Applications of psychoneuroimmunology models of toxic stress in prevention and intervention efforts across early development

Abstract

Although evidence supporting psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) models of toxic stress have emerged over the past decade, the PNI field has struggled to integrate these important findings into real-world practical applications. There is great potential for these models to reduce the societal burden of childhood adversity by facilitating early detection and prevention with those children and adolescents at greatest risk for stress-related physical and psychological disorders. But further research is needed to validate and scale developmentally appropriate interventions with specific immune and endocrine mechanism-based targets that are developmentally sensitive. The allostatic load and additive PNI models of toxic stress exposure in youth are summarized. These models highlight the importance of integrating a standardized screening of environmental and interpersonal risk factors with stable and scalable cognitive and biological markers of risk. PNI models of toxic stress illustrate the need for intervention delivery as early as possible to prevent negative health outcomes in youth and comprehensive screening efforts would facilitate the deployment of community and family level interventions. This review discusses practical applications of toxic stress models that are currently under investigation, clarifies key obstacles, such as research gaps and scalability, and provides potential solutions, including cross-disciplinary partnerships.

Protocol for Project MIME: Motivation, Inflammation, and Mood in Emerging Adults

“…First, this study was designed for the explicit purpose of testing theories integrating inflammatory physiology into established, robust risk pathways (i.e., rumination and reward sensitivity) for mood psychopathology. Ideally, theoretical integration of psychosocial and biological risk factors will allow for maximally comprehensive treatment plans, advancing precision medicine (Kautz, 2021;Moriarity, 2021). Three previously published studies from our team directly support parts of this model (Moriarity et al, 2018;Moriarity, Ng, Curley, et al, 2020;Moriarity, Ng, Titone, et al, 2020); however, they each had limitations inherent in secondary data analysis that will be addressed in this dataset.…”

Relación del estrés con la inmunosupresión en adultos. Revisión sistemática

“…(15) Así mismo, se demostró que la desregulación del eje HPA ocurre cuando los glucocorticoides no logran controlar la inflamación existente luego de la exposición crónica al estrés. (16) En el contexto de estrés crónico, las hormonas sexuales como: estrógenos, progesterona y testosterona ejercen su participación en la inmunomodulación, al ser producidas por la acción conjunta del eje HPG al activar la producción de DHEA, GnRH y por lo tanto de FSH y LH. ( 17) Se ha comprobado que las hormonas sexuales, principalmente los estrógenos influyen directamente en el recuento total de neutrófilos y en su funcionamiento, como es el caso de la modulación del reclutamiento de neutrófilos, producción de anión superóxido (crucial en los procesos de estrés oxidativo), y de mieloperoxidasa.…”

Psycho-Neuro-Endocrine-Immunology: A Role for Melatonin in This New Paradigm

“…His research on the relationships between animals studied the emotional implications of stress conditions: fight or flight and the attitude adopted in these conditions. He also studied the physiological modifications of animals in this condition, highlighting the emotional experience of the animal and developing the so-called thalamic theory [ 9 ]. Stress studies were significantly developed by Hans Hugo Bruno Selye (1907–1982), an endocrinologist of Hungarian origin, responsible for the fundamental division into distress (negative stress) and eustress (positive stress) based on the pathophysiological responses of living organisms and the degree of intensity of the applied stressor [ 9 , 10 ].…”

“…He also studied the physiological modifications of animals in this condition, highlighting the emotional experience of the animal and developing the so-called thalamic theory [ 9 ]. Stress studies were significantly developed by Hans Hugo Bruno Selye (1907–1982), an endocrinologist of Hungarian origin, responsible for the fundamental division into distress (negative stress) and eustress (positive stress) based on the pathophysiological responses of living organisms and the degree of intensity of the applied stressor [ 9 , 10 ]. Although these studies have had a significant impact on what will be the foundations of the PNEI, it is necessary to remember that the experimental models of stress used were excessively forced and far from the simple concept of stress: Selye demonstrated the hypertrophy of the adrenal glands of rats subjected to highly harsh treatments (electric shocks, cold, heat, drowning, etc.)…”