A key focus of this lab is immunopsychiatry- the study of the bidirectional relations between the immune system and thoughts/feelings/behaviors. Specifically, most of Dr. Moriarity’s work has focused on methodological and conceptual advances in the immunopsychiatry of depression.
Chances are, everyone reading this has experienced immunopsychiatry in action. Consider the last time you were sick or, maybe, had a strong reaction to a vaccination. You might have experienced increased fatigue, appetite change, sleep problems, and decreased motivation. In the context of physical illness these are well established “sickness behaviors”. But, they are also symptoms of depression. Interestingly, both of these systems overlap in functionality (i.e., to keep us safe in one place as we recover from a physical and/or mental injury). These are examples of how immune activity can impact our psychology.
Now consider this relationship from the other direction- how psychology can impact our immune systems. We know that periods of poor mental health can result in a variety of psychological (e.g., stress) and behavioral (e.g., substance use, high fat diets, sleep dysregulation, less active lifestyle) that can influence the immune system, potentially increasing risk for the wide variety of chronic medical conditions that are associated with altered immune functioning. You might have also noticed that you are more likely to catch a cold or that a chronic immune condition is more likely to flare up during periods of stress. These are also examples of how our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors can impact our immune systems.