Modulation Of Neuroimmune Parameters During Humor-Associated Mirth

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Medical Abstract Title:

 

Modulation Of Neuroimmune Parameters During The Eustress

Of Humor-Associated Mirthful Laughter

http://www.enzy.com/abstracts/display.asp?id=2610

 

Author:

Berk LS, Felten DL, Tan SA, Bittman BB, Westengard J

 

Source:

Altern Ther Health Med. 2001;7(2):62-76

 

Abstract:

 

CONTEXT Humor therapy and the related mirthful laughter are

suggested to have preventive and healing effects. Although these

effects may he mediated by neuroendocrine/neuroimmune modulation,

specific neuroimmune parameters have not been mfully investigated.

OBJECTIVE To determine the efficacy of mirthful laughter to modulate

neuroimmune parameters in normal subjects.

 

DESIGN A series of 5 separate studies based on a multivariate

repeated measures design, with post hoc simple contrast analysis.

 

SETTING The schools of medicine and public health at Loma Linda

University, Loma Linda, Calif.

 

SUBJECTS 52 healthy men.

 

INTERVENTION Viewing of a humor video for 1 hour. Blood samples were

taken 10 minutes before, 30 minutes into, and 30 minutes and 12

hours after the intervention.

 

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Natural killer cell activity; plasma

immunoglobulins; functional phenotypic markers for leukocytes

including activated T cells, nonactivated T cells, B cells, natural

killer cells, T cells with helper and suppressor markers, and

assessment Of plasma volume and compartmental shifts, plasma

cytokine-interferon-gamma- and total leukocytes with subpopulations

of lymphocytes, granulocytes, and monocytes.

 

RESULTS Increases were found in natural killer cell activity (P

<.01); immunoglobulins G (P <.02), A (P <.01), and M (P <.09), with

several immunoglobulin effects lasting 12 hours into recovery from

initiation of the humor intervention; functional phenotypic markers

for leukocyte subsets such as activated T cells (P<. 01), active

cytotoxic T cells (P <.01), natural killer cells (P =.09), B cells

(P <.01), helper T cells (P <.02), uncommitted T cells with helper

and suppressor markers (P <.02), helper/suppressor ratio (P =.10)

with several leukocyte subset increase effects lasting 12 hours

after the humor experience, the cytokine interferon-gamma (P =.02),

with increases lasting 12 hours; total leukocytes (P <.05), with

specific suhpopulation lymphocytes during the intervention (P <.01)

and 90 minutes into recovery (P <.05); and granulocytes during the

intervention (P <.05) and 90 minutesfollowing the intervention (P

<.01).

 

CONCLUSION Modulation of neuroimmune parameters during and

following, the humor-associated eustress of laughter may provide

beneficial health effects for wellness and a complementary adjunct

to whole-person integrative medicine therapies.

_________________

 

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