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Psychoneuroimmunology

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Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine

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Synonyms

Behavioral immunology

Definition

Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is the study of the functional relationships between central nervous system, behavior, and immune system.

These relationships have been documented to be multidirectional. For example, while behavior can influence immune processes through changes in nervous system signals, immune signals have been shown to alter the function of the central nervous system, thereby influencing behavior. Further, all systems exert regulatory control over each other, forming a complex communication network.

PNI research aims at describing this network and thus to contribute to the understanding of the behavioral and biological mechanisms underlying the links between psychosocial factors and health as well as disease development and progression. Psychosocial factors studied in PNI thereby range from negative psychological states such as depression and anxiety, to social support, interpersonal relationships, and personality factors....

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References and Further Reading

  • Ader, R. (2001). Psychoneuroimmunology. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 10(3), 94–98.

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  • Cohen, S., & Herbert, T. B. (1996). Health psychology: Psychological factors and physical disease from the perspective of human psychoneuroimmunology. Annual Review of Psychology, 47, 113–142.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maier, S. F., Watkins, L. R., & Fleshner, M. (1994). Psychoneuroimmunology: The interface between behavior, brain, and immunity. American Psychologist, 49(12), 1004–1017.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schedlowski, M., & Tewes, U. (Eds.). (1996). Psychoneuroimmunology: An interdisciplinary introduction. New York/Boston/Dordrecht/London/Moscow: Kluwer Academic/Plenum.

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  • Vedhara, K., & Irwin, M. (Eds.). (2007). Human psychoneuroimmunology. New York: Oxford University Press.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, USA

    Jutta M. Wolf & Kirsten Rene

Authors
  1. Jutta M. Wolf
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  2. Kirsten Rene
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jutta M. Wolf .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA

    Marc Gellman

Section Editor information

  1. School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK

    Anna C. Whittaker

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© 2019 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature

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Wolf, J.M., Rene, K. (2019). Psychoneuroimmunology. In: Gellman, M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6439-6_482-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6439-6_482-2

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4614-6439-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-6439-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Reference MedicineReference Module Medicine

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