Katja Petrowski

Aug 14, 2023 | mdpi.com | Christian Winkler |Monika Bjelopavlovic |Katja Petrowski |Karl M. Lehmann

1. IntroductionDental anxiety or fear is a widespread psychological phenomenon that affects a substantial portion of the population worldwide, often leading to avoidance or hesitation in seeking dental care [1,2,3,4]. It is characterized by feelings of apprehension, unease or fear specifically related to dental procedures and clinics [5].

Feb 9, 2023 | mdpi.com | Katja Petrowski

Psychological stress affects the immune system and activates peripheral inflammatory pathways. Circulating cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is associated with systemic inflammation, and recent research indicates that cfDNA is an inflammatory marker that is sensitive to psychological stress in humans. The present study investigated the effects of acute stress on the kinetics of cfDNA in a within-subjects design.