The proof that mental disorders have something in common with all physical illnesses has once again highlighted the importance of PNI.

Unfortunately, scientific research has primarily focused on what we might call the hard aspects of illness in humans. I’m referring to health indicators that technology can easily measure. Still, researchers have delved into one hidden aspect of disease and recovery within the past half-century. What is it? Researchers found that social aspects can help patients heal and recover from illness or surgery.

I recall a doctoral student researching having a violinist play in the surgical suite as an operation took place. Patients involved in this experiment seemed to do better after surgery. The literature also supports certain types of interventions that are not medical in nature but have medical consequences. I am, of course, referring to the medical specialization of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI).

Research in psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) focuses on how the immune system, the brain, and behavior all work together to influence one’s emotional and physical well-being. In the 1970s, researchers began to examine neuroimmune interactions.

In the 1980s, Robert Ader, who helped establish the credibility of this emerging field by editing the first edition of the seminal textbook on psychoneuroimmunology, came up with the name PNI.

It was Ader who bravely struck out into a new aspect of medicine that the field had not seriously considered before. This was when the immune system was believed to be an independent defense mechanism that could regulate itself and prevent pathogen invasion.

The immune system was originally thought of as the defense mechanism that did not rely on the neurological system. The thinking overlooked the interconnectivity of the entire body and its systems and the potential impact of external forces.

It does seem astonishing that medicine was overlooking the loving care that parents gave to their sick children. A mother's presence has a calming effect on a child and greatly impacts their psychological growth. Spitz conducted research after World War II on children in orphanages who had all their needs met, except for emotional support, and found that they did not thrive. A simple touch, picking up a child or touching a fevered brow, can be as important as medication. It seems to be a soothing “medication” that the immune system quickly responds to in times of need.

One contribution Spitz made was in the form of films illustrating the effects that a lack of maternal, loving interaction had on young children. The films show the differences between a child raised with the mother and one deprived of the mother's presence. A mother's presence calms a child and contributes to their psychological and neurological development to helps them thrive.

Researchers have conducted a great deal of research on the effects of social interactions. For example, studies during the pandemic showed how social isolation and loneliness can affect your mental and physical health. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were also studies that showed how togetherness and helping others could improve people’s health. Even though the topic has been in the news lately, researchers have known for decades that loneliness has negative effects on health and defense.

Studies have shown that unpleasant situations like loneliness and social isolation can weaken our immune systems, shorten our lives, and even change our genes. The outstanding finding of this research is that negative and positive social environments can change the immune system and, by extension, the rate at which people age. These environments can also change how people react to stress and how resilient they are.

If PNI is something that healthcare professionals need to be more informed about, how about patients, and what can they do to take advantage of this connection? One thing, of course, is to surround yourself with positive things, e.g., friends and family, engaging activities that you enjoy, and one thing all of us can use plenty of—laughing.

Laughing a lot every day is good for your defense system. People who laugh have more T cells and natural killer cells (NK cells). These are strong parts of your immune system that help keep you healthy and fight off germs. Laughter can also lower your stress level and boost the function of your NK cells, which helps your immune system. Simply smiling affects our immune system, so why not use that?

Now you know it's not an old wives' tale that a hug, a touch of the hand, or a smile can all affect our health in unexpected ways.