In this chapter entitled "Tools of psychosocial biology in health care research" Andrew Steptoe outlines the main types biological measurements which should be included in psychosocial research on health. The review points to the importance of "non-specific biological markers of stress-related activation or resistance to disease". Biological measures which fall into this category include: (1) neuroendocrine factors such as cortisol, the steroid hormones DHEA and DHEA sulphate, the catechlomines adrenaline and noradrenaline, and insulin-like growth factor and gonadal hormones such as testosterone and oestrogen, (2) cardiovascular measures such as blood pressure (author recommends self-measurement as a more cost-effective alternative to ambulatory monitoring systems), and measures of heart rate variability, (3) measures of inflammation such as C-reactive protein, fibrinogen and the proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and tumour necrosis factor a (TNFα), (4) measures of immune function such as T cells, cytotoxic T cells, B cells, natural killer cells can be made via blood or saliva sample, (5) musculoskeletal problems which can be assessed via self-report, physical examination, or through surface electromyography (EMG). Sweat gland activity and forced respiratory volume are also discussed in brief. Steptoe also suggests that combining biological measures with mental stress testing and naturalistic monitoring is a useful advance in evaluating the extent to which individual differences in acute stress reactivity generalize to everyday life situations.
see also Psychobiological Processes: Pathways Linking Social Factors with Disease a presentation by Steptoe which includes a model of where brain, neuroendocrine, autonomic and immune responses fit into the relationships between social structure various other factors (work, social environment, genes, health behaviours) and well-being.
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