Effects of behavioral stimuli on plasma interleukin-1 activity in humans at rest.

Interleukin-1 (IL-1) bioassays were done on 208 serum samples drawn from 7 volunteers, over several hours at 5-minute intervals, before, during, and after a relaxation-related behavioral stimulus. Individuals showed up to a 267% increase (t[29] = 7.750, p = 1 x 10(-7).) in IL-1, and for the group, a mean 48.1% elevation (t[5] = 4.128, p = .003) occurred, during the stimulus interval relative to baseline. When baselines were repeated, IL-1 activity rapidly returned toward baseline values. Suggestions to picture one's immune cells fighting illness appeared to have no uniform effect for all subjects. Such rapid changes in plasma IL-1, concomitant with stimuli, indicate a new way to alter immune function and further understand disease susceptibility.