Psychobiology of stress

The results of psychoneuroimmunological research point to the importance of neuroendocrine stress systems as a link between psychosocial stress, immune response and the progression of malignant diseases. Comprehensive palliative care for physical, emotional and spiritual needs is particularly indicated for terminal stages of disease. Nevertheless, only very limited effective psychosocial interventions and corresponding studies are available for the palliative care context.

Whether already validated biomarkers of stress can be transferred to patient groups with advanced cancer has not yet been clarified. The aim of our study is therefore to test the reactivity of salivary cortisol to a mindfulness exercise and thus to assess the feasibility, validity and suitability of the stress marker as a measure of success for future therapy studies.

The influence of mindfulness-based stress management on health is being investigated in two courses at the Institute. To assess this, test subjects are examined using EMA (ecological momentary assessment) and repeated blood samples for longitudinal changes in their perception of stress, their situational mindfulness and with regard to changes in biological parameters (epigenetic, endocrinological and enzymatic parameters). The results of this study suggest how mindfulness-based interventions affect endocrine and autonomic stress regulation - measured via daily cortisol profiles and alpha-amylase - in healthy subjects and what role epigenetic processes affecting the serotonin and immune systems (e.g. SLC6A4, IL6 or IL1 etc.) play in these changes. Furthermore, the effects of the intervention on the epigenetic markers that we have recorded can be assessed.

A stress management training programme that focuses on resource orientation and social interaction of the participants is being investigated in a group of doctoral students with regard to its health-promoting effect. In addition to everyday well-being using EMA (ecological momentary assessment), biological parameters relating to endocrine stress reactivity (cortisol daily profiles) and methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (NR3C1) are being analysed. The results of this study allow conclusions to be drawn about the health-promoting effectiveness of such an intervention and the degree to which corticosteroid secretion is modified by epigenetic processes.