Immune Function and Psychological Factors in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease (I)

• Published in: JAPANESE CIRCULATION JOURNAL Vol. 63; no. 9; pp. 704 - 709
• Main Authors: Ishihara, Shunichi, Nohara, Ryuji, Makita, Shigeru, Imai, Masaru, Kubo, Shigeru, Hashimoto, Tetsuo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kyoto The Japanese Circulation Society 01.09.1999; Japanese Circulation Society
• Subjects: Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiac sport rehabilitation; Cardiology. Vascular system; Coronary Disease - immunology; Coronary Disease - psychology; Coronary Disease - therapy; Coronary heart disease; Exercise Therapy; Female; Heart; Humans; Immune function; Killer Cells, Natural - immunology; Male; Medical sciences; Personality Inventory; Psychological factors; Natural killer cell; Physical exercise; Human; Immune response; Reeducation; Pathophysiology; Cardiovascular disease; Exploration; Psychological effect; Coronary heart disease; Immune system
• ISSN: 0047-1828; 1347-4839
• DOI: 10.1253/jcj.63.704

As part of studies on the effects, especially the preventive effects, of exercise and psychological factors on cardiovascular diseases, the association between psychological tendencies and immune response was evaluated in patients with coronary heart disease who were receiving exercise therapy. The Pearson's product-moment correlation coefficients between natural killer (NK) cell activity and various psychological scales were obtained. For the Moudsley Personality Inventory, NK cell activity had a significant positive correlation with the extraversion scale and a significant negative correlation with the neuroticism scale. NK cell activity also had a significant positive correlation with the playful humor scale and a significantly negative correlation with the Self-rating Depression Scale. The positive correlation of NK cell activity with the extraversion scale and the humor scale and its negative correlation with the neuroticism scale suggest an association between a positive-feeling tendency and high NK cell activity. The negative correlations of NK activity with the depression scale and neuroticism scale indicate that decreased or excessive expression of feelings inhibits NK cell activity. Thus, high NK activity appears to be associated with optimal expression of feelings. (Jpn Circ J 1999; 63: 704 - 709)