The Role of Daily Well-Being in Inflammatory Processes and Diurnal Cortisol Rhythms

 描述（由申请人提供）：炎症是年龄常见疾病的既定风险因素，包括心血管和自身免疫性疾病、II型糖尿病、某些癌症以及功能和认知障碍。压力与炎症升高和相关生理系统的失调有关，包括下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺（HPA）轴。相比之下，幸福的积极方面（如积极情绪）与更好的健康和长寿有关，但它们在塑造生物过程中的作用及其与压力的相互作用尚未得到很好的理解。这项研究的目的是检查日常生活中的积极体验是否可以防止炎症过程和昼夜皮质醇节律（HPA轴功能和炎症调节剂的测量）失调。这项拟议的研究将使用现有的300名年龄在25- 65岁之间的成年人的研究数据，他们将完成4次间隔约8个月的数据收集“爆发”。每次爆发包括14天的基于智能手机的瞬时评估，每天收集4次，以捕捉情绪，积极事件和压力源。在每次爆发期间，每天收集唾液样品4次，持续5天以评估皮质醇。在每次爆发结束时收集血液以评估循环炎性生物标志物和刺激的炎性反应（离体免疫应激物）。日常幸福感的关联（即，瞬时积极影响和积极事件）与炎症状态、炎症反应性和昼夜皮质醇的关系将在人内和人与人之间以及在从几天到几年的不同时间尺度上进行建模。这项研究还将测试日常幸福感在多大程度上减弱了急性和慢性压力对生理功能的影响。拟议的研究对促进健康老龄化和改善身心健康的战略的发展具有重要意义。研究培训计划旨在建立申请人在四个领域的专业知识：（1）对情绪，健康和衰老的寿命观点;（2）参与压力和衰老的生物过程;（3）最先进的统计和方法多层次，密集的纵向设计;和（4）手稿和赠款写作和专业发展。培训将涉及各种活动，包括课程作业、座谈会和研讨会、指导性阅读以及实验室和统计培训实践。该奖学金将为申请人作为独立研究科学家的职业生涯做好准备，专注于将心理健康与长期健康结果联系起来的生物途径。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Inflammation is an established risk factor for diseases that are common with age, including cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases, type II diabetes, certain cancers, and functional and cognitive impairment. Stress is linked to elevated inflammation and dysregulation of related physiological systems, including the hypothalamic- pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. In contrast, positive aspects of well-being (such as positive emotions) are associated with better health and longevity, but their roles in shaping biological processes and their interactions with stress are not well understood. The goal of this research is to examine whether positive experiences in everyday life protect against dysregulation of inflammatory processes and diurnal cortisol rhythms (a measure of HPA axis functioning and modulator of inflammation). The proposed research will use data from an existing study of 300 adults, ages 25- 65, who will complete 4 "bursts" of data collection spaced approximately 8 months apart. Each burst includes 14 days of smartphone-based momentary assessments collected 4 times per day to capture mood, positive events, and stressors. During each burst, saliva samples are collected 4 times per day for 5 days to assess cortisol. Blood is collected at the end of each burst to assess circulating inflammatory biomarkers and stimulated inflammatory responses (ex vivo to an immunologic stressor). The associations of daily well-being (i.e., momentary positive affect and positive events) with inflammatory state, inflammatory responsiveness, and diurnal cortisol will be modeled within- and between-persons, and across different time scales ranging from days to several years. This study will also test the extent to which daily well-being attenuates the effects of acute and chronic stress on physiological functioning. The proposed research has implications for the development of strategies to promote healthy aging and to improve mental and physical health. The research training program is designed to build the applicant's expertise in four areas: (1) lifespan perspectives on emotions, health, and aging; (2) biological processes involved in stress and aging; (3) state-of- the-art statistics and methodology for multilevel, intensive longitudinal designs; and (4) manuscript- and grant- writing and professional development. Training will involve a variety of activities, including coursework, colloquia and seminars, directed readings, and hands-on laboratory and statistical training. This fellowship will prepare the applicant for a career as an independent research scientist focusing on biological pathways that link psychological well-being to long-term health outcomes.