The Healing Brain

s/t: Breakthrough Discoveries About How the Brain Keeps Us Healthy
It's long been known that the body may respond positively when an individual believes that s/he's been given medication. For years the placebo effect remained an isolated, unexplained phenomenon. However, recent research has shown that psychological states & life traumas, including divorce & employment loss, can adversely affect immune system responses. This volume, composed of contributions by noted researchers in psychiatry, psychology & neuroscience, explains the investigations of brain-mind-body relationships that are changing the way we understand health & illness. The 1st 3 chapters demonstrate how the brain operates as a health maintenance organization & describe the brain's growth in response to experience. Psychosocial factors in healing are explored in chapters that examine the social environment's effect on susceptibility to illness, the mechanisms & implications of the placebo effect, & the ways in which social support & health are related. Included is a chapter titled 'The Broken Heart', an explication of the psychobiology of human contact. Because healing doesn't merely return the mind or the body to its presymptomatic condition, but more usually brings about lasting change, chapters on psychoneuroimmunology examine the neuropeptide & emotion interactions promoting healing. Possible psychoneuroimmunological mechanisms are considered & the emerging field as a whole is discussed with a note on the AIDS question. The section on coping & stress investigates why demanding situations affect some people's health adversely whereas others thrive. Topics include stress resistant personality & coronary-prone behaviors, & examinations of environmental factors that influence health. Other chapters on diet & nutrition, examine how food affects the brain & how the brain regulates body weight. Together, the articles describe a world of scientific research that offers potent possibilities for the future of mental & physical health care. It will prove valuable reading for all mental health clinicians & researchers, physicians & readers interested in the health & well being of the human organism.