Intergenerational Transmission of Stress: Psychosocial and Biological Mechanisms

项目概要/摘要 尽管有越来越多的证据表明，健康结果是世代相传的， 缺乏这种代际传递的潜在机制。澄清机制 往往集中在压力，这表现在心理和身体症状。相关途径有 主要在一代人或非人类动物研究中进行测试。从老鼠到人， 有证据表明与压力相关的生物学（例如，皮质醇、炎症、端粒）和 社会心理学（例如，社会融合、健康行为）因素对代际差异的影响至关重要。 健康的传播。拟议的研究将通过以下方式研究心理社会和生物机制： 逆境会在三代人中传播不利的心理和身体健康结果， 保持健康差距。为此，我们将利用大型（G1，n= 1，630）和多样化（33%） 非裔美国人）样本的老年人（目前年龄在64-73岁）参加了正在进行的NIH资助的 压力和健康的纵向研究，并招募他们的孩子（G2，n= 2，200）和孙子（G3， n= 1，900）完成评估压力、心理社会因素和健康的自我报告问卷。从 因此，300个（150个黑人和150个白色）G1/G2/G3三联体（总N=900）的子样本将访问我们的实验室， 提供血液和唾液测量，以便我们可以分析应激激素皮质醇以及炎症 标记。我们将检测它们的基础功能和诱发活性。三元组和二元组将回到实验室 2.5几年后，再次进行评估。所有措施将与我们正在进行的G1数据相结合 纵向样本调查与压力有关的社会心理和 生物因素有望让我们了解健康结果和种族健康差异 这些问题会代代相传，并可能最终指导有针对性的预防和公共政策。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Despite growing evidence that health outcomes are perpetuated across generations, empirical examinations of putative mechanisms underlying this intergenerational transmission are lacking. Explanatory mechanisms often focus on stress, which manifests in both psychological and physical symptoms. Relevant pathways have primarily been tested within a single generation or in non-human animal research. From mouse to man, evidence suggests that interplay across stress-related biological (e.g., cortisol, inflammation, telomeres) and psychosocial (e.g., social integration, health behaviors) factors critically contribute to the intergenerational transmission of health. The proposed study will examine the psychosocial ad biological mechanisms through which adversity transmits adverse mental and physical health outcomes across 3 generations and promotes the maintenance of health disparities. To this end, we will leverage a large (G1, n=1,630) and diverse (33% African-American) sample of older adults (currently aged 64-73) enrolled in an ongoing NIH-funded longitudinal study of stress and health and recruit their children (G2, n=2,200) and grandchildren (G3, n=1,900) to complete self-report questionnaires assessing stress, psychosocial factors, and health. From these, a subsample of 300 (150 Black and 150 White) G1/G2/G3 triads (total N=900) will visit our lab to provide blood and saliva measures so that we may assay the stress hormone cortisol, as well as inflammation markers. We will assay both their basal function and evoked activity. Triads and dyads will return to the lab 2.5 years later for a repeat assessment. All measures will be integrated with existing G1 data from our ongoing longitudinal samples. Investigating the intergenerational transmission of stress-related psychosocial and biological factors promises to inform our understanding of how health outcomes and racial health disparities are perpetuated across generations and, may, ultimately guide targeted prevention and public policy.