Hannah Thomasy in The Scientist:
For decades, researchers have appreciated the intimate association between mental health and physical health, and studies suggest that the mind may impact various bodily systems.1 For example, high levels of stress rendered people more vulnerable to infections; conversely, mental health treatment reduced the risk of rehospitalization by 75 percent in people hospitalized for heart disease.2,3
However, the mechanisms by which mental states might influence the immune or cardiovascular systems are still not well understood. Asya Rolls, a neuroscientist at the Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, said that these questions are often overlooked because many researchers feel that the field of mind-body connection is not amenable to rigorous scientific exploration. “It’s a major, fundamental gap in our understanding of physiology and medicine, and our ability to help patients,” she said.
More here.
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