[The course of immunologic parameters in inpatient psychotherapy exemplified by 2 single case studies].

Abstract

Psycho-neuroimmunology depicts a conceptual frame in which possible interactions between psychic and physical processes can be examined. It could be very significant in the field of psychosomatics when the courses of psychic and somatic processes are examined. However, the research results from this field of study are varied and only for a few parameters of immunity is it possible to prove correlations with psychic variables. Many of the studies that have been conducted up to date were construed as cross-section studies and possibly therefore are not very suitable for depicting the probably very complicated forms of interactions between psychic and somatic levels in an adequate manner. In the framework of stationary psychosomatic psychotherapy two single case studies were carried out in order to examine temporal connections between psychic and immunological course parameters. Both single case studies are to be viewed as explorative attempts of examining questions of examination design and organization which are highly resolved regarding time. Furthermore we report several interesting individual results which emphasize in general the correlation between psychic and somatic parameters also in the course of time. However the limits of such studies regarding the significance of the individual immunological parameters, using time serial analytical methods as well as constructing models in the field of psycho-neuroimmunology are discussed.