Influence of Lactation on Postpartum Stress and Immunity

描述（由申请人提供）：研究的长期目标 是了解神经内分泌和免疫反应的调节 产后妇女的自然主义压力，并确定是否哺乳期 状态与这些变量的显著差异相关。是 从动物研究中得知，哺乳赋予应激抵抗力， 在应激时伴随免疫保护。临床受益 因此，哺乳期可能具有保护产妇健康的作用。大部分 对产后妇女的研究没有区分哺乳状态， 然而，所有的动物研究自然都是关于哺乳期生物的。因为许多妇女 不要乳酸，这是必要的，神经内分泌学的知识， 应激反应，免疫参数和健康影响的哺乳期和 探讨非哺乳期妇女，以确定是否存在重要差异 确实存在这项研究将分析哺乳状态与 压力、激素、免疫功能和感染症状。数据将 提供了关于哺乳期应激抵抗是否存在的新信息， 人类物种，以及哺乳是否具有任何免疫或健康益处 给母亲本研究的具体目的是：（1）分析感知 压力，压力性生活事件，情绪状态，压力相关水平 激素，以及这些变量之间的关系在哺乳期相比， 非哺乳期妇女; 2）分析免疫变量和发生率及严重程度 与非哺乳期妇女相比，哺乳期妇女常见感染的症状; 3)分析压力与情绪、变量、免疫力之间的关系 变量，以及常见感染症状的发生率和严重程度 哺乳期和非哺乳期妇女。产妇健康和免疫力将是 产后4-6周检查。压力将被测量为两种生活事件 压力和感知压力。情绪状态是由 情绪状态的轮廓。分析血清中的应激相关激素， 包括催乳素、催产素和皮质醇，同时测定免疫功能 通过细胞因子、T细胞增殖、免疫球蛋白水平、新蝶呤水平 CD标记感染症状由卡尔SCL测量。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The long-term objectives of the research are to understand the regulation of neuroendocrine and immunological responses to naturalistic stress in postpartum women, and to determine if lactational state is associated with significant differences in these variables. It is known from animal studies that lactation confers stress resistance, which may be accompanied by immunologic protection during stress. Clinical benefits of lactating may therefore include a maternal health-protecting effect. Most of the research studies on postpartum women do not distinguish lactational state, yet all animal studies naturally are of lactating organisms. Since many women do not lactate, it is essential that knowledge of the neuroendocrinology, stress responses, immune parameters, and health effects of lactating and non-lactating women be explored to determine if any differences of importance do exist. The study will analyze relationships between lactational state and stress, hormones, immune function, and symptoms of infection. The data will provide new information about whether a lactational stress resistance exists in the human species, and if lactation confers any immunological or health benefit to the mother. The specific aims of this study are to 1) To analyze perceived stress, stressful life events, mood states, levels of stress-associated hormones, and relationships among these variables in lactating compared to non-lactating women; 2) To analyze immune variables and occurrence and severity of symptoms of common infection in lactating compared to non-lactating women; 3) To analyze relationships between stress, and mood, variables, immune variables, and incidences and severity of symptoms of common infection in lactating and non-lactating women. Maternal health, and immunity will be examined at 4-6 weeks postpartum. Stress will be measured as both life events stress and perceived stress. Mood states are determined by scores on the Profile of Mood States. Stress-associated hormones are analyzed in serum and include prolactin, oxytocin and cortisol, while immune function is assayed through cytokines, T-cell proliferation, immunoglobulin level, neopterin levels and CD markers. Symptoms of infection are measured by the Carr SCL.