The immune system is a complex defense mechanism in our body designed to protect us from foreign substances and organisms. This does not always work equally well, as the effectiveness of the immune system is influenced by various factors. One of them is stress.
Whether professionally or privately – everyone has been exposed to a stressful situation at some point. But what exactly is stress and what does it do to our bodies? “Stress is the body’s reaction to a threat and is perceived as a feeling of emotional or physical tension,” explains Samuel Gehrke, assistant doctor at the Clinic for Consultant Psychiatry and Psychosomatics. This reaction is directly linked to the immune system. A basic distinction is made between two types of immune defense: non-specific and specific. The non-specific immune defense is the body’s general protective shield. It prevents pathogens from entering the body.
The specific immune defense, on the other hand, is a reaction specifically tailored to the pathogen. If a pathogen enters the body, the specific defense system is activated. The body’s B cells produce antibodies that recognize the structures on the surface of the pathogens and can “dock” there. This also activates other cells and the pathogen is destroyed.
Our immune system and stress perception speak the same language
For a long time it was not known that the psyche has a demonstrable biological effect on the body. Only in the last ten years has it been recognized that immune cells have the same receptor on their surface as nerve cells. This means that they speak the same language and can communicate directly with each other. Recent discoveries even suggest that some nerves communicate via connections with immune organs such as the spleen and can influence their function.
Chronic stress makes us ill
In short bursts, stress can be positive, for example when it comes to avoiding danger or meeting a deadline. A large number of immune reactions are then triggered in the body. The white blood cells, for example, can then be mobilized more quickly to the site of the “danger”. It can even contribute to an increased production of immune cells. However, these positive effects are short-lived and disappear just as quickly as they came. However, if you are exposed to stress over a longer period of time, it can damage your health. “The effects of stress on the body are enormous and occur much more frequently than we think,” says Samuel Gehrke. Any kind of stress that lasts for weeks or months is chronic stress. The release of stress hormones has a direct effect on the immune system. As a result, the immune cells lose the ability to multiply in order to kill pathogens. The amount of antibodies in our saliva also decreases.
Always think positively
According to Samuel Gehrke, thoughts can have a lasting effect on the immune system. “They lead to emotions that are controlled and processed in the parts of the brain that control our survival”. Some studies show that people with more positive thoughts respond better to vaccines and have more effective immune cell function. Even patients with immunodeficiencies such as intestinal inflammation or HIV show that they have a better course of disease when they think positively.
Samuel Gehrke has been working as a junior doctor at the Clinic for Consultative Psychiatry and Psychosomatics at the USZ for a year. There he is primarily concerned with the connection between the body and the psyche. He completed his studies in Brazil, followed by a doctorate in Zurich. In his free time, he reads a lot about ancient cultures, cooks and rows on the lake.
