INDIVIDUAL COPING STRATEGIES AND VULNERABILITY TO STRESS PATHOLOGY

Psychosocial factors are implicated in the individual development, course and recovery from disease. Studies with animal models using social interactions show that the magnitude and direction of changes in the immune-, neuroendocrine-, and cardiovascular system are highly correlated with the social position of the animal. This relationship appears to depend on the animalxs coping strategy both in terms of behaviour and neuroendocrinology, and hence in immunology as well. It is argued that disease processes should be considered as a function of the baseline behavioural, neuroendocrine, and immunological state.