The book lays out the evolutionary, historical and scientific evidence that a psychological immune system exists and details how this system functions and the impact it has had on our personal, social and national life. It shows ways that it can be helpful in our attempt to identify and handle the threats and dangers that face us just as our biological immune system does. And, like our biological immune system, it has the potential to be both beneficial and lethal.

The Immune System and Mental Health fully investigates how immune-related cellular, molecular and anatomical changes impact mental functioning. The book combines human and animal studies to reveal immunological changes related to mental-health problems. In addition, users will find comprehensive information on new research related to the microbial composition of the gut, aka, the microbiome, and how it influences brain function and mental health. Common comorbidities with mental illness and their inherent immunological or inflammatory components are also covered. Written by leaders in the field, the book synthesizes basic and clinical research to provide a thorough understanding on the role of immunity in neuropsychiatry. Sociology, psychology, psychiatry, neuroscience and genetics have provided considerable explanations and solutions to some of the most intractable mental-health problems. But researchers are increasingly relying on investigations of the immune system to identify factors that can undermine and impair mental health. This book covers devastating mental-health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and autism-like spectrum disorders. In addition, degenerative disorders of the brain, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's-like dementia are explored. - Considers both basic human and animal studies that address immunological changes relating to mental health problems across the lifespan - Incorporates techniques, concepts and ideas from a variety of social, behavioral and life sciences - Explores the relatively new area of the microbiome and how the microbial composition of the gut influences brain function and mental health

A smart and funny book by a prominent Harvard psychologist, which uses groundbreaking research and (often hilarious) anecdotes to show us why we’re so lousy at predicting what will make us happy – and what we can do about it. Most of us spend our lives steering ourselves toward the best of all possible futures, only to find that tomorrow rarely turns out as we had expected. Why? As Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert explains, when people try to imagine what the future will hold, they make some basic and consistent mistakes. Just as memory plays tricks on us when we try to look backward in time, so does imagination play tricks when we try to look forward. Using cutting-edge research, much of it original, Gilbert shakes, cajoles, persuades, tricks and jokes us into accepting the fact that happiness is not really what or where we thought it was. Among the unexpected questions he poses: Why are conjoined twins no less happy than the general population? When you go out to eat, is it better to order your favourite dish every time, or to try something new? If Ingrid Bergman hadn’t gotten on the plane at the end of Casablanca, would she and Bogey have been better off? Smart, witty, accessible and laugh-out-loud funny, Stumbling on Happiness brilliantly describes all that science has to tell us about the uniquely human ability to envision the future, and how likely we are to enjoy it when we get there.

In 1964, George Solomon coined the term psychoneuroimmunology. In the intervening 30 years, this term has emerged into a dynamic field of study which investigates the unique interactions between the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems. The Handbook of Human Stress and Immunity is a comprehensive reference for this dynamic new field. Focusing on how stressors impact the central nervous system and the resulting changes in immune responses, the Handbook is the first to describehow stress specifically affects human immune systems. It discusses how stress generally makes people more susceptible to infection, how personal support systems can counteract the physiological effects of stress, and how stress, or lack of stress, affects the aging process. Chapters are authored by the leading names in the field and cover such diseases as autoimmune disease, viral pathogenesis, herpes, HIV, and AIDS.

This book explains how stress – either psychological or physical – can activate and/or paralyse human innate or adaptive immunity. Adequate immunity is crucial for maintaining health, both on Earth and in space. During space flight, human physiology is specifically challenged by complex environmental stressors, which are most pronounced during lunar or interplanetary missions. Adopting an interdisciplinary approach, the book identifies the impact of these stressors – the space exposome – on immunity as a result of (dys-)functions of specific cells, organs and organ networks. These conditions (e.g. gravitation changes, radiation, isolation/confinement) affect immunity, but at the same time provide insights that may help to prevent, diagnose and address immune-related health alterations. Written by experts from academia, space agencies and industry, the book is a valuable resource for professionals, researchers and students in the field of medicine, biology and technology. The chapters “The Impact of Everyday Stressors on the Immune System and Health”, “Stress and Radiation Responsiveness” and “Assessment of Radiosensitivity and Biomonitoring of Exposure to Space adiation” are available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.

Written by a renowned figure in the field of immunology and compiling a wealth of scientific information, Stress, Immune Function, and Health: The Connection looks at the long-term effects of stress on human health from a psychoneuroimmunological approach. The recent changes in dietary modifications, clinical applications, and evolution in the field of immunology have created the need for a book which addresses the growing awareness of health benefits that can be achieved by buffering the effects of stress on the immune system. Emphasizing the importance of the interaction among the mind, the body, and physical health, this reference includes important developmental procedures that can be used to resist stress on the immune system. By examining components of the immune system, along with the effects of psychological stress and the capacity for hormonal response, author Bruce Rabin demonstrates, in a concise, accessible manner, the ability of an individual's immune system to alter susceptibility to immune-mediated diseases. In addition, the book examines several key issues in this rapidly expanding field, including: * Information and examples that illustrate how distinct areas of the brain that perceive the presence of a stressor are able to communicate with the cells of the immune system * The correlation between stress-related changes in health practices and stressor-induced risks of disease development * The effect on the immune system due to stress from an increased concentration of neuropeptides and hormones * Behaviors and beliefs that can reduce the harmful effects of stress on the immune system by interfering with the stress-responsive areas of the brain * The issue of stress during pregnancy and the early period of development on behaviors and immune functions in children An authoritative guide for all researchers and students in the fields of immunology, neuroscience, and psychology, Stress, Immune Function, and Health: The Connection is also an essential reference for physicians and nurses concerned with stress and immune-related diseases.

This book brings together articles on the overarching theme of how the environment shapes the immune system. The immune system is commonly assumed to respond to harmful pathogens such as bacteria and viruses. However, harmless bacteria, chemicals, stress, normal food and other factors can also trigger, shape or interfere with the immune system, often producing adverse effects. Yet, it is also becoming increasingly accepted that some of these interactions are physiological and necessary for a healthy immune system. Examples of negative effects include the immunosuppressive effects of UV irradiation, or the immunotoxic effects of man-made chemicals such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Autoimmunity or allergies can be the adverse consequences of interaction between the immune system and chemical compounds such as drugs. Positive effects can come from natural exposure levels to bacteria, healthy life-style or the diet. There is a great need to understand how communication between the environment and the immune system works. This book addresses this need. It covers environmental factors (such as bacteria, sun exposure), human factors (such as age, exercise or stress), and important man-made factors (such as air pollution). A chapter on human rights complements the scientific chapters. The book is intended for immunologists, toxicologists and researchers who want to know how the immune system works and is triggered, as well as for medical doctors in environmental medicine and the general public interested in immunology.

Stress and Health: Biological and Psychological Interactions is a brief and accessible examination of psychological stress and its psychophysiological relationships with cognition, emotions, brain functions, and the peripheral mechanisms by which the body is regulated. Updated throughout, the Third Edition covers two new and significant areas of emerging research: how our early life experiences alter key stress responsive systems at the level of gene expression; and what large, normal, and small stress responses may mean for our overall health and well-being.

Unlock your potential and finally move forward. A recent study showed that when doctors tell heart patients they will die if they don't change their habits, only one in seven will be able to follow through successfully. Desire and motivation aren't enough: even when it's literally a matter of life or death, the ability to change remains maddeningly elusive. Given that the status quo is so potent, how can we change ourselves and our organizations? In Immunity to Change, authors Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey show how our individual beliefs--along with the collective mind-sets in our organizations--combine to create a natural but powerful immunity to change. By revealing how this mechanism holds us back, Kegan and Lahey give us the keys to unlock our potential and finally move forward. And by pinpointing and uprooting our own immunities to change, we can bring our organizations forward with us. This persuasive and practical book, filled with hands-on diagnostics and compelling case studies, delivers the tools you need to overcome the forces of inertia and transform your life and your work.

The rapidly growing field of immunopsychiatry combines expertise and insights from immunology, psychiatry and neuroscience to understand the role of inflammation and other immune processes in causing and treating mental illness. This represents a major shift in mental health science, traditionally focused on psychological and neuronal mechanisms of depression, psychosis and dementia. This book provides the first comprehensive overview of recent, inter-disciplinary research linking disordered function of the immune system to the brain and mental illness. It offers a broad and deep perspective on the implications of immune system involvement in psychiatric disorders, including a balanced focus on basic science and clinical applications. Chapters cover the scientific evidence linking immune processes to major mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, depression, anxiety and dementia. An invaluable guide for graduate students, doctors in training, scientific researchers and others interested in the link between the immune system and mental health.