Psychoimmunology

The concept of psychoimmunology is based on the connections between the mind and the immune system. At its most basic, it involves the view that the mind and the body are inseparable, and that increased stress affects the body's ability to resist disease. By contrast, less stress can be seen to make patients stronger. With psychoimmunology, researchers have shown that the brain can influence all types of physiological processes which were once believed not to be centrally regulated. Studies have shown that psychological factors have been able to help with the treatment of many diseases and disorders including diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, inflammatory bowel disease, and rheumatoid arthritis. Essentially, the belief hinges on the fact that if one remains strong in spirit, it will help one deal with medical disorders more effectively.

Two of the major pioneers of psychoimmunology are Dr. George L. Engel of the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and Dr. George F. Solomon of the Harvard Medical School. Dr. Engel worked heavily on building up what he called the biopsychosocial approach in which he analyzed how physicians approached patients and the various conceptual models that formed. Dr. Solomon, a leading academic psychiatrist, was clinical professor at the Medical School of the University of California, Los Angeles, becoming professor of the Medical School at the University of California, San Francisco, before returning to Los Angeles as professor of psychiatry and behavioral science. He has written over 170 articles on developments in the field of psychoimmunology.