Course Syllabus

 

Semester & Location:	Fall 2025 - DIS Stockholm
Type & Credits:	Elective Course - 3 credits
Major Disciplines:	Psychology, Neuroscience, Pre-Medicine/Health Science
Related Disciplines:	Sociology, Public Health
Prerequisite(s):	One course in psychology or neuroscience at university level.
Faculty Members:	Ebba Karlsson (current students please use the Canvas Inbox)
Program Contact:	psy.cns@dis.dk
Time & Place:	TBD

 

Course Description

The mind-body connection and its influence on mental as well as somatic health is at center stage in this course, focusing on the field of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI). PNI is an interdisciplinary field at the intersection of psychology, neuroscience, and immunology, exploring the intricate connections between the mind, the brain, and the immune system. Students will delve into the realm of how thoughts, emotions, and behaviors impact immune function and, conversely, how the immune system influences mental processes and behavior. They will gain a comprehensive understanding of the bidirectional communication pathways between the brain and the immune system, from the molecular and cellular levels to complex psychosocial interactions. By examining cutting-edge research and clinical applications, students will explore the role of PNI in health and disease, including its implications for understanding and treating conditions such as autoimmune disorders, chronic pain, infectious diseases, and mental health disorders. Furthermore, students will critically evaluate the impact of lifestyle factors, stress, and psychosocial interventions on immune function and overall well-being, paving the way for future advancements in both research and clinical practice.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students would be able to:

• Understand the bidirectional communication pathways between the brain and the immune system, from molecular and cellular levels to complex psychosocial interactions.
• Analyze and evaluate the impact of thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and psychosocial factors on immune function and overall health.
• Explore the role of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) in the development, progression, and treatment of various health conditions, including autoimmune disorders, chronic pain, infectious diseases, and mental health disorders.
• Critically assess the implications of lifestyle factors, stress, and psychosocial interventions on immune function, resilience, and well-being, fostering a deeper understanding of the mind-body connection and its significance in research and clinical practice.

Faculty

Ebba Karlsson

DIS Stockholm Faculty

M.Sc. in Clinical Psychology (Stockholm University, 2015), B.A. in Philosophy (Stockholm University, 2013). Visiting student in Politics and Public Policy at New York University, and research internship at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge University. Founder of Poplar, a non-profit organization dedicated to improving political civility in society. Also working as a licensed clinical psychologist and organizational consultant, focusing on leadership development, stress resilience, and well-being. With DIS since 2016.

Readings

Selected chapters from the following books:

Daruna, J. H. (2012). Introduction to psychoneuroimmunology. Academic Press.

Cozolino, L. (2010). The Neuroscience of Psychotherapy: Healing the Social Brain. WW Norton & Co.

Gordon, A., & Ziv, A. (2021). The Way Out: A Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven Approach to Healing Chronic Pain. Ebury Publishing.

Levine, P. A. (2010). In an unspoken voice: How the body releases trauma and restores goodness. North Atlantic Books.

Maté, G. (2022). The myth of normal: Trauma, illness and healing in a toxic culture. Knopf Canada.

Palmer, C. M. (2022). Brain Energy: A Revolutionary Breakthrough in Understanding Mental Health--and Improving Treatment for Anxiety, Depression, OCD, PTSD, and More. BenBella Books.

Articles:

Andorfer, A., Kraler, S., Kaufmann, P., Pollheimer, E., Spah, C., Fuchshuber, J., … & Unterrainer, H. F. (2023). Psychophysiological stress response after a 6-week Mindful Self-Compassion training in psychiatric rehabilitation inpatients: a randomized post-test only study. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 14, 1098122.

Arroll, M. A., & Howard, A. (2013). ‘The letting go, the building up, [and] the gradual process of rebuilding’: Identity change and post-traumatic growth in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome. Psychology & Health, 28(3), 302-318.

Colloca, L. (2017). Nocebo effects can make you feel pain. Science (New York, N.Y.), 358(6359), 44. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aap8488

Enck, P., Bingel, U., Schedlowski, M., & Rief, W. (2013). The placebo response in medicine: minimize, maximize or personalize? Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, 12(3), 191-204.

Finlay-Jones, A. L., Parkinson, A., Sirois, F., Perry, Y., Boyes, M., & Rees, C. S. (2023). Web-Based Self-Compassion Training to Improve the Well-Being of Youth With Chronic Medical Conditions: Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 25, e44016.

Gouin, J. P., & Kiecolt-Glaser, J. K. (2011). The impact of psychological stress on wound healing: methods and mechanisms. Immunology and Allergy Clinics, 31(1), 81-93.

Greville-Harris, M., & Dieppe, P. (2015). Bad is more powerful than good: the nocebo response in medical consultations. The American Journal of Medicine, 128(2), 126-129. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjmed.2014.08.031

Guidi, J., Lucente, M., Sonino, N., & Fava, G. A. (2021). Allostatic load and its impact on health: a systematic review. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 90(1), 11-27.

Jonsjö, M. A., Wicksell, R. K., Holmström, L., Andreasson, A., & Olsson, G. L. (2019). Acceptance & commitment therapy for ME/CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome)–a feasibility study. Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, 12, 89-97.

Naviaux, R. K. (2020). Perspective: Cell danger response biology—The new science that connects environmental health with mitochondria and the rising tide of chronic illness. Mitochondrion, 51, 40-45.

Neff, K. D., & Knox, M. C. (2020). Self-compassion. In Encyclopedia of personality and individual differences (pp. 4663-4670). Cham: Springer International Publishing.

Quattrone, A., Barbagallo, G., Cerasa, A., & Stoessl, A. J. (2018). Neurobiology of placebo effect in Parkinson's disease: What we have learned and where we are going. Movement Disorders, 33(8), 1213-1227.

Schedlowski, M., Enck, P., Rief, W., & Bingel, U. (2015). Neuro-Bio-Behavioral Mechanisms of Placebo and Nocebo Responses: Implications for Clinical Trials and Clinical Practice. Pharmacological Reviews, 67(3), 697-730. https://doi.org/10.1124/pr.114.009423

Tedeschi, R. G., Shakespeare-Finch, J., Taku, K., & Calhoun, L. G. (2018). Posttraumatic growth: Theory, research, and applications. Routledge.

Van der Kolk, B. A. (1994). The body keeps the score: Memory and the evolving psychobiology of posttraumatic stress. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 1(5), 253-265.

Ware, B. (2012). The top five regrets of the dying: A life transformed by the dearly departing. Hay House, Inc.

Wang S, Quan L, Chavarro JE, et al. (2022). Associations of Depression, Anxiety, Worry, Perceived Stress, and Loneliness Prior to Infection With Risk of Post–COVID-19 Conditions. JAMA Psychiatry. Published online September 07, 2022. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2022.2640

Zeligman, M., Varney, M., Grad, R. I., & Huffstead, M. (2018). Posttraumatic growth in individuals with chronic illness: The role of social support and meaning making. Journal of Counseling & Development, 96(1), 53-63.

Field Studies

Field studies will be confirmed closer to the start of the semester, but potential field studies include:

Stockholm University PNI research group:

https://www.su.se/english/research/research-groups/division-for-psychoneuroimmunology

Karolinska Institute research group focusing on circadian rhythm:

https://ki.se/en/research/research-areas-centres-and-networks/research-groups/anita-gondors-group

Guest Lecturers

TBA

Preliminary themes and topics to be covered

1. Introduction and Overview of the course

2. The Nervous System and Mind-Body Connection

• The nervous system and mind-body connection
• What is stress?
• Mental health and bodily triggers
• Trauma and its impact on nervous system regulation
• The Cell danger response
• The gut/microbiome and brain connection

3. Chronic Conditions and Their Mechanisms

• How can we understand chronic pain?
• How can we understand conditions such as ME/CFS, POTS, and long-covid?
• Other diseases and PNI

4. Psychological Perspectives and Interventions

• Nocebo and placebo effects
• The Importance of relationships
• The Power of self-compassion
• A closer look at Compassion-focused therapy (CFT) and Acceptance & commitment therapy (ACT)
• The Science of meditation
• Post-traumatic growth (PTG)

5. Physical Health and Lifestyle

• Movement, physical activity, and health
• The Circadian rhythm

6. Societal and Cultural Contexts

• Society and culture - The Myth of Normal
• Why is this knowledge not so well known? Learnings from political psychology

 

Approach to Teaching

My approach to teaching is based on a core assumption: Learning is a collective endeavor in which the contribution of each individual has an impact on how much is learned overall. Lectures can serve a valuable purpose both in providing useful information and in stimulating creative thought. But genuine learning takes place only when the student takes an active role –in reading carefully, thinking critically, raising questions and objections, and listening to others. It is only through engaged dialogue that we have the capacity to enrich our understanding of the world. My expectation is that students will actively engage in the learning process, both inside and outside the classroom.   

The course utilizes a variety of pedagogical methods, including lectures, discussions, student presentations, and study visits. There is a strong emphasis on discussion and student participation. Everyone is expected to not only complete the readings for each class, but to come to class well-prepared to engage in discussion.

Attendance at all lectures and field studies is mandatory.

Note that it is important to check your e-mail and DIS Canvas regularly since outlines, exam info etc. will be distributed here.

DIS Accommodations Statement 

Your learning experience in this class is important to me.  If you have approved academic accommodations with DIS, please make sure I receive your DIS accommodations letter within two weeks from the start of classes. If you can think of other ways I can support your learning, please don't hesitate to talk to me. If you have any further questions about your academic accommodations, contact Academic Support acadsupp@dis.dk. 

Expectations of the Students

Students are expected to have done the readings and come prepared with relevant questions and notes for each class. This will give us material to generate conversation. When responding to questions in class, refer to the readings to support the points you are making. Students are expected to challenge themselves and their worldviews with an investigative mindset and curiosity, seeking to understand the topics at hand as well as how they relate to themselves as individuals and the world around them.

A Word on Laptops in the Classroom

The default policy for this class is NO laptops in the classroom.  Both academic research and personal experience have shown laptops to be an enormous source of distraction and an impediment to engaged discussion as well as learning. Thank you for your understanding. 

 

Grading

Methods of Evaluation	How evaluated	Percentage of grade
Attendance and engaged participation	Individual	20%
Group presentations	Group/individual	20%
Midterm Take Home Exam	Individual	25%
The Debate	Group and individual	15%
Final Reflection Paper	Individual	20%
Total		100%

Pre-class Prep :

You are expected to do all the readings and be prepared to give a POP-presentation at the beginning of all classes (this will be explained at the course introduction).

 

Attendance/Engaged Participation:

Your participation grade reflects the importance of being active in this course, which relies in great part on the reflections, discussions, and exercises in class. Students are expected to come prepared with relevant questions for discussion of the topic, as well as making contributions with relevant analytical insights and critical evaluations. The participation grade also takes into consideration punctuality.

There will be a self-report regarding engaged participation mid-term which you will fill in and get feedback on.

 

Mid-term Take-Home Exam:

There will be a take-home exam covering the theories and concepts covered in the course. This is an individual task and students are not allowed to use AI or collaborate on their texts.

 

Group work

Students will be sorted into groups and hold their own class where they present a deeper analysis regarding a key concept/research finding from the course. The class/presentation should include both a theoretical background and a case study applying it to real-life political phenomena. A critical perspective should be taken, unanswered questions should be raised and potential for future intervention/research should be considered.

You will be evaluated on the following criteria:

• How well do you explain the concept/research finding you have chosen? From background to more in-depth analysis and critical perspectives.
• Relevance and clarity on how the connection between the concept and real-life political phenomena is drawn.
• How well the presentation and visuals are done.
• Facilitation of class discussion and reflection.
• Group coherence and collaboration.
• Formalia (i.e. correct referencing, time allocation, etc.)

 

The Debate

There will be a debate where you will be assigned to different groups and defend a certain position on a topic related to important concepts and themes from the course. You will be graded both on an individual and group level.

 

Final Take-Home Reflections

At the end of the semester, you will write a paper with your final reflections on your experience and learnings throughout the course.

Please write 2-3 double-spaced pages about the most important/valuable things you have learned throughout the course. You can choose to write about one single concept or about several different ones. Try to connect the learnings with things happening outside of the course as well, it can be your personal life, society in general, or anything else. Again, you can choose to zoom in on one aspect or several different ones. Think something like a pop-presentation but for the whole course. Please use APA style for all references.

The grade will be based on the following:

Overall structure and writing style - is it eloquent, clearly structured, with correct references?

Is there a demonstration of a deeper understanding and reflections on the learnings from the course? How well are the theories/concepts applied? Is there a critical perspective and nuanced understanding of the course concepts and discussions?

To be eligible for a passing grade in this class you must complete all of the assigned work.

 

Academic Regulations 

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website. There you will find regulations on:

• Course Enrollment and Grading
• Academic Expectations and Honor Code

 

DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia - www.DISabroad.org