Biomaterial Database

[Stress and immunity. The role of stress in auto-immunity of Basedow's disease]. 1990

B Ducornet, and J Duprey

Policlinique, Hôpital Ambroise Paré, Boulogne.

The possible influence of stress on the immune system, long since suspected by the clinicians in their daily practice, was confirmed by human and animal studies, some of which being recent. Stress generally exert an immunosuppressive effect, but some of its characteristics (nature, duration, intensity, controllability of the stressing situation) can modulate this response, amplifying or reversing it. The concerned mechanisms are complex, involving the autonomic nervous system, the hypothalamo-pituitary complex and its target-glands through hormonal receptors born on immunocompetent cells. The immune system, conversely, is able to inform the brain about the interference of non cognitive stimuli (viruses, bacteria, tumors) through immunologic cell-derived immunohormones active in the central nervous system. Thus, close immune-neuroendocrine interactions exist, in order to cope with stress of all kinds. The stress can act in Graves' disease by depressing the T suppressive function via the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis, by eliciting the secretion of catecholamines capable of initiating an hyperthyroidism, by facilitating through its immunosuppressive action a viral infection that can have a part in initiating the auto-immune process.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007107	Immune System	The body's defense mechanism against foreign organisms or substances and deviant native cells. It includes the humoral immune response and the cell-mediated response and consists of a complex of interrelated cellular, molecular, and genetic components.	Immune Systems,System, Immune,Systems, Immune
D002490	Central Nervous System	The main information-processing organs of the nervous system, consisting of the brain, spinal cord, and meninges.	Cerebrospinal Axis,Axi, Cerebrospinal,Axis, Cerebrospinal,Central Nervous Systems,Cerebrospinal Axi,Nervous System, Central,Nervous Systems, Central,Systems, Central Nervous
D006111	Graves Disease	A common form of hyperthyroidism with a diffuse hyperplastic GOITER. It is an autoimmune disorder that produces antibodies against the THYROID STIMULATING HORMONE RECEPTOR. These autoantibodies activate the TSH receptor, thereby stimulating the THYROID GLAND and hypersecretion of THYROID HORMONES. These autoantibodies can also affect the eyes (GRAVES OPHTHALMOPATHY) and the skin (Graves dermopathy).	Basedow's Disease,Exophthalmic Goiter,Goiter, Exophthalmic,Graves' Disease,Basedow Disease,Hyperthyroidism, Autoimmune,Basedows Disease,Disease, Basedow,Disease, Basedow's,Disease, Graves,Disease, Graves',Exophthalmic Goiters,Goiters, Exophthalmic
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D013312	Stress, Physiological	The unfavorable effect of environmental factors (stressors) on the physiological functions of an organism. Prolonged unresolved physiological stress can affect HOMEOSTASIS of the organism, and may lead to damaging or pathological conditions.	Biotic Stress,Metabolic Stress,Physiological Stress,Abiotic Stress,Abiotic Stress Reaction,Abiotic Stress Response,Biological Stress,Metabolic Stress Response,Physiological Stress Reaction,Physiological Stress Reactivity,Physiological Stress Response,Abiotic Stress Reactions,Abiotic Stress Responses,Abiotic Stresses,Biological Stresses,Biotic Stresses,Metabolic Stress Responses,Metabolic Stresses,Physiological Stress Reactions,Physiological Stress Responses,Physiological Stresses,Reaction, Abiotic Stress,Reactions, Abiotic Stress,Response, Abiotic Stress,Response, Metabolic Stress,Stress Reaction, Physiological,Stress Response, Metabolic,Stress Response, Physiological,Stress, Abiotic,Stress, Biological,Stress, Biotic,Stress, Metabolic
D015551	Autoimmunity	Process whereby the immune system reacts against the body's own tissues. Autoimmunity may produce or be caused by AUTOIMMUNE DISEASES.	Autoimmune Response,Autoimmune Responses,Autoimmunities