The Brain-Heart Connection: How Inhibition Relates to Cardiovascular Disease

项目总结/摘要 失去配偶被认为是一个人所能遇到的最有压力的经历。面对损失， 人们在生理和情感上都失调。因此，失去亲人的人面临的风险增加 死亡率。事实上，在配偶死亡后六个月内，死亡率从40%到100%不等， 心血管疾病（CVD）占这些死亡的20-53%。然而，并不是所有人都经历过 失去亲人后的身体和情感上的困难更好地理解与 损失后的调整对于指导旨在减少健康差距的干预措施十分重要。 经历压力增加的人，比如那些面临损失的人， 与那些压力较小的人相比。重要的是，炎症是所有阶段的预测因子 从初始病变到终末期血栓并发症的CVD。因此，作为失去亲人的人， 由于压力增加的风险，炎症可能是损失后CVD的关键机制。 失去亲人的人也有更大的风险报告抑郁症状和低健康相关的 生活质量（HRQOL）。抑郁与HRQOL相关，两者均为CVD的可靠危险因素。 反刍可能是炎症，抑郁症和HRQOL的一个关键因素。 沉思被定义为反复将注意力集中在痛苦的想法上，并且已经发现 与亏损后的不良调整有关。重要的是，有些人很难停止 自己的反刍，即使积极尝试这样做。抑制的认知技巧 区分那些能够阻止自己沉思的人和那些不能阻止自己沉思的人。抑制是 定义为抑制自己从事反刍等自然本能的能力。较差的人 已经发现抑制具有增加炎症和抑郁以及差HRQOL的风险。 重要的是，抑制是一种可改变的技能，抑制的改善与降低 沉思因此，检查与炎症、抑郁和HRQOL相关的抑制 在失去亲人之后，我们可以进一步了解心血管疾病的风险。该项目建立在 纵向检查抑制与炎症、抑郁和HRQOL相关的初步结果 在死者家属中参与者将是最近去世的人的配偶。指标 将在2个月、4个月、6个月和12个月时收集抑制、炎症、抑郁和HRQOL 配偶去世后的几个月。如果抑制与CVD潜在的假设机制相关， 风险，那么压力个体可能会受益于针对改善抑制的干预措施。等 干预措施可能特别重要，以实施那些低抑制， 有压力的经历，比如失去。

Project Summary/Abstract The loss of a spouse is rated as the most stressful experience one can encounter. In the face of a loss, people are physiologically and emotionally dysregulated. As a result, bereaved individuals are at increased risk of mortality. Indeed, within six months after the death of a spouse, mortality rates range from 40-100%, with cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounting for 20-53% of these deaths. However, not all individuals experience physical and emotional difficulties after a loss. A better understanding of the mechanisms associated with adjustment following a loss is important for informing interventions aimed at reducing health disparities. People experiencing increased stress, such as those faced with a loss, exhibit heightened inflammatory responses in comparison to those who are less stressed. Importantly, inflammation is a predictor of all stages of CVD from initial lesion to end-stage thrombotic complications. Therefore, as bereaved individuals are at increased risk of being stressed, inflammation may be a key mechanism underlying CVD following a loss. Bereaved individuals are also at increased risk of reporting symptoms of depression and low health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Depression and HRQOL are interrelated, and both are reliable risk factors for CVD. Rumination may be a key contributor to inflammation, depression, and HRQOL among the bereaved. Rumination is defined as repeatedly focusing one’s attention on distressing thoughts, and has been found to be associated with poor adjustment following a loss. Importantly, some people have difficulty stopping themselves from ruminating, even when actively attempting to do so. The cognitive skill of inhibition differentiates individuals who are able to stop themselves from ruminating from those who are not. Inhibition is defined as the ability to restrain oneself from engaging in natural instincts such as ruminating. Those with poor inhibition have been found to be at risk for heightened inflammation and depression, as well as poor HRQOL. Importantly, inhibition is a modifiable skill and improvements in inhibition are associated with decreased rumination. As a result, examination of inhibition as it relates to inflammation, depression, and HRQOL following a loss may further our understanding of CVD risk among the bereaved. This project builds upon preliminary findings to longitudinally examine inhibition as it relates to inflammation, depression, and HRQOL among the bereaved. Participants will be spouses of individuals who recently passed away. Indicators of inhibition, inflammation, depression, and HRQOL will be collected at 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, and 12 months after the spouse’s death. If inhibition is associated with the hypothesized mechanisms underlying CVD risk, then stressed individuals may benefit from exposure to interventions targeting improved inhibition. Such interventions may be especially important to implement among those with low inhibition that are faced with stressful experiences such as a loss.