Stress-Induced Immunomodulation: Implications for Infectious Diseases?

There is now significant literature showing that psychological stress can down-regulate various aspects of the cellular immune response. It is also established that communication between the central nervous system and the immune system occurs through bidirectional signals linking the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems. Psychological stressors affect the immune system by disrupting these networks. In this overview, we discuss the implications of psychological stress-associated immune modulation and risk for infectious disease.