Stress and Immunity

Course overview

Stress and immunity rely on each other's alignment. They are forever in a teeter totter motion. Most stress is acute and normal. However, chronic stress can dysregulate these normal processes. Inflammation is the body's first line of defense against any internal or foreign invader. However, stress can also cause both the primary (innate) and secondary (adaptive) immune systems to break down and lead to chronic inflammation and/or even a systemic inflammatory response that can be life-threatening (Son & Friedman, 2023). In this course, you will first learn about the concepts and neuroendocrine foundations of stress. You will then learn more about the immune system as a primer to lastly learning further how stress can negatively impact the immune system.