Principal investigator
Collaborators
Research
We are interested in areas relating to the dynamics
of immune system behaviour and the maintenance of integrity. How does the immune
system establishes and maintains its large portfolio of recognition structures and
how the balance between self and non-self recognition is altered by such things
as infection, illness or stress?
A second area draws on the extensive communication
channels that exist between the immune system and the nervous system and the fact
that, like the immune system, the nervous system is involved in the establishment
and maintenance of a coherent self identity.
This area of deals with the connection
between self-defining immunological and psychological processes and the implications
of the relationship for illness and health.
Research projects
Immune system coherence within living individuals
The relationship between immune and psychological processes can be approached from
a number or perspectives. A common way is to explore the extensive pathways of biochemical
connection between the immune system and the nervous system as evidence that psychological
factors can influence immunity. We have developed a theoretical approach through which psycho-immune relationships might be better appreciated in humans. We see
the immune system as a cognitive, self-defining system in which defence against
the outside world arises as a consequence of self determination rather than as a
primary reason for the immune system's existence. Briefly, our model is built around
a principle which we call ' teleological coherence' which asserts that:
'The relationships between psychosocial and immunological domains arise as a consequence
of their shared goal, which is to establish and continuously maintain a self-identity
and an adequate relationship with an ever-changing context.'
'The nature of the relationships between these two domains is governed by the necessity
for 'harmony of purpose' or coherence among all levels of the organism.'
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Emotional disclosure, immune responsiveness and health
We are investigating whether such psychological processes as the disclosure or repression
of emotionally upsetting events in people's lives can influence the development of immunity. For example, in assessing whether emotional expression of traumatic
experiences affects the immune response to vaccination, we found that subjects assigned
to write about personal traumatic events over four consecutive days developed significantly
higher antibody levels against hepatitis B vaccine over the subsequent six months
than did subjects assigned to write about trivial topics. In other work we have
found differential effects on immune variables depending on whether people express
or suppress their thoughts about upsetting issues.
The manner in which people handle emotional issues in their lives is
known to affect their health. Our work suggests that emotional disclosure may influence immune responsiveness
as well as having general health benefits. We are investigating the effects of emotional
expression in women with breast cancer and in patients with psoriasis - a chronic
immunologically-related skin condition.
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Psychoimmune factors in wound healing
Early stages of wound healing involve a set of immunological hormones called pro-inflammatory
cytokines. Laboratory-based studies have shown that the concentration of these cytokines
in experimental wounds is affected by how stressful people feel their lives to be
at the time of measurement. Our research extends this work into the clinical arena
where we have found that in patients undergoing surgery for hernia repair, there
is a correlation between their levels of perceived stress in the week prior to surgery
and the concentration of pro-inflammatory cytokines and other wound healing factors
in their wound fluid 24 hours after surgery.
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Selected publications
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Zargar-Shoshtari, K., Paddison, J. S., Booth, R. J., & Hill, A. G. (2009). A
prospective study on the influence of a fast-track program on postoperative
fatigue and functional recovery after major colonic surgery. J Surg Res, 154(2),
330-335.
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Paddison, J. S., Booth, R. J., Cameron, L. D., Robinson, E., Frizelle, F. A., &
Hill, A. G. (2009). Fatigue after colorectal surgery and its relationship to
patient expectations. J Surg Res, 151(1), 145-152.
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Paddison, J. S., Booth, R. J., Fuchs, D., & Hill, A. G. (2008). Peritoneal
inflammation and fatigue experiences following colorectal surgery: a pilot
study. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 33(4), 446-454.
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Vedhara, K., Moss-Morris, R., Booth, R., Horgan, M., Lawrence, M., & Birchall,
N. (2007). Changes in mood predict disease activity and quality of life in
patients with psoriasis following emotional disclosure. Journal of Psychosomatic
Research, 62(6), 611-619.
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Tamagawa, R., Lobb, B., & Booth, R. (2007). Tolerance of shift work. Appl Ergon,
38(5), 635-642.
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Loft, P., Thomas, M. G., Petrie, K. J., Booth, R. J., Miles, J., & Vedhara, K.
(2007). Examination stress results in altered cardiovascular responses to acute
challenge and lower cortisol. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 32(4), 367-375.
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Cameron, L. D., Booth, R. J., Schlatter, M., Ziginskas, D., & Harman, J. E.
(2007). Changes in emotion regulation and psychological adjustment following use
of a group psychosocial support program for women recently diagnosed with breast
cancer. Psychooncology, 16(3), 171-180.
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Booth, R. J. (2007). Stress and antibody responses. In G. Fink (Ed.),
Encyclopedia of Stress (Second Edition) (Vol. 1, pp. 199-205). London: Academic
Press.
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Booth, R. J. (2007). Are there meaningful relationships between psychosocial
self and physiological self? Attachment: New directions in Psychotherapy and
Relational Psychoanalysis, 1(2 (July)), 165-178.
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Booth, R. J. (2007). Immunisation. In S. Ayers, Baum, A., McManus, C., Newman,
S., Wallston, K., Weinman, J., West, R. (Ed.), Cambridge Handbook of Psychology,
Health and Medicine (Second ed., pp. 751-754). Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press.
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Paddison, J. S., Booth, R. J., Hill, A. G., & Cameron, L. D. (2006).
Comprehensive assessment of peri-operative fatigue: development of the
Identity-Consequence Fatigue Scale. J Psychosom Res, 60(6), 615-622.
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Chuang, D., Paddison, J. S., Booth, R. J., & Hill, A. G. (2006). Differential
production of cytokines following colorectal surgery. ANZ J Surg, 76(9),
821-824.
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Cameron, L. D., Booth, R. J., Schlatter, M., Ziginskas, D., Harman, J. E., &
Benson, S. R. (2005). Cognitive and affective determinants of decisions to
attend a group psychosocial support program for women with breast cancer.
Psychosom Med, 67(4), 584-589.
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Booth, R. J. (2005). Emotional disclosure and psychoneuroimmunology. In K.
Vedhara & M. Irwin (Eds.), Human Psychoneuroimmunology (pp. 319 - 341). Oxford:
Oxford University Press.
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Whitesman, S., & Booth, R. (2004). Psychoneuroimmunology - mind-brain-immune
interactions. S Afr Med J, 94(4), 259-261. Petrie, K. J., Fontanilla, I.,
Thomas, M. G., Booth, R. J., & Pennebaker, J. W. (2004).
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