The Physical Is a "Shadow" of the Spiritual, Even in Human Biology

4/13/2006

Hi there : ) Just something interesting I came across today in a biology paper… reminded me of the e-mail you sent not too long ago about bitterness/unforgiveness causing cancer. Also just made me think about the importance of taking thoughts captive, making them our soldiers. Jesus knew it was important for us for MANY reasons, such as in the Body of Christ, but even down to how our personal physical machine works, it’s important… love, : )

The physical is the “shadow” of the spiritual, even in human biology... 

“Can our emotions make us more vulnerable to diseases? Can the nervous system influence the immune system?

Until recently, most scientists and physicians would have said definitely not. In traditional medicine, the immune system is treated as a separate entity because until recently there was no reason to believe that it was influenced by any other system. Now we are not so sure.

Recent studies indicate a connection between the nervous system and the immune system. They demonstrate that stress, depression, and bereavement can increase susceptibility to infectious diseases and cancer. In one study, volunteers were interviewed and then infected with the cold virus (via nose drops). People who had recently experienced emotional stress, such as a death in the family, a divorce, or job layoff, developed worse colds than the others. Another study, which monitored the emotions and white blood cells of medical students, revealed that students are much more susceptible to illnesses during final exams.

In yet another study, the husbands of women with advanced cancer gave blood samples to measure their white blood cells during their wives’ illnesses and after their deaths. While the immune systems of the men remained normal during their wives’ illnesses, they became significantly weaker after their wives died and remained weaker for at least a year. Psychologists concluded it was the feeling of helplessness after the death, rather than stress of the illness, that depressed the immune systems of the husbands.

 Other evidence comes from the unusual phenomenon of hair turning gray within a few days after an emotional shock. Apparently, the strong emotion evokes an inappropriate response by the immune system, in which antibodies attack pigment cells in the hair follicles. The hair loses its pigment and turns gray. The fact that antibodies change their behavior in response to emotions indicates the immune system receives information from the nervous system.

We now have considerable evidence that the mind influences the immune system. We even have evidence of the reverse: the immune system appears to influence the mind. How do these two organ systems communicate with each other? What messages are sent back and forth? Researchers are beginning to explore the physical basis of the mind-body relationship.

Several hypotheses about the physical basis of communication between the nervous system and immune system are now being tested… One hypothesis is a two-way communication within certain organs: neurons in the lymph nodes and spleen secrete neurotransmitters that bind with protein receptors within the plasma membranes of white blood cells and alter their activities. In a test of this hypothesis, researchers stimulated these neurons (in laboratory animals) and found that the immune system responded by changing its activities. A second hypothesis is that the two systems communicate by way of the endocrine system: the immune system communicates with the endocrine system, which in turn communicates with the nervous system. The stress hormone epinephrine (also know as adrenalin) has been shown to depress the immune system. A third hypothesis is that neurons and white blood cells speak the same language: they secrete and respond to some of the same chemical messengers. Disease symptoms that originate in the mind (sleepiness, headache, and muscle aches) can be induced by chemical messengers secreted by white blood cells, and neurotransmitters secreted by brain cells are known to bind with membrane proteins in white blood cells.”

Biology—Research Report