Levels of circulating CD8+ T lymphocytes, natural killer cells, and eosinophils increase upon acute psychosocial stress in patients with atopic dermatitis

Schmid-Ott, ­Gerhard; Jaeger, Burkard; Adamek, Christiane; Koch, Heidrun; Lamprecht, Friedhelm; Kapp, Alexander; Werfel, Thomas

doi:10.1067/mai.2001.111850

Cited by 106 publications

(67 citation statements)

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“…Furthermore, catecholamines can skew the immune response towards the Th2 phenotype [15], and the initiation of AD appears to be driven by an allergen-induced activation of Th2 cells [16]. The finding that CD8+ T lymphocytes counts are increased for 1 h after mental stress in patients with AD compared to healthy controls due to elevated norepinephrine plasma levels further supports the notion of neuroimmunological mechanisms in AD [17]. Finally, neurotransmitters, such as substance P, calcitonin gene-related peptide, somatostatin and others, have been linked to pruritus and neurogenic inflammation in skin diseases [18], particularly AD [19, 20].…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 50%

Psychophysiological Reactivity under Mental Stress in Atopic Dermatitis

et al. 2005

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Background: An association of mental stress with atopic dermatitis is widely accepted. However, no long-term evaluation of psychophysiological reactivity over the course of disease has yet been performed. Objective: We examined whether atopic dermatitis patients have an increased psychophysiological reactivity compared to healthy controls and in between acute and disease-free phases, and whether they differ in psychological state and trait variables. Methods: Fifteen patients with atopic dermatitis underwent a stress test during acute exacerbation and after symptom improvement and were compared to matched controls. Results: Psychophysiological responsesto stress were not stronger in the patient group than in the controls. Nevertheless, the patients had a higher heart rate and lower vagal activity throughout the resting and stress phases at both examination times. The patients showed significantly higher anxiety, depression and emotional excitability, and self-ratings of inactivity clearly distinguished acute phases from remission. Conclusion: There is an increased vegetative excitability level in patients with atopic dermatitis, which cannot be attributed solely to increased disease activity.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 50%

Psychophysiological Reactivity under Mental Stress in Atopic Dermatitis

et al. 2005

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“…Consequently, a vicious cycle is formed: pruritus, scratching and worsening of dermatitis. Schmid-Ott et al (2001a, b) showed that psychological stress increased CD8 + /CD11b + T lymphocytes, natural killer cells, and eosinophils in AD patients when compared with healthy controls. In addition, Garg et al (2001) reported that psychological stress perturbed epidermal permeability, indicating that stress affects the skin barrier function.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Psychological Stress can Trigger Atopic Dermatitis in NC/Nga Mice: An Inhibitory Effect of Corticotropin-Releasing Factor

Amano

Negishi

Akiyama

et al. 2007

Neuropsychopharmacol

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Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most common inflammatory diseases of the skin and is usually associated with a family history of atopic diathesis. It has been well established that many environmental or psychological factors aggravate AD. However, it is not clear whether psychological stress by itself can trigger AD. We examined the effect of psychological stress on the onset of AD, using an animal model, the NC/Nga mouse. The animals were exposed to the water avoidance stress (WAS) test to induce psychological stress. Additionally, we examined how corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) affected the development of AD induced by psychological stress. Under specific pathogen-free (SPF) conditions, NC/Nga mice did not develop AD-like skin lesions. In contrast, NC/Nga mice exposed to psychological stress developed AD-like skin lesions along with elevated levels of serum immunoglobulin E even when kept under SPF conditions. The AD-like skin lesions induced by WAS were completely blocked by pretreating the animals with CRF. Our data indicate that a psychological factor is capable of eliciting AD-like skin lesions in NC/Nga mice. It is possible that the inhibitory effect of CRF may be mediated by the functional modification of various cells that have CRF receptors.

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“…Studies over the past 2 decades have shown that eosinophils play a major role in allergic diseases, characterized by activated eosinophils in the peripheral blood and in the lesional skin [51]. Interestingly, immunological response to allergens represents an important trigger for the increase of eosinophil counts in the peripheral blood and serum IgE level [52]. A Japanese study found that the eosinophil levels correlated with the allergic diseases, high blood eosinophil levels in atopic diseases [53].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%