Anticipatory cognitive stress appraisal modulates suppression of wound-induced macrophage activation by acute psychosocial stress

Anticipatory cognitive stress appraisal (ACSA) can affect the stress-induced release of stress hormones, which, in turn, can modulate microbicidal potential of macrophages. This study examines whether ACSA modulates wound-induced activation of macrophage microbicidal potential in 22 acutely stressed compared to 17 nonstressed healthy men. After catheter-induced wound infliction and completing the ACSA questionnaire, the stress group underwent an acute mental stress task, while the nonstressed group did not. Macrophage microbicidal potential and stress hormones were repeatedly measured. In acutely stressed men, but not in nonstressed men, higher scores in ACSA related to lower macrophage microbicidal potential. This association was statistically mediated by the norepinephrine (NE) stress response. Our data suggest that ACSA modulates stress-induced suppression of wound-induced macrophage activation and that the NE stress response underlies this effect.