Stress-induced modulation of the immune response to... : Psychosomatic Medicine (original) (raw)
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Stress-induced modulation of the immune response to recombinant hepatitis B vaccine.
Glaser, R; Kiecolt-Glaser, J K; Bonneau, R H; Malarkey, W; Kennedy, S; Hughes, J
Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus 43210.
Abstract
Each of a series of three hepatitis B (Hep B) inoculations was given to 48 second-year medical students on the 3rd day of a 3-day examination series to study the effect of academic stress on the ability to generate an immune response to a primary antigen. Those students who seroconverted after the first injection (25%) were significantly less stressed and anxious than those who did not seroconvert at that time. In addition, students who reported greater social support demonstrated a stronger immune response to the vaccine at the time of the third inoculation, as measured by antibody titers to Hep B surface antigen (HBsAg) and the blastogenic response to a HBsAg peptide (SAg).
Copyright © 1992 by American Psychosomatic Society