Department of Psychiatry, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER), Dhanvantari Nagar Post, Pondicherry 605 006, India.
Brain Behav Immun. 2020 Jul;87:8-9. doi: 10.1016/j.bbi.2020.04.056. Epub 2020 Apr 22.
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to high levels of psychological distress in the general public, including symptoms of anxiety and depression. Such distress is associated with alterations in immune function, including an elevated risk of viral respiratory tract infections. In this light, the possible effects of Ayurveda, a traditional system of medicine promoted by the Indian government as an "immune booster", are examined from the point of view of psychoneuroimmune mechanisms as well as the "meaning response" described by Moerman. It was found that many of the measures advocated in their guidelines could positively influence immunity either by direct effects on symptoms of depression or anxiety, or through their symbolic significance. Therefore, it is possible that such traditional practices could be beneficial both in terms of psychological quality of life, and in terms of moderating the risk of infection.
新冠疫情大流行导致公众中出现高水平的心理困扰，包括焦虑和抑郁症状。这种困扰与免疫功能的改变有关，包括病毒呼吸道感染的风险增加。从心理神经免疫机制以及 Moerman 描述的“意义反应”的角度来看，印度政府推广的传统医学阿育吠陀可能会产生什么样的影响。研究发现，其指南中提倡的许多措施可以通过直接影响抑郁或焦虑症状，或者通过其象征意义，对免疫力产生积极影响。因此，这种传统做法可能在心理生活质量方面以及降低感染风险方面都有益处。
