Common respiratory tract infections as psychological entities: a review of the mood and performance effects of being ill
- 1 January 2002
- journal article
- review article
- Published by Taylor & Francis Ltd in Australian Psychologist
- Vol. 37 (2), 86-94
- https://doi.org/10.1080/00050060210001706726
Abstract
The clinical manifestations associated with colds and influenza overshadow the equally important mood and performance impairments. While decreased alertness and increased anxiety can be considered side effects of symptomatology, symptoms alone may not be responsible for the psychomotor and attention deficits of colds and influenza, respectively. An alternative hypothesis, as proposed in this review, suggests that the immune response, in the form of a cytokine cascade, may be responsible for both the physical and psychological symptoms. In particular, patterns of cytokine production for each infection will dictate the symptoms and performance deficits both within and between viruses. This hypothesis can be extended to incorporate infectious mononucleosis, as well as colds and influenza. The efficacy of symptom‐based overthe‐counter medications is then called into question.Keywords
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