The Future of PNI Research

I’m trying to study for my Health & Medical course and I need some help to understand this question.

Discussion 2: The Future of PNI Research

The method of practice for traditional medicine is to divide the body into systems. This practice helps with understanding and categorizing the different functions of the body. Yet, maintaining those divisive categories during treatment can ignore the reciprocal relationships among those various systems within the body. The benefit of health psychology researchers conducting studies to examine the mind/body connection in the development, prevention, and treatment of disease influences health practices for the world’s people. How might targeting perceptions and behaviors influence future improvement of the body’s functioning and reduce the development of disease?

For this Discussion, review this week’s Learning Resources. Reflect on your perception of the health psychology professional’s role in the future of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) research. Then, think about strategies for how health psychology professionals might apply PNI findings to professional practice. Finally, consider how you as a health psychology professional might apply PNI to teaching or consulting work to influence social change.

With these thoughts in mind:

Post by Day 4 a brief explanation of your perception of the health psychology professional’s role in future psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) research. Then, explain two strategies for how a health psychology professional might apply PNI findings to professional practice. Finally, explain how you might apply PNI to teaching or consulting work as a future health psychology professional to influence social change.

Be sure to support your posts and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources as applicable.

Readings

• Abourjaily, P. (1999). Feverfew: A Practical Review. Nutrition in Clinical Care, 2(2), 87–94.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
• Barrett, L. F. (2009). The future of psychology: Connecting mind to brain. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 4(4), 326–339.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
• Bryant, R. A., Moulds, M. L., Guthrie, R. M., & Nixon, R. D. V. (2005). The additive benefit of hypnosis and cognitive-behavioral therapy in treating acute stress disorder. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 73(2), 334–340.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
• Halsband, U., Mueller, S., Hinterberger, T., & Strickner, S. (2009). Plasticity changes in the brain in hypnosis and meditation. Contemporary Hypnosis, 26(4), 194–215.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
• How the gut was won: A probiotics roundtable (Cover story). (2011). Functional Ingredients, 107, 30–36.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
• Irwin, M. R., Olmstead, R., & Oxman, M. N. (2007). Augmenting immune responses to Varicella Zoster virus in older adults: A randomized, controlled trial of Tai Chi. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 55(4), 511–517.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
• Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K. (2009). Psychoneuroimmunology: Psychology’s gateway to biomedical future.Perspectives on Psychological Science, 4(4), 367–369.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
• Matchim, Y., & Armer, J. M. (2007). Measuring the psychological impact of mindfulness meditation on health among patients with cancer: A literature review. Oncology Nursing Forum, 34(5), 1059–1066.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
• Motivala, S. J., Sollers, J., Thayer, J., & Irwin, M. R. (2006). Tai Chi Chih acutely decreases sympathetic nervous system activity in older adults. The Journals of Gerontology, 61A(11), 1177–1180.
  Tai Chi Chih acutely decreases sympathetic nervous system activity in older adults by Motivala, S. J. et al in The Journals of Gerontology, 61A(11). Copyright 2006 by Oxford University Press. Reprinted by permission of Oxford University Press via the Copyright Clearance Center.
• Sharma, H., Chandola, H. M., Singh, G., & Basisht, G. (2007). Utilization of ayurveda in health care: An approach for prevention, health promotion, and treatment of disease. Part 1—Ayurveda, the science of life. Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine, 13(9), 1011–1020.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
• Weichselbaum, E. (2009). Probiotics and health: A review of the evidence. Nutrition Bulletin, 34(4), 340–373.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
• Witek-Janusek, L., Albuquerque, K., Chroniak, K. R., Chroniak, C., Durazo-Arvizu, R., & Mathews, H. L. (2008). Effect of mindfulness based stress reduction on immune function, quality of life and coping in women newly diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 22(6), 969–981.
  Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
• National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine. (2008). What is complementary and alternative medicine? Retrieved from http://nccam.nih.gov/health/whatiscam

Media

• Laureate Education, Inc. (Executive Producer). (2012). Chronic Diseases. Baltimore, MD: Author.

  Please click on the following link for the transcript: Transcript (PDF).