Abstract
At the time we began our investigations of the modulation of immune function and tumor development by neural and endocrine opioid systems, several findings suggested that this was a reasonable avenue to explore. For example, focal electrical stimulation of an opioid-rich brain region was found to increase tumor growth (Brechner et al., 1983; Simon et al., 1980), specific brain lesions alter immune functions (Cross et al., 1982; Stein et al., 1982), and immune responses have been correlated with changes in brain neural activity (Besedovsky et al., 1983). Also, evidence was accumulating from in vitro studies that opioids influence the functioning of the immune system (for reviews see Plotnikoff and Miller, 1983; Weber and Pert, 1984). It was our intent to use environmental stressors as stimuli for activating endogenous opioid systems and observe their effects on tumor development and immune competence. Examination of the literature pertaining to the effects of stress on these processes, however, presented us with a somewhat confusing picture. This literature contained a host of seemingly contradictory results: stress can either enhance, suppress, or not affect tumor development or immune function (e.g. Jensen, 1968; Newberry and Sengbush, 1979; Nieburgs et al., 1977; Riley, 1981; Sklar and Anisman, 1981).
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Lewis, J.W., Shavit, Y., Martin, F.C., Terman, G.W., Gale, R.P., Liebeskind, J.C. (1986). Effects of Stress and Morphine on Natural Killer Cell Activity and on Mammary Tumor Development. In: Plotnikoff, N.P., Faith, R.E., Murgo, A.J., Good, R.A. (eds) Enkephalins and Endorphins. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0557-4_9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-0557-4_9
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