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Chronic stress, daily stressors, and circulating inflammatory markers.
- Source :
-
Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association [Health Psychol] 2012 Mar; Vol. 31 (2), pp. 264-8. Date of Electronic Publication: 2011 Sep 19. - Publication Year :
- 2012
-
Abstract
- Objectives: Acute laboratory stressors elicit elevations in serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP). Chronic stressors, such as family dementia caregiving, promote a state of chronic low-grade elevation in circulating inflammatory markers. The recurrent daily stressors associated with chronic stress may lead to repeated and sustained activation of the physiological stress systems. The present study evaluated the possibility that greater exposure and reactivity to daily stressors fueled increased levels of circulating inflammatory markers among family dementia caregivers, compared with noncaregiving controls.<br />Methods: This cross-sectional study included 53 caregivers and 77 noncaregiving controls. A semistructured interview assessed the occurrence of daily stressors in the past 24 h. A blood sample provided data on two inflammatory markers, C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6).<br />Results: Caregivers were more likely to experience multiple stressors in the past 24 h than noncaregiving controls. The occurrence of multiple daily stressors was associated with greater serum IL-6 and CRP levels. The greater occurrence of daily stressors in the past 24 h partially mediated the relationship between dementia caregiving and CRP levels.<br />Conclusion: These results suggest that the cumulative effect of daily stressors promotes elevations in inflammatory markers. Greater exposure to daily stressors may be a psychobiological mechanism leading to elevations in CRP levels among family dementia caregivers.
- Subjects :
- Aged
Aged, 80 and over
Alzheimer Disease nursing
Biomarkers blood
Case-Control Studies
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Humans
Interleukin-6 metabolism
Male
Middle Aged
Stress, Psychological blood
Stress, Psychological psychology
C-Reactive Protein metabolism
Caregivers psychology
Inflammation blood
Interleukin-6 blood
Stress, Psychological immunology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1930-7810
- Volume :
- 31
- Issue :
- 2
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- Health psychology : official journal of the Division of Health Psychology, American Psychological Association
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 21928900
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1037/a0025536