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Review
. 2007 Nov;21(8):993-9.
doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2007.03.009. Epub 2007 May 9.

Stress and inflammation in exacerbations of asthma

Edith Chen  1 , Gregory E Miller
Affiliations
Review

Stress and inflammation in exacerbations of asthma

Edith Chen et al. Brain Behav Immun. 2007 Nov.

Abstract

In this mini-review, we outline a model depicting the immunologic mechanisms by which psychological stress can exacerbate clinical symptoms in patients with asthma. This model highlights the importance of both social and physical exposures in the exacerbation of asthma symptoms. The basic premise of the model is that psychological stress operates by altering the magnitude of the airway inflammatory response that irritants, allergens, and infections bring about in persons with asthma. The biological pathways for how stress amplifies the immune response to asthma triggers include the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) axis, and the sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic (PNS) arms of the autonomic nervous system. Empirical evidence for this model is reviewed, and conclusions and future research directions are discussed.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Model depicting the interaction of psychological stress with environmental triggers in influencing asthma exacerbations. The basic premise of the model is that stress operates by altering the magnitude of the airway inflammatory response that irritants, allergens, and infections bring about in persons with asthma. The figure provides an overview of the relevant biological pathways to airway inflammation and bronchoconstriction, including the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) axis, and the sympathetic (SNS) and parasympathetic (PNS) arms of the autonomic nervous system.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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