Psychoneuroimmunology and Depression Quiz

Study Notes

Psychoneuroimmunology is the study of the communication between the brain and the immune system.
The hierarchical model of psychoneuroimmunology emphasised the idea that psychological and neural phenomena could influence the immune system.
However, in the 1990s, two factors led to a conceptual shift in the field that led to the reversal of the hierarchy between the brain and the immune system. First, studies using animal models showed that immune activation led to behavioural changes, and second, clinical studies showed that patients exposed to cytokine therapies for cancers or chronic viral hepatitis develop depressive symptoms and other psychiatric adverse effects.
Later, increased inflammation was described in otherwise healthy individuals with a history of childhood abuse.
Immunopsychiatry is a new theoretical approach that considers psychiatric disorders as disorders with biological changes that are outside the brain and measurable in the blood.
This new approach facilitates the identification of biological mechanisms and therapeutic interventions with well-defined, hypothesis-based immune mechanisms and pharmacological targets.
This new approach has the potential to reduce the stigma associated with mental health problems.
The key facts from the text above are summarized in 10 sentences.
Depression is a common mental illness that affects many people.
There are many different types of depression, and each person experiences it differently.
Depression can be caused by a number of different things, including life events, genetics, and physical health conditions.
There are many different ways to treat depression, and each person may need a different approach.
There is evidence that treatments that focus on the mind and emotions can be very effective.
Some people may benefit from treatments that focus on the immune system.
There is still much to learn about depression, and further research is needed to improve our understanding and treatment of this condition.

Description

Test your knowledge about the communication between the brain and the immune system, the impact of psychological and neural phenomena on the immune system, and the relationship between depression and the immune system. This quiz covers the concepts of psychoneuroimmunology, hierarchical models, immunopsychiatry, and different types of depression.