Depression, stress may reduce survival of Covid-19 antibody: study

According to a study published in Perspectives on Psychological Science, recession, stress, loneliness, and chronic debilitating habits can weaken the body’s immune system and reduce the suitability of certain antibodies.

The report suggests that an equivalent may be useful in the early stages of new Covid-19 vaccination and worldwide distribution under development.

Fortunately, simple steps such as exercising and sleeping may alleviate these negative effects. Vaccines are one of the safest and most effective advances in the medical history to protect society from a variety of catastrophic diseases such as smallpox and polio. But the key to their success is to ensure that a significant proportion of the population is effectively vaccinated to achieve so-called herd immunity.

Rigorous testing has shown that the Covid-19 vaccine, approved for distribution in the United States, is very effective in producing a strong immune response, but everyone is immediately in full benefit. You don’t get. Environmental factors, as well as an individual’s genetics and physical and mental health, can weaken the body’s immune system and delay its response to the vaccine.

This is especially troublesome as the new coronavirus continues to rampage around the world, causing people to address quarantine, financial stressors, and uncertainty about the future, while at the same time creating a mental health crisis. .. These challenges are the same factors that have previously been shown to reduce the effectiveness of vaccines, especially among the elderly.

“In addition to the physical harm of Covid-19, the pandemic also has an annoying mental health component that causes anxiety and depression, among other many other related problems. Emotional, such as these. Stress factors affect a person’s immune system and can impair their ability to avoid infections. ” Ohio State University researcher and lead author of the treatise, Annelies Madison, said.

“Our new study reveals the effectiveness of vaccines and how healthy behaviors and emotional stressors can alter the ability of the body to develop an immune response. The problem is that the pandemic itself It is possible that these risk factors are being amplified. “

Vaccines work by challenging the immune system. Within hours of vaccination, when the body begins to recognize potential biological threats, a general innate immune response occurs at the cellular level. This front-line response by the immune system is ultimately aided by the production of antibodies that target specific pathogens. It is the continuous production of antibodies that helps determine how effective the vaccine is in providing long-term protection.

Janice Keelt Grasuer, director and senior author of The Ohio State University Institute of Behavioral Medicine, said: “In our research, it’s just one aspect of the adaptive immune system response, but it puts the most emphasis on antibody response. On paper.

The good news, according to researchers, is that the Covid-19 vaccine already on the market is about 95% effective. Nevertheless, these psychological and behavioral factors can increase the time it takes to develop immunity and shorten the duration of immunity.

“What’s exciting to me is that some of these factors can be changed and some simple things can be done to maximize the initial effect of the vaccine,” Kiecolt said. Glass said.

Based on previous studies, one of the strategies researchers suggest is to exercise hard and get a good night’s sleep 24 hours before vaccination so that the immune system works at its best. This may help ensure that the best and strongest immune response occurs as quickly as possible.

“Previous studies have suggested that psychological and behavioral interventions can improve vaccine responsiveness. Short-term interventions may also be effective. Therefore, now is the risk of poor immune response. It’s time to identify someone and intervene in these risk factors, “Madison said.