An article on the front page of The Times this morning caught my attention, prompting me to look up the original journal paper (linked below). The research suggests that positive thinking, hope, and optimism can boost immune function, acting as a valuable complement to medical treatment.
The study provides compelling evidence that positive mental states – particularly optimism and positive expectation – can measurably influence the human immune system. Led by Dr Nitzan Lubianiker at Tel Aviv University and published in Nature Medicine, the research examined whether training individuals to activate brain regions associated with reward and hope could enhance their immune response to vaccination.
The randomised controlled trial involved 85 healthy adults. The experimental group received neurofeedback training using real‑time functional MRI to increase activity in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) – a key component of the brain’s reward system linked to motivation and positive expectation. Participants used mental strategies such as recalling positive experiences, and received visual feedback (a growing smiley face) when they successfully activated the target circuits.
Two control groups were included: one trained to activate unrelated brain regions, and another that received no brain training.
Key findings
After four training sessions, all participants received a standard hepatitis B vaccine. Antibody levels were then measured at several intervals. The findings showed that those who most effectively increased VTA activity produced significantly higher levels of protective antibodies compared with the control groups.
Please note that the study does not suggest that optimism or brain training can replace vaccines or conventional medical care. The immune boost observed was modest but statistically significant, pointing to a potential adjunctive benefit of positive mental states on immune function.
Implications and future directions
These findings highlight a novel, non‑invasive way to potentially enhance vaccine efficacy by tapping into the brain’s natural reward pathways. The results also offer insight into the biological mechanisms underpinning the placebo effect and suggest possible applications in areas such as cancer immunotherapy, where immune activation is essential.
Further studies with larger populations and clinically relevant outcomes will be needed to determine how these interventions might be used effectively in wider healthcare settings.
In summary, training people to cultivate optimism and activate reward‑related brain circuits can modestly enhance the immune response to vaccination. While not a substitute for medical treatment, this mind–body connection opens new avenues for supportive therapies aimed at improving immune health in clinical practice.
Links:
Blakely, R. (2026) ‘Healthy dose of optimism could stop you falling ill’, The Times, 20 January.
Lubianiker, N., Koren, T., Djerasi, M., Sirotkin, M., Singer, N., Jalon, I., Lerner, A., Sar-el, R., Sharon, H., Shahar, M., Azulay-Debby, H., Rolls, A. and Hendler, T. (2026) Upregulation of reward mesolimbic activity and immune response to vaccination: a randomized controlled trial. Nature Medicine.
If you do not have institutional access to the journal, you can view the pre‑print version of the article (prior to peer review) and publishing for free at: https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.09.18.24313899v1.full
Clark, G. (2026) Can training your brain boost immune response? Vaccination study highlights power of positive thinking. Tel Aviv University. Available at: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2026-01-brain-boost-immune-response-vaccination.html (Accessed: 20 January 2026).
