1. Communication among cells, tissues and organ systems is essential for survival. Vertebrate and invertebrate animals rely primarily on three physiological systems for intra-organismal communication: the nervous, endocrine and immune systems. Rather than acting independently of one another, these systems communicate in an integrated fashion to coordinate suites of speciesappropriate physiologi...

Animals have a number of behavioral defenses against infection. For example, they typically avoid sick conspecifics, especially during mating. Most animals also alter their behavior after infection and thereby promote recovery (i.e., sickness behavior). For example, sick animals typically reduce the performance of energetically demanding behaviors, such as sexual behavior. Finally, some animals...

Background: The purpose of this discussion is to explore the theory, evidence base, and practice of Qigong for individuals with cancer. Questions addressed are: What is qigong? How does it work? What evidence exists supporting its practice in integrative oncology? What barriers to wide-spread programming access exist? Methods: Sources for this discussion include a review of scholarly texts, the...

Correspondence to: Professor D S Rampton, Endoscopy Unit, Royal London Hospital, London E1 1BB, UK; [email protected] _________________________ SUMMARY Psychological stress has long been reported anecdotally to increase disease activity in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and recent well designed studies have confirmed that adverse life events, chronic stress, and depression increase the li...

Current cancer conceptualization and management focuses it as a chronic disease that could be directly modulated by psychosocial stressors. An individual is considered a cancer survivor from the time of diagnosis and from the balance of his or her life, including health, mental states, identity, sexuality and financial standings. Moving within the theoretical frames of Psychooncology and Psycho...

The links between the psychological and physiological features of cancer risk and progression have been studied through psychoneuroimmunology. The persistent activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in the chronic stress response and in depression probably impairs the immune response and contributes to the development and progression of some types of cancer. Here, we overview...

Since the inception of Brain, Behavior and Immunity twenty years ago, many exciting developments have occurred regarding the relationship between depression and the immune system. These developments have increasingly put the field of psychoneuroimmunology into a clinical context with important translational implications. Initial studies focused on the impact of depression on relatively narrowly...

For centuries people have said that laughter is the best medicine, but until recently this fact remained scientifically unproven. However, since 1964, when Norman Cousins incorporated humor the rapy in his t r ea tmen t of ankylos ing spondylitis, the medical world has begun to take more serious notice of the healing power of humor and the positive emotions associated with it. The relationship ...

617 The links between the psychological and physiological features of cancer risk and progression have been studied through psychoneuroimmunology. The persistent activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in the chronic stress response and in depression probably impairs the immune response and contributes to the development and progression of some types of cancer. Here, we over...

An exhaustive review on the organic illnesses presenting with psychiatric manifestations, properly defined pseudopsychiatric emergencies, is presented. A systematic classification of the numerous organic causes of psychiatric disorders, based on authors' experience and literature revision, is carefully analysed, and their suitable diagnostic management in emergency setting is proposed. Moreover...