Estimation of antibody levels after COVID-19 vaccinations: Preliminary evidence for immune interoception

Stephanie J Dimitroff; Lisa Würfel; Maria Meier; Kelly E Faig; Annika B E Benz; Bernadette Denk; Ulrike U Bentele; Eva Unternaehrer; Jens C Pruessner

doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108636

Estimation of antibody levels after COVID-19 vaccinations: Preliminary evidence for immune interoception

Biol Psychol. 2023 Sep:182:108636. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108636. Epub 2023 Aug 4.

Authors

Stephanie J Dimitroff¹, Lisa Würfel², Maria Meier³, Kelly E Faig⁴, Annika B E Benz², Bernadette Denk⁵, Ulrike U Bentele², Eva Unternaehrer³, Jens C Pruessner⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, Division of Neuropsychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78464, Germany. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Department of Psychology, Division of Neuropsychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78464, Germany.
³ Department of Psychology, Division of Neuropsychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78464, Germany; Child and Adolescent Research Department, Psychiatric Hospital Basel, University of Basel, Basel 4001, Switzerland.
⁴ Department of Psychology, Hamilton College, NY 13323, USA.
⁵ Department of Psychology, Division of Neuropsychology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78464, Germany; Centre for Advanced Study of Collective Behavior, University of Konstanz, Konstanz 78464, Germany.

PMID: 37544268
DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108636

Abstract

To date, 72 % of the world's population has received at least one COVID-19 vaccination. The number of antibodies produced by some individuals is exponentially higher than in others, for various mostly unknown reasons. This variation causes great diversity in the future susceptibility to infection by the original or variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The following study investigated whether individuals were able to estimate the strength of their antibody response after their COVID-19 vaccinations. 166 recently vaccinated participants provided a blood sample for determination of antibody titers. Participants were asked to estimate how many antibodies they thought they had produced, and were further asked how protected they felt from COVID-19 due to vaccination. Both self-rated antibody levels, and feelings of protection against COVID-19 were significantly related to their actual IgG spike antibody titers, after controlling for age, days since vaccination, BMI and cross vaccination. These results suggest that individuals may have a form of "immune interoception" which relates to their response to their COVID-19 vaccination.

Keywords: Antibodies; COVID-19; Immune system; Interoception; Self-rated health.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

COVID-19 Vaccines
COVID-19* / prevention & control
Humans
Interoception*
SARS-CoV-2
Vaccination

Substances

COVID-19 Vaccines