Stress can influence T cells, but the effect is nuanced; it doesn't simply increase the total number of T cells. Instead, stress appears to alter the types of T cells present.
The Impact of Stress on T Cell Subsets
The provided reference indicates that academic examination stress correlates with:
- Increased memory T cells: These T cells are primed to respond quickly to previously encountered antigens. Stress may lead to an increase in these cells, potentially as a mechanism to enhance immune readiness.
- Decreased naïve T cells: These are T cells that haven't yet encountered an antigen. A reduction in these cells suggests a shift away from immune system readiness for new threats and towards a focus on known threats.
Therefore, stress doesn't just cause an overall increase in T cells. It seems to redistribute the T cell population, favoring memory T cells over naïve T cells. This shift could have implications for immune responses to both new and recurring infections or threats. The overall absolute count of T cells might not change significantly, or it might even decrease depending on the nature and duration of the stressor. Further research would be needed to understand the total T cell count changes.
