency of antigen-specific Th cells as well as
of these changes were related to nortriptyline blood levels reduced levels of antigen Ag-specific immunoglobulin G1
(Schleifer et al., 1999), in vivo and in vitro treatment with (Lange, Dimitrov, Bollinger, Diekelmann, & Born, 2011).
fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, In naturalistic studies, loneliness and poor sleep efficiency
resulted in enhanced NK activity along with changes in have been found to be associated with poorer antibody
depressive symptoms, consistent with the effects of other response to influenza vaccine (as reviewed; Irwin, 2015),
antidepressants including nafazodone, paroxetine, sertra- with evidence that shorter sleep duration (i.e., < 6 hours
line, and venlafaxine (Frank, Hendricks, Johnson, & per night, as confirmed by actigraphy) was strongly linked
Burke, 1999). A few studies have also examined the effects to a decreased likelihood of protection from a hepatitis
of antidepressant treatment on Th1 vs. Th2 cytokine pro- B vaccination in 125 midlife adults (Prather et al., 2012).
duction in depression, with evidence that treatments Consistent with the observations in depression, adverse
in vivo and in vitro with imipramine, venlafaxine, or fluox- effect of sleep disturbance might increase infectious dis-
etine increased stimulated cellular production of IL-10, ease risk by increasing susceptibility to viral pathogens or
with a decrease in the ratio of interferon (IFN) to IL-10 expression of symptoms, or both (Plate 22).
(Kubera et al., 1996). Finally, treatment with selective
serotonin antidepressant medications was associated
Infectious Disease Risk
with a normalization of T cell memory responses to vari-
cella zoster vaccine, and this association was independent The suppression of anti-viral immune responses in asso-
of improvements in depressive symptom severity (Irwin ciation with life stress and sleep disturbance appears to
et al., 2013) (Figure 17.1). have implication for infectious disease risk and
14
Non-depressed No Tx
Figure 17.1 Depression study examining vari-
Depressed No Tx cella zoster virus-specific responder cell fre-
12 quency (VZV-RCF) results at baseline and 6,
Depressed with Tx 52, and 104 weeks in the three groups of vac-
cine recipients: non-depressed controls (Non-
10
depressed No Tx; N = 30); depressed patients
(per 100,000 PBMC)
who are not treated with antidepressant med-

ications (Depressed No Tx; N = 12); and
VZV-RCF
8
depressed patients who are being treated with
antidepressant medication (Depressed with
6 Tx; N = 12). There were significant differences
at all time points between the “Depressed
No Tx” and “Depressed with Tx” participants,
4 but not between the “Depressed with Tx” and
the “Non-depressed No Tx” participants (F =
6.2; p < 0.005; analysis of covariance).
2
Abbreviations: PBMC, peripheral blood mono-
nuclear cell; Tx, treatment; VZV-RCF, varicella
0 zoster virus-specific responder cell frequency.
Baseline 6 52 104 From Irwin et al., 2013.
Weeks
progression. For example, HIV infection shows a highly leukocytes for increased ex vivo production of pro-
variable course with evidence that depression, bereave- inflammatory cytokines in response to stimulation by the
ment, and maladaptive coping responses to stress (includ- PAMP lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and other Toll-like recep-
ing the stress of HIV infection itself) all predict the rate of tor ligands (Bower et al., 2007; Goebel, Mills, Irwin, &
immune system decay in HIV patients. Indeed, decline in Ziegler, 2000; Powell et al., 2011).
immune system function and increases in HIV replication What factors contribute to varying inflammatory
are more rapid in patients living under chronic stress (e.g., responses to laboratory stress? Consistent with the effects
gay men who conceal their homosexuality) and in patients of laboratory stressors on HPA axis activation and activa-
with high levels of SNS activity (e.g., socially inhibited tion of the SNS efferent pathways (Dickerson & Kemeny,
introverts) (Cole & Kemeny, 1997; Cole, Kemeny, & 2004), stressors involving social conflict, rejection, or
Taylor, 1997; Cole et al., 1998; Miller & Cole, 1998). exclusion appear to evoke the strongest inflammatory
Although the mechanisms of these effects are not well responses in the laboratory (Dickerson, Gable, Irwin,
defined, tissue culture studies have shown that SNS neu- Aziz, & Kemeny, 2009; Slavich & Irwin, 2014). For exam-
rotransmitters and glucocorticoids can accelerate HIV ple, writing about traumatic experiences involving self-
replication by rendering T lymphocytes more vulnerable blame triggers self-reported shame along with increases
to infection and by suppressing production of the anti- in a soluble receptor for TNF-α (sTNF-RII) (Dickerson,
viral cytokines that help cells limit viral replication (Cole Kemeny, Aziz, Kim, & Fahey, 2004). Among married cou-
et al., 1998). However, with the advent of potent and effec- ples, those high in hostility exhibited significantly greater
tive antiretroviral medications for the prevention and increases in plasma IL-6 and TNF-α following the hostile
treatment of HIV, the role of SNS activity in the modula- marital interaction as compared to those with low hostility
tion of HIV replication and immune responses has not (Kiecolt-Glaser et al., 2005). Finally, among participants
emerged as a prominent theme for research in HIV exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), the pres-
patients. ence of socially rejecting raters was associated with
Whereas some research suggests that sleep disturbance greater in vitro LPS-stimulated production of TNF-α and
may mediate or moderate the relationship between psy- greater glucocorticoid resistance as compared to the per-
chological stress or depression and infectious disease, formance of the TSST in the absence of these raters
other studies suggest that sleep disturbance has indepen- (Dickerson et al., 2009).
dent effects on infectious disease risk. This research has In addition to differences in characteristics of the stres-
shown that extremes of sleep duration correlate with sor manipulation, individual differences in the partici-
increased risk of pneumonia (Patel et al., 2012). Further, pants’ psychological perceptions of, or emotional
a study utilizing an experimental model of the common reactions to, a laboratory-based social stressor also appear
cold found that self-reported shorter sleep duration and to predict their inflammatory responses to the task. For
sleep fragmentation were associated with greater suscept- example, experiencing more fear, greater perceived stress,
ibility to the common cold. In experimental studies in or greater anxiety in response to the TSST is associated
which healthy adults are inoculated with a rhinovirus with greater increases in the pro-inflammatory marker
that produces symptoms of the common cold, poor sleep including sTNF-RII and IL-6 (Carroll et al., 2011; Moons,
efficiency was associated with increased susceptibility to Eisenberger, & Taylor, 2010). Greater difficulty in main-
the common cold and greater symptom reporting (Cohen taining a positive cognitive-affective state during the TSST
et al., 2009), similar to findings linking psychological has also been associated with greater increases in circulat-
stress to the common cold (Cohen et al., 1991). ing IL-1β, which in turn predicted increases in depressive
symptoms over time (Aschbacher et al., 2012).
Individuals’ existing psychosocial characteristics also
PSYCHONEUROIMMUNOLOGY INFLUENCES ON
moderate the magnitude of their inflammatory response.
INNATE IMMUNITY AND INFLAMMATORY DISEASE
Exposure to early life stress is one such characteristic.
RISK
Persons reporting early adversity exhibit greater IL-6
responses to the TSST, despite minimal differences at
Laboratory-Based Stress and Inflammatory
baseline (see Slavich & Irwin, 2014). In addition, loneli-
Responding
ness and social isolation are associated with greater
In animal and human studies, experimental induction of inflammatory reactivity to the TSST and greater LPS-
acute psychological stress increases systemic, cellular, and stimulated production of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β
molecular markers of inflammation. Some of these effects (Slavich & Irwin, 2014). Differences in inflammatory
are related to mobilization of specific leukocyte subsets responding have also been linked to past and present
(Richlin, Arevalo, Zack, & Cole, 2004), but there is also depression status. Depressed participants exhibit greater
evidence that acute laboratory stressors increase circulat- stress-induced increases in plasma levels of TNF-α and IL-
ing levels of IL-6 and IL-1β (Pace et al., 2006), activate NF- 6, and the inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP),
κB in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) as well as greater LPS-stimulated production of TNF-α and
(Bierhaus et al., 2003; Pace et al., 2006), and prime IL-6 (Slavich & Irwin, 2014). Finally, there is evidence that
exposure to early life stress among depressed individuals status, post-traumatic stress disorder, long-term social
exaggerates their IL-6 and NF-κB reactivity to the TSST isolation, and having a spouse with a terminal illness
and predicts higher post-TSST levels of IL-6 (Pace et al., have repeatedly been associated with increased expression
2006). Further research is needed to evaluate the indepen- of pro-inflammatory immune response genes despite
dent contribution of depression versus factors commonly the presence of stable or elevated glucocorticoid levels
associated with depression, including having a sedentary (Chen et al., 2009; Cole et al., 2007, 2011b; Miller et al.,
lifestyle, high body mass index, and being female 2008b, 2009b). This may result from reduced
(O’Connor et al., 2009). glucocorticoid-mediated feedback inhibition or functional
desensitization of the glucocorticoid receptor, which
shifts gene transcription toward increased NF-κB- and
Chronic Social Adversity and Inflammation
AP-1-mediated inflammatory gene expression both under
Chronic social adversities, such as low socioeconomic sta- basal conditions and in response to PAMP stimulation
tus, long-term social isolation, and having a partner with (Miller et al., 2008b). Again, even a single major life event
a terminal illness are associated with elevated circulating involving targeted rejection is sufficient to shift transcrip-
pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and increased expres- tome dynamics, as indexed by NF-κB and I-κB activity, and
sion of pro-inflammatory immune response genes (Chen precipitate depression (Murphy et al., 2013; Slavich,
et al., 2009; Cole et al., 2007, 2011a; Miller et al. 2008b, Thornton, Torres, Monroe, & Gotlib, 2009).
2009b; Slavich & Irwin, 2014). As with laboratory-based There is also evidence that the effects of adverse social-
stressors, social stress appears to have a salient role. environmental conditions on inflammatory processes,
Indeed, in a large community-based case-cohort study, health, and mortality are modified by genetic factors,
socially isolated individuals were 2.0–2.5 times more likely including single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), such
to have clinically high levels of CRP than socially inte- as the functionally active regulatory SNP in the human IL-
grated individuals; other data have shown that socially 6 promoter (rs1800795). Cole and colleagues (Cole et al.,
isolated depressed men have levels of CRP and IL-6 that 2010) examined this question, and tested whether high
are 2.0 and 3.8 times higher than socially integrated non- levels of social-environmental stress were associated with
depressed men (see Slavich & Irwin, 2014). As previously increased mortality risk for rs1800795 G homozygotes as
described, these effects may be due to an up-regulated compared to C allele carriers. Individuals who were
expression of pro-inflammatory immune response genes rs1800795 G homozygotes exhibited increases in mortality
and a reciprocal down-regulation of genes involved in anti- risk under high levels of stress, with a 2.8-year shorter
body production. average lifespan as compared to those who were C allele
Disruptions in social connection also appear to increase carriers. Interestingly, these differential mortality rates by
inflammation. Older adults who experienced the recent genotype were specific to inflammation-related causes of
death of their spouse have higher levels of IL-1 and IL-6 death (e.g., cardiovascular, neurodegenerative diseases).
compared to their non-bereaved counterparts (Schultze-
Florey et al., 2012). Interestingly, a gene × environment
Early Life Stress and Inflammation
interaction was demonstrated in which a variant in the IL-
6 gene (IL-6 −174) modified individuals’ likelihood of hav- In adolescents and young adults, exposure to early life
ing elevated inflammation following bereavement. It is stress characterized by a childhood environment with
thought that bereavement leads to increases in the SNS unpredictability and interpersonal stress is associated
that activates GATA1 transcription factor to up-regulate with increased stimulated production of IL-6 (Miller &
IL-6 production, but only for individuals with two GATA1- Chen, 2010) and elevated circulating levels of CRP and
sensitive −174G alleles who showed high levels of inflam- IL-6 (see Slavich & Irwin, 2014). Research has also
mation (Schultze-Florey et al., 2012). Finally, increases in shown that early life stress prospectively predicts elevated
inflammatory activity have been associated with daily inflammatory activity, and that greater cumulative stress
negative social interactions (Fuligni et al., 2009a, 2009b) exposure before age 8 predicts higher levels of IL-6 and
and even following the experience of one major life event CRP at age 10, and higher levels of CRP at age 15 (see
involving targeted rejection (Murphy, Slavich, Slavich & Irwin, 2014). Given that tumultuous childhood
Rohleder, & Miller, 2013; Murphy, Slavich, Chen, & environment often co-occurs with low socioeconomic sta-
Miller, 2015). tus in childhood, reports show that low socioeconomic
Transcriptional profiling of circulating leukocytes in status is also related to higher levels of circulating IL-6
human populations (Cole et al., 2007, 2011b; Miller et al., and CRP in adults, as well as a shift of the leukocyte basal
2008b, 2009b) and experimental analyses of repeated transcriptome toward a more pro-inflammatory pheno-
social threat in animal models (e.g., encountering an type (Miller et al., 2008b).
aggressive intruder) (Engler, Bailey, Engler, & Sheridan, Early life stress increases risk for subsequent depres-
2004; Powell et al., 2011; Wohleb et al., 2011) have pro- sion, and it appears that these effects may occur in part
vided additional insight into the immunological effects by elevating inflammation and sensitizing individuals to
of long-term social adversity. Low socioeconomic subsequent interpersonal stressors (Slavich et al., 2010,
Slavich, Monroe, & Gotlib, 2011). Depressed adults who that links psychological stress and depression to increases
experienced severe forms of early life stress (e.g., maternal in inflammation, given that sleep complaints are ubiqui-
rejection, harsh discipline, physical or sexual abuse) are tous in persons undergoing life adversity. Alternatively,
1.48 times more likely to have clinically high levels of CRP sleep disturbance may have independent effect on inflam-
(> 3 mg/L) than depressed adults not experiencing such mation, and have feed-forward effects to increase inflam-
stress (see Slavich & Irwin, 2014). Further, the association mation and also risk of inflammatory disorders including
between depression and elevated CRP appears to be depression. Below, the effects of sleep loss and sustained
mediated by early life stress (Danese et al., 2008). There sleep disturbance on daytime activity of the innate
is also evidence that adolescents with a history of more immune system are described (Plate 23).
common forms of early life stress (e.g., low socioeconomic Partial night sleep deprivation experimentally mimics
status, parental separation) exhibit greater increases in IL- the kind of sleep loss often reported in persons experien-
6 and CRP when becoming depressed, and greater residual cing stress. When experimentally administered repeatedly
elevations in post-depression inflammation, compared to for ten nights, partial night sleep loss induces robust
adolescents without a history of these early life stressors increases in CRP (Meier-Ewert et al., 2004) and IL-6
(see Slavich & Irwin 2014). (Haack, Sanchez, & Mullington, 2007), with even shorter
periods found to increase IL-6 in men and women, or TNF
in men only, and increases in inflammatory transcripts of
Depression and Inflammation
IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-17 (see Irwin, 2015). Yet, when sleep
In addition to the research described above linking stress restriction or sleep fragmentation is limited to only one or
and inflammation, there is growing evidence that depres- two nights, including total sleep restriction, inflammatory
sion is associated with increases in multiple measures of markers do not appear to change, with the exception of
cellular inflammation in at least some subgroups of a reduction of NK activity that parallels the suppressive
depressed individuals. At least six meta-analytic reviews effects of sleep loss on adaptive immunity (Irwin et al.,
have interrogated the many studies on this topic and they 1996; Irwin, 2015). Nevertheless, when upstream mechan-
have concluded that depressed individuals exhibit higher isms of cellular and molecular mechanisms are examined,
circulating levels of several pro-inflammatory cytokines modest sleep loss for part of the night increases the produc-
including IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α, as well as higher levels tion of pro-inflammatory cytokines by monocytes following
of CRP (Howren, Lamkin, & Suls, 2009; Irwin & Miller, ligation of TLR-4 with lipopolysaccharide (Irwin, Wang,
2007). Further, there is some evidence that severity of Campomayor, Collado-Hidalgo, & Cole, 2006), activates
depressive symptoms, especially somatic and physical NF-κB, and up-regulates a gene set that includes the master
symptoms of depression, are related to increases in inflam- circadian regulator, several immediate early genes marking
mation (Irwin & Miller, 2007). cellular signal transduction, and multiple inflammatory
Presently, evidence exists demonstrating that inflamma- response genes. These effects are stronger in females
tory cytokines may be causally implicated in the develop- (Irwin et al., 2008; Irwin, Carrillo, & Olmstead, 2010), pos-
ment of some types of depression. Prospective data show sibly due to sex difference in SNS up-regulation of IL-6
that increases in IL-6 and CRP predict the development of production (O’Connor, Motivala, Valladares, Olmstead, &
depressive symptoms (Gimeno et al., 2009), although the Irwin, 2007), which together might contribute to sex differ-
reverse may also be true (Matthews et al., 2010). Second, ences in the incidence of inflammation-related behavioral
along with improvements in depressive symptoms, anti- and autoimmune diseases.
depressant medication treatments have been associated Naturalistic, observational studies have also demon-
with decreases in pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in strated associations between sleep disturbances and
some studies (see Slavich & Irwin, 2014). Finally, seroto- inflammation. As reviewed in a recent meta-analysis
nin is involved in the regulation of mood, and inflamma- including nearly 34,000 participants for CRP and over
tory activation depletes the availability of the serotonin 3,000 participants for IL-6, sleep disturbance was asso-
precursor tryptophan, which has led to the hypothesis ciated with increases in these two markers of systemic
that cytokine-related tryptophan depletion is involved in inflammation, with some heterogeneity among studies,
the pathogenesis of at least some depression (Miller et al., no presence of publication bias, and high statistical
2009a). power (Irwin, Olmstead, & Carroll, 2016). Because sleep
disturbance is thought to have proximal effects on IL-6
and because IL-6 induces CRP, the effect sizes linking
Sleep Disturbance and Inflammation
sleep disturbance with IL-6 were larger than those found
Sleep disturbance, common in depressed and psychologi- for CRP, which raises the possibility that increases of CRP
cally stressed persons, may mediate or moderate the asso- might be due to more severe sleep disturbance (as
ciations between depression, psychological stress, and reviewed, Irwin 2015). Importantly, these effects were
inflammation. Indeed, wake–sleep cycles have emerged strongest in studies that assessed sleep disturbance using
as strong regulators of inflammatory biology, and sleep validated questionnaires that comprehensively measure
disturbance may be a common behavioral mechanism sleep disturbance (Irwin et al., 2016) (Plate 24).
In contrast, sleep duration showed no significant asso- induction of inflammation, also independently contribute
ciation with IL-6, although a small effect was found for to cardiovascular disease risk (Irwin, 2015).
CRP (Irwin et al., 2016). Interestingly, long (but not short) Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory process that involves
sleep duration was associated with increases in CRP and a series of steps, each of which can be impacted by psy-
IL-6, consistent with experimental evidence that short chological stress and sleep disturbance. Within the vascu-
sleep duration has mixed effects on inflammation (Irwin lature, activated macrophages secrete pro-inflammatory
et al., 2016). Nevertheless, the associations between sleep cytokines that lead expression of cellular adhesion mol-
duration and inflammation parallel the findings on sleep ecules. In turn, endothelial activation facilitates recruit-
and mortality in which long sleepers (> 8 hours per night) ment of immune cells to the vascular endothelium, which
have a 30 percent greater risk of dying and short sleepers release additional inflammatory cytokines. There is evi-
(< 7 hours per night) have a 12 percent greater risk of dying dence that depression, as well as sleep disturbance,
than persons who sleep 7 to 8 hours per night (Cappuccio, induces inflammation along with expression of adhesion
D’Elia, Strazzullo, & Miller, 2010). molecules that tether and bind immune cells to the vascu-
As shown in Plate 23, sleep influences two primary effec- lar endothelium. Among acute coronary patients who are
tor systems, the HPA axis and SNS, which together shift depressed, for example, there is increased expression of an
the basal gene expression profile toward an increased pro- adhesion molecule, soluble intra-cellular adhesion mol-
inflammatory state (Irwin & Cole, 2011; Slavich & Irwin, ecule, which is a marker of activation of the vascular
2014). During normal nocturnal sleep, there is a drop in endothelium. Depressed acute coronary patients show
sympathetic outflow (Irwin, Thompson, Miller, Gillin, & greater increases in CRP than non-depressed acute coron-
Ziegler, 1999), which does not occur in persons who have ary patients, raising the possibility that depression-related
insomnia or clinically significant sleep disturbance. increases in inflammation may explain the increased risk
Hence, sympathetic activation may be one biologically of major adverse cardiac events in patients exhibiting
plausible mechanism underlying these effects, as activa- comorbid depression. However, no study has systemati-
tion of β-adrenergic signaling induces increases in cally evaluated whether elevated levels of inflammation
markers of inflammation, increases in NF-κ activation, mediate the association between depression, sleep distur-
and increases in inflammatory gene expression (Irwin & bance, and cardiovascular disease.
Cole, 2011).
Rheumatoid Arthritis
Individuals with rheumatoid arthritis are two to three
Inflammatory Disease
times more likely to have major depression than the gen-
Adverse social-environmental conditions such as low eral population. Chronic stress, particularly of an inter-
socioeconomic status, social isolation, and death of personal nature, provokes increased production of the
a spouse increase risk for inflammation-associated cardio- pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6, which correlates with
vascular, autoimmune (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis), and symptoms of disease including fatigue, pain, and func-
neoplastic diseases (Cohen et al., 2007; Cole et al., 2010; tional limitations. Moreover, the presence of depression
Kiecolt-Glaser et al., 2003; Miller et al., 2008b). This raises in rheumatoid arthritis patients undergoing stress is asso-
the interesting possibility that at least some comorbidity ciated with exaggerated increases in IL-6 (Davis et al.,
with depression may be explained by the fact that these 2008; Zautra et al., 2004), a biomarker predictive of dis-
medical disorders, depression, and related sleep distur- ease progression. Finally, sleep disturbance induces
bance share a common biological basis that involves the increases in independent, clinician-rated measures of
activation of inflammation. A detailed review of links joint tenderness and self-reported measures of pain com-
between psychological stress, depression, sleep distur- pared to self-reported pain in comparison controls (Irwin
bance, and inflammatory disease risk is beyond the scope et al., 2012). Conversely, administration of a psychological
of this chapter, but several relevant examples are consid- intervention that decreases emotional distress produces
ered here. improvements in clinician-rated disease activity in rheu-
matoid arthritis patients, along with decreases in markers
Cardiovascular Disease of inflammation (Zautra et al., 2008).
Sleep disturbance is approximately twice as likely to occur
in individuals with coronary heart disease and three times Cancer
as likely in persons with congestive heart failure compared Depression is reported to have median point prevalence
to prevalence rates in the general population (see Irwin, between 15 percent and 29 percent in cancer patients,
2015). In addition, depression is a well-known risk factor which is approximately three to five times greater than
for cardiovascular disease, with recent findings indicating the general population (Miller, Ancoli-Israel, Bower,
that sleep disturbance also has a critical role in mediating Capuron, & Irwin, 2008a; Raison & Miller, 2003; Rooney
the association between depressive symptoms and hyper- et al., 2011). Furthermore, the relative risk of depression in
tension incidence as well as all-cause and cardiovascular patients with cancer possibly exceeds that of patients who
disease mortality. Sleep complaints, possibly through have a stroke, diabetes, and heart disease (Patten et al.,
2008; Polsky et al., 2005). Prospective data further suggest The hypothesis that inflammation might alter behavior
that cancer diagnosis and treatment actually provokes the and signal the brain to induce depressive symptoms was
occurrence of depression during the first two years after possibly first suggested by Neal Miller (Miller, 1964), who
diagnosis compared with those who remain medically argued that feeling sick during times of infection helps
healthy, leading to a rate of depression occurrence that is organisms conserve energy and prioritize behaviors that
higher than what has been found in other chronic diseases are critical for survival. In the last two decades, sickness
(Polsky et al., 2005). behaviors are now considered to be an organized, highly
To explain these effects, we and others have hypothe- adaptive response to infection that are mediated by activa-
sized that cancer diagnosis and treatment initiates tion of inflammatory mechanisms (Dantzer et al., 2008;
increases in inflammatory signaling that contribute to Miller et al., 2009a; Slavich & Irwin, 2014).
increased risk of fatigue and depression in cancer survi- It is now known that several molecular signaling path-
vors. Consistent with this possibility, acute treatment with ways convey peripheral pro-inflammatory and anti-viral
chemotherapy activates NF-κB and inflammation, and is signals into the brain (Dantzer et al., 2008; Watkins &
associated with depression in the six-month period follow- Maier, 1999). In turn, pro-inflammatory cytokines
ing treatment in breast cancer patients (Torres et al., decrease the activity of key behavior-modulating neuro-
2013); and, as noted above, pro-inflammatory cytokines transmitter systems including norepinephrine, dopamine,
can induce increases in depressed mood (Eisenberger, and serotonin (Miller et al., 2009a), which activate physio-
Inagaki, Rameson, Mashal, & Irwin, 2009). Because logical and behavioral responses such as fever and social
wake–sleep cycles have emerged as homeostatic regula- withdrawal. (Dantzer et al., 2008; Hart, 1988). Below, we
tors of inflammatory biology, in which sleep loss induces consider the diverse effects of inflammation on a variety of
activation of NF-κB to coordinate the production of behaviors, many of which are associated with depression.
inflammatory mediators and systemic inflammation, Sickness behaviors including emotional alterations
sleep disturbance in cancer survivors may play a role in (e.g., anhedonia, fatigue, and dysphoria), reductions in
perpetuating inflammation, leading to depression and exploratory and reward-seeking motivation, altered cogni-
possibly cancer recurrence. Indeed, chronic inflammation tive and motor function, sleep alterations, and reduced
is reported to be associated with recurrence of breast can- social and reproductive motivation (Dantzer et al., 2008;
cer (Cole, 2009), and epidemiological studies have shown Hart, 1988) are triggered by pro-inflammatory cytokines.
that chronic inflammation predisposes individuals to var- For example, in mouse studies, when IL-1 receptors in the
ious types of cancer including breast cancer, and under- hypothalamus and hippocampus (Dantzer et al., 2008;
lying inflammatory responses are linked to 15–20 percent Hart, 1988) are activated by type I IFNs and pro-
of all deaths from cancer worldwide (Mantovani, Allavena, inflammatory cytokines, a sickness behavior syndrome
Sica, & Balkwill, 2008). Moreover, sleep disturbance may occurs (Dantzer et al., 2008; Hart, 1988), wherein different
contribute to the occurrence of cancer in the first place. cytokines trigger different behaviors.
Some epidemiologic research studies have found that self- As described above, dysregulated activation of cytokine-
reported sleep disturbance or short sleep duration contri- mediated sickness behaviors plays a role in at least some
butes to cancer risk (see Irwin, 2015). To our knowledge, forms of depression, in addition to fatigue and sleep dis-
no research has examined prospective relations between turbance (Miller et al., 2009a). It is well known that depres-
sleep disturbance and inflammation to determine whether sion rates are higher in clinical conditions that involve
these behavioral comorbidities contribute to increases in high levels of inflammation (e.g., in patients with cancer,
inflammation with implications for predicting cancer and cardiovascular disease, or rheumatoid arthritis) (Miller
non-cancer outcomes. et al., 2008a, 2009a), that elevated levels of IL-6 and TNF
increase risk for depression (Gimeno et al., 2009;
Slavich & Irwin 2014), and that clinical response to anti-
Inflammatory Regulation of Behavior
depressant medications is poorer when circulating levels
As described above, innate immune responses are regu- of inflammatory biomarkers are elevated (Benedetti,
lated by both external influences (through neural activity) Lucca, Brambilla, Colombo, & Smeraldi, 2002; Miller
and internal factors (such as pathogens and cell damage) et al., 2009a). Pro-inflammatory gene expression is also
(see Plate 25). In addition, immune response genes are associated with fatigue, a symptom of major depression
involved in the reciprocal regulation of neural activity. (Thomas, Motivala, Olmstead, & Irwin, 2011). For exam-
We have previously suggested such reciprocal regulation ple, cancer survivors show substantial increases in NF-κB
provides exactly the feedback required by dynamic sys- inflammatory signaling from tumor-derived cytokines as
tems theory to stabilize the circuit as a whole, particu- well as cancer treatment (e.g., radiation, chemotherapy),
larly given the fact that CNS function is itself regulated by and this inflammation is associated with fatigue, particu-
both the internal (inflammatory) and external (ecologi- larly among patients with high-expression polymorphisms
cal) environments simultaneously (Irwin & Cole, 2011) in IL1B, IL6, and TNF (Collado-Hidalgo, Bower, Ganz,
(Plate 25). Irwin, & Cole, 2008).
Research has also shown that pro-inflammatory cyto- To evaluate whether an inflammatory challenge that
kines and type I IFNs are involved in the homeostatic elicits physiologic (as opposed to pharmacologic)
regulation of sleep (Imeri & Opp, 2009). For example, increases in inflammation might trigger depressive symp-
elevated daytime levels of TNF have been linked with toms in humans, administration of typhoid vaccine or low
sleepiness and altered sleep architecture, including reduc- dose endotoxin have been used. Typhoid vaccination
tions in slow-wave sleep and increases in rapid eye move- induces a modest increase in circulating cytokines, but
ment (REM) sleep. Given epidemiological links between nevertheless induces significant increases in negative
abnormally high REM sleep and mortality (Dew et al., mood, confusion, and fatigue, which correlate with
2003), and the substantial fraction of time we spend increases in IL-6 (Harrison et al., 2009). Similarly, admin-
asleep, the regulation of sleep architecture by the innate istration of bacterial endotoxin, which leads to about ten-
immune system may play an important role in structuring fold increases in IL-6 levels and fivefold increases in TNF-α
overall inflammatory homeostasis (Imeri & Opp, 2009; levels corresponding to real-world clinical settings such as
Motivala & Irwin, 2007). HIV infection (Breen et al., 1990) and rheumatoid arthritis
To probe the causal link between inflammation and (Mangge et al., 1995), elicits several symptoms of depres-
depression, researchers have characterized the symptom sion including sad mood, anhedonia, cognitive impair-
development and severity profiles of individuals under- ment, fatigue, reduced food intake, altered sleep (e.g.,
going pharmacological administration of IFNα for the disrupted sleep continuity, increased REM latency, and
treatment of cancer and hepatitis C. In these quasi- REM suppression), and social-behavioral withdrawal
experimental studies, IFN-α administration induces symp- (DellaGioia & Hannestad, 2010; Eisenberger et al., 2009;
toms of depressed mood, anhedonia, fatigue, cognitive Eisenberger, Inagaki, Mashal, & Irwin, 2010b;
impairment, sleep disturbance, loss of appetite, and sui- Eisenberger et al., 2010a; for a review, see Slavich &
cidal ideation, which reaches clinically significant levels in Irwin, 2014). The relevance of this experimental paradigm
up to 50 percent of individuals (see Miller et al., 2009a). for understanding mechanisms linking inflammation and
When vegetative-depressive symptoms develop early on depression is further supported by the fact that some anti-
during the course of IFN-α administration, onset of depressant medications blunt or abate increases in depres-
depression appears more likely. Similar to findings invol- sive symptoms following an inflammatory challenge
ving laboratory-induced inflammation, persons with (DellaGioia & Hannestad, 2010). As shown in Plate 26,
a history of depression show a greater response, and in these challenges have also been shown to alter the activity
the case of IFN-α treatment are more likely to develop and connectivity of neural circuits implicated in risk for
cognitive and affective symptoms of depression, than per- depression, including the anterior cingulate cortex, amyg-
sons without a history of depression (Slavich & Irwin, dala, medial prefrontal cortex, and ventral striatum
2014). (Eisenberger et al., 2009, 2010a; Harrison et al., 2009).
Researchers have also examined genetic factors that Conversely, blockade of inflammatory cytokines has
may moderate these effects. For example, functional been shown to reduce individuals’ risk for depression
SNPs in the μ-opioid receptor gene (OPRM1) and seroto- while improving their sleep architecture and antidepres-
nin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) have been associated sant treatment response (see Slavich & Irwin, 2014). For
with increased risk for depression following stress example, treatment with the antidepressant medication
(Lotrich, El-Gabalawi, Guenther, & Ware, 2011; Slavich, reboxetine, in combination with the anti-inflammatory
Tartter, Brennan, & Hammen, 2014). In addition, there is medication celecoxib, led to reductions in depression
evidence that functional SNPs in the promoter regions of severity that was nearly twice as great as the gains
the genes encoding both IDO (rs9657182) and IL-6 achieved with reboxetine alone. Similarly, by combining
(rs1800795) moderate risk of IFN-α induced depression an antidepressant medication (i.e., selective reuptake inhi-
(Bull et al., 2009). Animal genetic studies and LPS admin- bitor) with acetylsalicylic acid (i.e., aspirin), over 52 per-
istration studies in humans (Imeri & Opp, 2009; cent of depressed patients showed a response after having
Mullington et al., 2000) have linked changes in non-rapid not responded to the SSRI treatment alone. Use of a TNF-α
eye movement (NREM) sleep to elevated levels of circulat- antagonist etanercept, singly without combination with
ing type I IFN, and pro-inflammatory cytokines and phar- an antidepressant medication, resulted in a greater rate
macological administration of IL-6 and IFNα in humans of depression remission response as compared to placebo
induce complementary decreases in NREM and slow- in a group of psoriasis patients (Tyring et al., 2006).
wave sleep, and increases in REM sleep (Imeri & Opp, In outpatients with treatment-resistant depression, treat-
2009; Raison et al., 2010), although animal studies show ment with TNF-α antagonist (compared to placebo)
that other cytokines such as TNFα increase NREM and reduced depressive symptoms in patients with high levels
decrease REM sleep (Imeri & Opp, 2009). Finally, TNF of CRP at entry (> 5 mg/L) (Raison et al., 2013). These
antagonism has been found to normalize REM sleep levels findings provide additional evidence that anti-
(e.g., in abstinent alcohol-dependent patients who have inflammatory medications may have antidepressant prop-
elevated amounts of REM sleep) (Irwin, Olmstead, erties, but also raise the question of whether they are
Valladares, Breen, & Ehlers, 2009). efficacious for all depressed individuals or only for
a subgroup of patients (e.g., those with elevated inflamma- disturbance, and depression, and there is increasing inter-
tion). Finally, pharmacological antagonism of TNF est in the impact of mind–body therapies on inflammation
improves REM sleep, which is often disrupted in in various populations, such as those with disabling fati-
depressed and substance-dependent populations (Irwin gue or insomnia. In a recent review, a total of 26 trials were
et al., 2009). In sum, peripheral innate immune responses identified that examined effects of Tai Chi, Qigong, medi-
can influence CNS functions including neurotransmitter tation, and yoga interventions on inflammatory outcomes
metabolism, regional brain activity, sleep–wake cycles, (Morgan et al., 2014). The majority of studies focused on
and behavioral processes including depression, sleep, circulating markers, particularly CRP, and revealed only
and fatigue, with implications for neuropsychiatric mixed evidence that mind–body therapies altered these
disease. inflammatory outcomes. For example, half of the studies
showed decreases (or attenuated increases) of CRP in the
intervention group and the other half showed no changes
Behavioral Regulation of Immunity
in CRP. The majority of studies found no effects for IL-6.
Behavioral interventions have been applied to target psy- This absence of change in inflammatory markers stands in
chological stress, depressive symptoms, fatigue, and contrast with many of the trials showing effects on symp-
insomnia, and have also been found to influence anti- toms and other outcomes. These mixed results might be
viral immune responding and inflammatory activity. due to the selection of subjects who had low levels of
Many of these behavioral interventions are either inflammation at baseline, use of an intervention that was
mind–body therapies, such as Tai Chi, Qigong, medita- too short in duration, or absence of a follow-up period to
tion, or yoga, or components of these practices that have detect changes in inflammation that would follow admin-
been integrated into behavioral interventions, such as istration of the intervention. More sustained practice may
mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral therapy. be required to alter circulating markers, such as CRP, with
The efficacy of these various mind–body treatments has evidence that decreases in inflammation may be evident
been subjected to empirical scrutiny through randomized only when the symptom remitted. Physical activity inter-
controlled trials conducted in clinical and non-clinical ventions have also been found to reduce circulating levels
populations, and together there is evidence that these of CRP (Nicklas et al., 2008), although this literature is
treatments offer many psychological and health function- beyond the scope of this chapter.
ing benefits, including reductions in disease symptoms, In contrast, studies that evaluated cellular markers of
improvements in coping, behavior regulation, quality of inflammation, assessed by the production of pro-
life, and well-being (Wang, Collet, & Lau, 2004). In light of inflammatory cytokines after ex vivo stimulation, were
these benefits, recent investigations have sought to better more promising. Fifty percent of the trials examined
understand how these effects occur, with a focus on the showed that production of inflammatory cytokines was
immune system as a possible mediating mechanism. reduced following Tai Chi or yoga administration
As noted above, psychological stress and depression (Morgan et al., 2014). The duration of follow-up after
impair anti-viral immune responses. Hence, behavioral treatment may have accounted for variable findings, as it
interventions aimed at alleviating stress, promoting may take several months for the effects of mind–body
relaxation, and encouraging moderate physical activity therapies to become evident. For example, Kiecolt-Glaser
have been shown to bolster anti-viral immune responses, and colleagues (2014) found no differences in LPS-
particularly among older adults or adults experiencing stimulated production of IL-6, TNF, and IL-1 in 200 breast
high levels of psychological stress (Antoni, 2013; Miller & cancer survivors after 12 weeks of treatment, but signifi-
Cohen, 2001; Wang et al., 2010). A recent meta-analytic cant group differences were identified at three months
review identified seven studies that examined the effects of follow-up. Additionally, approaches that characterize the
mind–body therapies on several anti-viral outcomes, cellular source of inflammation may be more sensitive for
including IFN-γ production, lymphocyte proliferation detecting the effects of mind–body therapies on inflamma-
including viral-specific, cell-mediated immune responses tion. Irwin and colleagues examined the effects of Tai Chi
(i.e., varicella zoster virus responder cell frequency) (VZV- on monocyte production of IL-6 and TNF in two indepen-
RCF), and NK cytotoxicity. This review found significant dent samples of insomnia patients (Irwin et al., 2014b,
effects for non-specific and viral-specific lymphocyte pro- 2015). Compared to prior studies that had used mixed
liferation and vaccination responses, but not stimulated mononuclear cell cultures or whole blood, cellular inflam-
production of IFN-γ (Morgan, Irwin, Chung, & Wang, mation was measured by LPS or Toll-like receptor (TLR)-4
2014). For example, the administration of Tai Chi versus stimulated production of IL-6 and TNF in monocytic
health education on varicella zoster immunity found populations. Both studies found that Tai Chi administra-
robust increases in anti-viral immune responses at rest tion over 12 or 16 weeks reversed the insomnia-related
and in response to vaccination in 148 healthy older adults increases in the percentage of monocytes expressing IL-6
(Irwin, Olmstead, & Oxman, 2007). alone, expressing TNF alone, and co-expressing IL-6 and
Alterations in inflammatory processes are thought to TNF, with significant decreases for each of these measures
play a role in inducing symptoms of fatigue, sleep (Irwin et al., 2014b, 2015) (Figure 17.2). Interestingly, Tai
(A) 90
SS
85
TCC
80
CBT
Monocytes Producing IL-6, %
75
70
65
60
55 # #
+#
50 +#
45
40
35
30
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 16
Months
(B) 90
SS
85
TCC
80
Monocytes Producing TNF-α, %
CBT
75
Figure 17.2 Toll-like 4 receptor stimulated monocytic
70 production from baseline to month 16 by treatment
group. Values are mean (SEM) percentage of mono-
65
cytes producing interleukin-6 (IL-6) (A), tumor necro-
60 sis factor-α (TNF) (B), or both IL-6 and TNF (C).
Shaded area indicates period of administration of
55
∗ intervention following baseline assessment.
50 Significant pairwise comparisons: *cognitive-
+# behavioral therapy (CBT) vs. sleep seminar (SS), p <
45 +#
+# 0.05; # Tai Chi Chih (TCC) vs. SS, p < 0.05; + CBT vs.
40 +# TCC, p < 0.05. From Irwin et al., 2015.
35
30
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 16
Months
(C)
90
SS
Monocytes Co-Producing IL-6 and TNF-α, %
85
TCC
80
CBT
75
70
65
60
55
50
45 ∗
40
+#
+# +#
35 +#
30
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 16
Months
Chi administration induced decreases as early as two remission of insomnia or improvement in sleep distur-
months, with effects maintained over the course of bance in older adults with insomnia (Irwin et al., 2014a).
a one year follow-up. Together, these results suggest that improvements in
In mind–body trials that examined genomic indicators inflammation may be more robustly identified when clin-
of inflammatory markers, consistent decreases in inflam- ical symptoms abate.
matory gene expression profiles have been identified.
Indeed, each of the seven trials that used yoga, Tai Chi,
or meditation, and assessed genomic markers of inflam- CONCLUSIONS
mation, showed treatment-related effects on inflamma- In conclusion, an abundance of research has shown that
tory signaling pathways, specifically reductions in NF-kB immunological processes that are relevant for health are
activity (Bower & Irwin, 2016). These effects were seen in influenced not just by internal factors, but also by the
diverse populations. Moreover, the effects on genomic perceptions of individuals about their external social
markers were evident even when the concurrent assess- and physical environment. Research has begun to iden-
ment of circulating markers of inflammation did not tify the immune system mediators that are most respon-
reveal decreases. As such, alterations in molecular signal- sive to social-environmental input; the psychological,
ing pathways may be more sensitive to these interventions, neural, physiologic, molecular, and genomic processes
at least in the short term. linking the external environment with changes in
Several mechanisms likely play an important role in immune system dynamics; the specific psychoneuroim-
structuring intervention-related changes in inflammatory munological factors that most strongly shape infectious
activity, with some attention focused on alterations in the and inflammatory disease risk; and the types of behav-
autonomic nervous system (ANS) and HPA axis, because ioral interventions that may mitigate this risk. Given that
systems are key regulators of inflammatory gene expres- the immune system is implicated in a majority of the
sion and mediators of the stress response (Bower & Irwin, major causes of death in the United States today
2016). Indeed, mind–body therapies are associated with (Slavich, 2015), additional discoveries along each of
decreases in sympathetic activity and increases in para- these lines is highly warranted.
sympathetic activity (Bower & Irwin, 2016), reflecting Looking forward, there are several promising avenues
greater sympathovagal balance. Irwin and colleagues for future research. First, since studies in psychoneuro-
found that Tai Chi led to reduced activity of cAMP immunology presently only concurrently examine one to
response element binding protein (CREB) family tran- two levels of analysis, future research should incorporate
scription factors, which is consistent with reduced sympa- additional methods so that phenomena can be examined
thetic nervous system signaling through β-adrenergic across multiple systems in the same experimental or clin-
receptors, in tandem with decreases in NF-kB activity ical context. Second, there is a pressing need to under-
(Irwin et al., 2015). Likewise, several trials have shown stand not just common pathways that promote disease
that mind–body therapies lead to changes in glucocorti- (e.g., inflammation, sleep disturbance), but also moder-
coid receptor signaling, with evidence that Tai Chi, mind- ating factors that help explain why individuals experien-
fulness, and yoga all increase anti-inflammatory GR cing similar types of environmental or physiological
signaling and decrease NF-κB signaling (see Bower & challenges develop different health problems. Third,
Irwin, 2016). because a majority of studies in psychoneuroimmunol-
Precisely how these effects occur remains unclear, but ogy to date have focused on person-level processes, addi-
mind–body therapies are thought to influence activity in tional research is needed to better understand how
brain regions that regulate threat-related neural circuits. collective factors (e.g., relationship dynamics, social
Mindfulness may also influence activity in reward-related structures) impact immunity and health. Finally, despite
regions, such as the ventromedial prefrontal cortex overwhelming evidence that immunological processes
(VMPFC), ventral striatum, and septal area, which also are implicated in many different mental and physical
have inhibitory effects on threat-related physiologic health problems, very little is presently known about
responding. To date, no study has concurrently evaluated how we can alter these processes to have beneficial
changes in neural activity and inflammation in the context effects. Therefore, more attention should be paid to iden-
of a mind–body intervention (see Bower & Irwin, 2016). tifying interventions that influence immune system
Mind–body therapies may also lead to decreases in per- dynamics and the mechanisms underlying these effects.
ceived stress, depression, and anxiety, along with Work on these topics is challenging because it requires
increases in control, self-efficacy, emotion regulation, either advanced knowledge of several psychological and
and peace and meaning in life. In a study of lonely older biological systems or ongoing collaborations between
adults, decreases in loneliness were associated with knowledgeable investigators. Yet the likely substantial
decreases in inflammation (Creswell et al., 2012). advance in terms of better understanding the psychobio-
Likewise, decreases in circulating markers of inflamma- logical basis of human health and behavior is clearly
tion such as CRP were found only in association with worth the continued effort.
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17 Psychoneuroimmunology

MICHAEL R. IRWIN AND GEORGE M. SLAVICH

OVERVIEW external physical and social environment can also strongly

Table 17.1 Inﬂammatory cytokines and their key characteristics

Cytokine Family Producer cells Function

Adaptive Immune System Both co-stimulatory signals (e.g., pro-inﬂammatory

who are not treated with antidepressant med-

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