Keely Muscatell
The speaker’s profession is this type of university faculty member
psychology professor
These molecules act as chemical messengers of the immune system.
cytokines
This organ receives signals from the immune system that affect mood and behavior.
the brain
Inflammation often causes people to withdraw from these types of interactions.
social interactions
This psychological experience can increase inflammation even without infection
The speaker teaches at this university
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
This immune response is the body's first line of defense against injury or infection.
What is inflammation
Inflammation can cause people to feel this emotional state often linked with sadness and hopelessness.
depression
Inflammation may increase motivation to interact with these people.
close friends, family, or support figures
In the experiment, participants had to give this type of speech.
a speech about why they'd be a good candidate for their dream job
She has studied the connection between the immune system and psychology for this many years.
15
Symptoms like fever, fatigue, and achiness are caused by this system activating, not directly by pathogens.
immune system
This two-way relationship exists between the brain and the immune system.
communication or signaling
Inflammation makes interactions with these people less rewarding.
strangers
Participants also performed this stressful cognitive task.
mental math
This specific field of research is the focus of the speaker's lab.
social psychoneuroimmunology
This happens to an area around a paper cut due to inflammation.
What is swelling, redness, and heat
This cycle occurs when psychological stress affects immunity, which then affects mood.
vicious cycle
This brain region showed increased activity when participants saw support figures while inflamed.
ventral striatum
Stress causes an increase in these immune signaling molecules.
cytokines
The speaker and her colleagues used this brain imaging technology in their experiment.
MRI scanning
These specific immune molecules coordinate the inflammatory response.
What are pro-inflammatory cytokines
This field studies the interaction between social experiences, psychology, and the immune system.
social psychoneuroimmunology
This adaptive purpose explains why inflammation causes social withdrawal.
conserving energy for healing
This finding shows the brain can activate the immune system without physical illness.
psychological stress triggering inflammation