Repetitive Thought, Stress, and Immunity in Older Adults

老年人的重复思维、压力和免疫力

• 批准号: 7091189
• 负责人: SUZANNE C. SEGERSTROM
• 金额: $ 36.06万
• 依托单位: UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-07-15 至 2011-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/7091189
• 关键词: anxiety; behavior test; behavioral /social science research tag; clinical research; cortisol; emotional adjustment; human old age (65+); human subject; immunosenescence; influenza; influenza vaccines; interleukin 6; interview; longitudinal human study; marriage /marital status; memory; patient oriented research; physiologic stressor; psychological aspect of aging; psychological stressor; quality of life; saliva; social behavior; stress

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The effects of stressors on the immune system are particularly relevant for older adults: Potent stressors such as bereavement become more common with age, immune reactions to stress grow larger with age, and vulnerability to immunological dysregulation and immunologically mediated disease increases with age. Previous studies have linked stressors in old age with increased distress and physiological dysregulation, including depression, high levels of cortisol, poor responses to vaccination, and high levels of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6. The proposed research will address limitations of the extant literature by focusing on the prospective effects of stressors among older adults and by including individual differences in repetitive thought (RT), that is, the cognitive interpretation and processing of stressful events. Individual differences in RT can create vulnerability or resilience to stressors: Negative, uncontrolled, and intrusive thought (e.g., worry) can prolong and amplify negative consequences, whereas positive and controlled thought (e.g., reflection) can buffer against negative consequences and promote positive consequences such as growth. In this 5-year longitudinal, prospective study, married adults aged 60 or older (N = 183) will be interviewed and will collect saliva samples for cortisol every 6 months; they will be vaccinated annually against influenza, and serum for antibody and IL-6 will be collected before and after vaccination and at the end of influenza season. The primary aim of the study is to test the following predictions: (1) stressors and RT predict psychological and physiological indices of health or dysregulation; (2) RT moderates the effects of stressors; (3) psychological indices (e.g., depression) mediate the relationship between stressors and RT and physiology. A secondary aim of the study is to relate cortisol, autonomic activity and inhibition, IL-6, and antibody to each other and to evidence of influenza infection. Another secondary aim is to validate the dimensional structure of RT in older adults and link trait RT (e.g., trait worry) to episodic RT (e.g., thoughts about a specific stressor). Relevance to public health: Stress in older adults can increase their vulnerability to both mental and physical illness. This research will test whether thought styles such as worry put older adults at greater risk. This knowledge could be used to identify and intervene with the most at-risk individuals.

描述（由申请人提供）：压力源对免疫系统的影响与老年人特别相关：随着年龄的增长，强效压力源（如丧亲之痛）变得更常见，对压力的免疫反应随着年龄的增长而增强，对免疫失调和免疫介导疾病的脆弱性随着年龄的增长而增加。先前的研究已经将老年压力源与增加的痛苦和生理失调联系起来，包括抑郁、高水平的皮质醇、对疫苗接种的不良反应和高水平的促炎细胞因子IL-6。该研究将通过关注压力源对老年人的预期影响，并通过包括重复思维（RT）的个体差异，即压力事件的认知解释和处理，来解决现有文献的局限性。RT的个体差异可以产生对压力源的脆弱性或恢复力：消极的、不受控制的和侵入性的想法（如担忧）可以延长和放大负面后果，而积极的和受控制的想法（如反思）可以缓冲负面后果并促进积极后果，如成长。在这项为期5年的纵向前瞻性研究中，60岁或以上的已婚成年人（N = 183）将接受访谈，并每6个月收集唾液样本检测皮质醇；他们将每年接种流感疫苗，并在疫苗接种前后和流感季节结束时收集抗体和IL-6血清。本研究的主要目的是验证以下预测：(1)应激源和应激反应对健康或失调的心理和生理指标的预测；(2) RT调节应激源的影响；(3)心理指标（如抑郁）在应激源与RT和生理的关系中起中介作用。该研究的第二个目的是将皮质醇、自主神经活动和抑制、IL-6和抗体相互联系起来，并将它们与流感感染的证据联系起来。另一个次要目的是验证老年人RT的维度结构，并将特质RT（例如，特质担忧）与情景RT（例如，关于特定压力源的想法）联系起来。与公共卫生的相关性：老年人的压力会增加他们对精神和身体疾病的脆弱性。这项研究将测试焦虑等思维方式是否会使老年人面临更大的风险。这些知识可以用来识别和干预最危险的个体。