Vnitr Lek 2020, 66(1):34-38 | DOI: 10.36290/vnl.2020.006

Chronic stress, mental discomfort, and depression increase the rates of infectious, autoimmune as well as malignant diseases

Zdeněk Adam¹, Zdeněk Král¹, Jeroným Klimeš², Zdeněk Boleloucký³, Luděk Pour¹

¹ Interní hematologická a onkologická klinika LF MU a FN Brno, pracoviště Bohunice

² Soukromá psychologická ambulance - PhDr. Mgr. Jeroným Klimeš, Ph.D., Praha 9 - Újezd nad Lesy

³ Oddělení psychiatrie a psychoterapie Svitavské nemocnice, Svitavy

Chronic stress and/or depression affect human health in all aspects of functioning. Chronic stress and/or depression reduce the functionality of immune defence. This review presents an overview of laboratory and clinical studies the aim of which was to evaluate the effect of stress on the development of malignant diseases as well as on that of infectious and autoimmune diseases. Numerous laboratory experiments have shown that chronic mental stress contributes to the development of tumours and has the potential to accelerate tumour growth. Many clinical studies have demonstrated that chronic mental stress increases the rates of cancer diseases (morbidity) as well as the death rates from them (mortality). When cancer disease is already present, marital status is one of the prognostic markers. Those who are widowed or divorced have shorter overall as well as tumour-specific survival rates than cohabiting persons. Many studies have analysed the effect of chronic stress, mental discomfort, and/or depression on the development of viral and bacterial infections. Most of these studies have confirmed a higher incidence of common viral and bacterial infections in individuals exposed to chronic stress or in those suffering from depression. Chronic stress also increases the rates or aggravates the course of autoimmune diseases. Chronic stress and depression states have a negative effect on bodily health. Hence, early therapeutic interventions are recommended because elimination of or alleviation from stress or depression during the course of bodily disease can reduce the number of somatic complications, thus reducing treatment costs. Based on the publications cited in the text, it can be concluded that "worrying brings on disease while contentment keeps it away."

Keywords: autoimmune disease, depression, chronic stress, immunity, malignant disease.

Published: February 21, 2020  Show citation