TY - JOUR
T1 - Modulatory effects of defense and coping on stress-induced changes in endocrine and immune parameters
AU - Olff, M.
AU - Brosschot, J. F.
AU - Godaert, G.
AU - Benschop, R. J.
AU - Ballieux, R. E.
AU - Heijnen, C. J.
AU - de Smet, M. B.M.
AU - Ursin, H.
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 1995/6
Y1 - 1995/6
N2 - We examined whether habitual defense and coping affeet the response of hormones (ACTH, Cortisol, prolactin, endorphins, and noradrenaline) and immune parameters (numbers of T cells, B cells, natural killer [NK] cells, and proliferative responses to mitogens or antigens) to an acute laboratory stressor (i.e., solving a 3-dimensional puzzle and explaining it to a confederate) in 86 male high school teachers. Defense and coping were assessed by Kragh' tachistoscopic Defense Mechanism Test (a measure of perceptual defense) and by 4 questionnaire-based coping styles assessing instrumental mastery-oriented coping, emotion-focused coping, cognitive defense, and defensive hostility. The laboratory stressor per se caused a relative increase in immunological (in particular NK cells) and endocrine (Cortisol, prolactin) parameters. Defense and coping, however, significantly codetermined the response to the stressor. In particular, instrumental mastery-oriented coping and perceptual defense were related to stress-induced changes in numbers of B cells and in the pituitary-adrenal hormones. The results indicate that the impact of a mild psychological stressor on the immune and endocrine system depends to a considerable extent on the specific ways people deal with stressors.
AB - We examined whether habitual defense and coping affeet the response of hormones (ACTH, Cortisol, prolactin, endorphins, and noradrenaline) and immune parameters (numbers of T cells, B cells, natural killer [NK] cells, and proliferative responses to mitogens or antigens) to an acute laboratory stressor (i.e., solving a 3-dimensional puzzle and explaining it to a confederate) in 86 male high school teachers. Defense and coping were assessed by Kragh' tachistoscopic Defense Mechanism Test (a measure of perceptual defense) and by 4 questionnaire-based coping styles assessing instrumental mastery-oriented coping, emotion-focused coping, cognitive defense, and defensive hostility. The laboratory stressor per se caused a relative increase in immunological (in particular NK cells) and endocrine (Cortisol, prolactin) parameters. Defense and coping, however, significantly codetermined the response to the stressor. In particular, instrumental mastery-oriented coping and perceptual defense were related to stress-induced changes in numbers of B cells and in the pituitary-adrenal hormones. The results indicate that the impact of a mild psychological stressor on the immune and endocrine system depends to a considerable extent on the specific ways people deal with stressors.
KW - coping
KW - defense
KW - hormone
KW - immunology
KW - psychoneuroimmunology
KW - stress
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0002516388&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0002516388&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1207/s15327558ijbm0202_1
DO - 10.1207/s15327558ijbm0202_1
M3 - Article
C2 - 16250779
AN - SCOPUS:0002516388
SN - 1070-5503
VL - 2
SP - 85
EP - 103
JO - International Journal of Behavioral Medicine
JF - International Journal of Behavioral Medicine
IS - 2
ER -