Research Suggests Paying Attention to Inflammation Can Regulate Immune Response
New research indicates that actively focusing attention on inflammation in the body may help regulate the immune response. A study conducted by a research team at Bar-Ilan University in Israel involved 57 healthy subjects undergoing skin prick tests. Participants were instructed to either pay close attention to the sensation in the inflamed area or distract themselves. While distraction reduced subjective discomfort, the actual inflammatory response in the skin was better controlled when subjects focused their attention on the inflammation. Specifically, swelling and redness were significantly greater when attention was diverted. Furthermore, inflammation tended to subside more quickly when attention was focused on it. The researchers hypothesize that paying attention increases the importance of inflammatory signals to the brain, supplying more information and allowing for more appropriate regulation of the immune response, potentially through the activation of the vagus nerve system.
