Are there sex differences in emotional and biological responses in spousal caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease?
Are there sex differences in emotional and biological responses in spousal caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease?
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DOI：
10.1177/1099800404263288
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发表时间：
2004-04-01
影响因子：
2.5
通讯作者：
Bonner, Peter N
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Thompson, Russel L;Lewis, Sharon L;Bonner, Peter N
本研究旨在探讨老年性痴呆症（AD）患者配偶照顾者的情绪反应和生理反应。生活质量的测量，生物仪器数据，和免疫表型评估，从女性和男性配偶照顾者的AD患者。配偶照顾者（女性，n = 45，平均年龄69.7岁;男性，n = 16，平均年龄71.4岁）完成了评估心理社会变量的问卷调查。抽取血液，使用流式细胞术测定淋巴细胞亚群（包括自然杀伤[NK]细胞数量）。通过测量额肌和额肌的肌张力（EMG）、皮肤电导、皮肤温度和心率来确定松弛程度。男性配偶照顾者，与女性配偶照顾者相比，有显着较低水平的压力，抑郁，照顾者负担（主观），焦虑，愤怒，敌意，和躯体症状和较高水平的心理健康，连贯性，NK细胞数量，社会和身体功能。两组在社会支持、应对资源、T细胞、T抑制细胞或活化T细胞方面无统计学显著差异。女性比男性有更多的T辅助细胞和更少的NK细胞。如生物仪器参数所示，男性的生理应激反应表现较少。随着我们社会的老龄化，在实施战略以帮助越来越多的照顾者时，需要考虑独特的性别问题。
The purpose of this study was to compare emotional and biological responses of men and women who are spousal caregivers of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Quality-of-life measurements, bioinstrumentation data, and immunophenotype assessments were obtained from female and male spousal caregivers of patients with AD. Spousal caregivers (women, n = 45 with average age 69.7; men, n = 16 with average age 71.4 years) completed questionnaires that assessed psychosocial variables. Blood was drawn and lymphocyte subsets (including natural killer [NK] cell number) were determined using flow cytometry. The degree of relaxation was determined measuring muscle tension (EMG) in the frontalis and trapezius muscles, skin conductance, skin temperature, and heart rate. Male spousal caregivers, as compared to female spousal caregivers, had significantly lower levels of stress, depression, caregiver burden (subjective), anxiety, anger-hostility, and somatic symptoms and higher levels of mental health, sense of coherence, NK cell number, and social and physical functioning. There were no statistically significant differences between the 2 groups in social support, coping resources, or T, T suppressor, or activated T cells. Women had more T helper cells and fewer NK cells than men. Men had fewer manifestations of a physiological stress response, as indicated by bioinstrumentation parameters. Unique sex-specific issues need to be considered when strategies are implemented to assist the increasing number of caregivers as our society ages.