Repetitive Thought, Stress, and Immunity in Older Adults

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，诸如丧亲之类的强大压力源变得更加常见，对压力的免疫反应随着年龄的增长而变得更大，并且对免疫失调和免疫介导的疾病的脆弱性随着年龄的增长而增加。以前的研究已经将老年人的压力与增加的痛苦和生理失调联系起来，包括抑郁症，高水平的皮质醇，对疫苗接种的反应差，以及高水平的促炎细胞因子IL-6。拟议的研究将解决现存文献的局限性，重点是老年人的压力源的前瞻性影响，并包括重复思维（RT）的个体差异，即压力事件的认知解释和处理。RT的个体差异可能会导致对压力源的脆弱性或弹性：消极的，不受控制的和侵入性的想法（例如，担心）可以延长和放大负面后果，而积极和受控的思想（例如，反射）可以缓冲消极后果并促进积极后果，如增长。在这项为期5年的纵向前瞻性研究中，将对60岁或以上的已婚成年人（N = 183）进行访谈，并每6个月采集唾液样本进行皮质醇检测;他们将每年接种流感疫苗，并在接种疫苗前后和流感季节结束时采集血清进行抗体和IL-6检测。该研究的主要目的是测试以下预测：（1）压力源和RT预测健康或失调的心理和生理指标;（2）RT缓和压力源的影响;（3）心理指标（例如，抑郁）介导应激源与RT和生理之间的关系。本研究的第二个目的是将皮质醇、自主活动和抑制、IL-6和抗体相互联系起来，并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RT特质（例如，特质担忧）到情景RT（例如，（关于特定压力源的想法）。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。这项研究将测试诸如担忧之类的思维方式是否会使老年人面临更大的风险。这些知识可用于识别和干预风险最大的个人。

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.