Introduction to Psychoneuroimmunology

Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) is a relatively new interdisciplinary field of research, that studies how health and behavior are connected, emphasizing underlying immune-based mechanisms. PNI encompasses a wide spectrum of studies, from molecular studies to interpersonal social studies. the history of PNI dates back to hundreds of years ago and goes beyond different cultures as ancient healers and philosophers talked about the link between the human’s mental state and physiological health. Different scientists contributed to the development of this field. Robert Ader and Nicholas Cohen, who are known as founders of psychoneuroimmunology, introduced the term “psychoneuroimmunology” in the mid-1970s. In this chapter, the history of the development of the PNI field is reviewed; then, the role of psychoneuroimmunology in human life is discussed in different sections like prenatalPrenatal life, childhood, agingAging, andSleep sleep.