Psychological stress and rheumatoid arthritis – interference of pathogenetic mechanisms

Abstract

Molecular mechanisms of development of normal and pathological neuroendocrine and immune adaptive response to psychological (mental) stress are analyzed considering its possible provoking role in the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A detailed analysis reveals the synergism of mechanisms that provoke the development of pathological anti-stress adaptive response and RA. It is possible that in persons at risk of developing RA minimal and unobtrusive for the individual stressful situations, periodically provoking prolonged production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, can, finally, lead to the development of rheumatic disease.

Keywords

• rheumatoid arthritis
• psychological stress
• allostasis
• eustress
• distress