[Stress and auto-immunity]

Abstract

The etiology of auto-immune disorders is multifactorial. Stress is probably a participating factor. Indeed, a high proportion of patients with auto-immune diseases report uncommon stress before disease onset or disease flare. The biological consequences of stress are increasingly well understood. Glucocorticoids and catecholamines released by hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis during stress will alter the balance Th1/Th2 and the balance Th17/Treg. Stress impairs cellular immunity, decreases immune tolerance and stimulates humoral immunity exposing individuals to autoimmune disease among others. The treatment for autoimmune disease should include stress management.

Keywords: Autoimmune diseases; Axe hypothalamo-hypophysaire; Cellules Th1; Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis; Lymphocytes Th17; Maladies auto-immunes; Stress; Th1 cells; Th17 Lymphocytes.