Intergenerational Transmission of Stress: Psychosocial and Biological Mechanisms

项目摘要/摘要 尽管越来越多的证据表明健康结果会代代相传，但经验性检查 这种代际传播背后的可能机制尚不清楚。解释机制 经常关注压力，这既表现在心理上，也表现在身体上。相关的通路已经 主要是在一代人内或在非人类动物研究中进行测试。从老鼠到人， 有证据表明，与应激相关的生物学(如皮质醇、炎症、端粒)和 心理社会因素(例如，社会融合、健康行为)对代际 健康的传播。拟议的研究将通过以下方式检查心理社会广告生物学机制 哪种逆境会在三代人之间传递不利的心理和身体健康结果，并促进 维持健康差距。为此，我们将利用大型(G1，n=1,630)和多样化(33%) 非裔美国人)参加由美国国立卫生研究院资助的正在进行的一项老年人(目前73岁的)样本 压力与健康的纵向研究，招募他们的子女(G2，n=2,200)和孙子(G3， N=1900)完成自我报告问卷，评估压力、心理社会因素和健康。从… 这些，300个(150个黑色和150个白色)G1/G2/G3三联体(总计N=900)的子样本将访问我们的实验室 提供血液和唾液测量，以便我们可以检测应激激素皮质醇以及炎症 记号笔。我们将检测它们的基本功能和诱发活性。三合会和二合会将返回实验室 两年半后进行重复评估。所有措施都将与我们持续进行的现有G1数据集成 纵向样品。应激相关心理社会和心理压力的代际传递研究 生物学因素有望让我们了解健康结果和种族健康差异 这些影响将代代相传，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.