You should be laughing!

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An interesting study -

Mark

Today's rheumawire news

Study shows laughter helps difficult-to-control RA

Feb 7, 2006 Gandey

Tokyo, Japan - Researchers have found that a good laugh has a positive

effect on the immune response of patients with severe rheumatoid

arthritis (RA) [1]. The findings point to the importance of addressing

not only the physical but also the psychological stresses of severe

RA. " The effects of mirthful laughter might be remarkable, especially

in the difficult-to-control RA group, since it is thought that such

patients are under much more psychological and physical stress in

daily life compared with patients with easily controlled RA, " comment

the researchers, led by Dr T Matsuzaki (Nippon Medical School, Tokyo,

Japan). Their study appears in the February 2006 issue of Rheumatology.

The researchers studied the effect of laughter on serum pro- and

anti-inflammatory cytokines. They looked at 41 RA patients and 23

healthy subjects. The RA patients were divided into two

groups—difficult-to-control and easily controlled. Patients with

severe RA had a C-reactive protein of >1.0 mg/dL.

Subjects listened to a traditional Japanese story called Rakugo that

is known to be very funny. The researchers measured pro- and

anti-inflammatory cytokines before and after the story was played.

They observed that the baseline levels of serum interleukin-6 and TNF-

in the RA patients were significantly higher than those in the healthy

group.

After laughing, the RA group's levels of serum interleukin-6 decreased

significantly, but not those of the healthy subjects. A similar effect

was found for interleukin-4. RA patients had significantly higher

concentrations at baseline, but these levels dropped after they

laughed at the story.

These results suggest that not only the immunological process but

also psychological condition regulates the production of several

cytokines in RA.

In contrast, serum interleukin-1 receptor antagonist was statistically

higher in the RA group than in healthy subjects at the start of the

study but continued to increase after the funny story—especially in

the easily controlled RA group. Interestingly, the level of serum TNF-

decreased only in this same group—the milder-RA patients.

The researchers write that consistent with previous reports, their

study demonstrates that abnormal levels of serum pro- and

anti-inflammatory cytokines were present in RA patients at baseline.

" After laughter, these molecules were differentially modulated

depending on the disease activity of RA, " they report. " These results

suggest that not only the immunological process but also psychological

condition regulates the production of several cytokines in RA. "

Evidence emerging on the effect of stress on the immune system

Matsuzaki and colleagues note that the effect of stress on cytokine

production is generally not well understood. But they point to

mounting evidence suggesting that an interaction between stress and

the immune system plays a pivotal role in the etiology and progression

of autoimmune diseases such as RA.

" These findings suggest the possibility that the various

immunomodulatory responses to mental condition depend on the disease

activity of RA, " the researchers write. " Therefore, psychological

support should be considered indispensable for the treatment of RA. "

Another recent study examining the health effects of laughter came to

a similar conclusion [2]. Researchers led by Dr

(University of land, Baltimore) found that humor boosts

endothelial function. The group reports that regularly watching

comedies or doing other activities that encourage laughter has the

potential for being a safe, risk-modifying intervention for people

with impaired vasoreactivity.

Sources

1. Matsuzaki T, Nakajima A, Ishigami S, et al. Mirthful laughter

differentially affects serum pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine

levels depending on the level of disease activity in patients with

rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatology 2006; 45:182-186.

2. M, Mangano C, Park Y, et al. Impact of cinematic viewing

on endothelial function. Heart 2006; 92:261-262.