1
|
Bird CM, Kate Webb E, Cole SW, Tomas CW, Knight JM, Timmer-Murillo SC, Larson CL, deRoon-Cassini TA, Torres L. Experiences of racial discrimination and adverse gene expression among black individuals in a level 1 trauma center sample. Brain Behav Immun 2024; 116:229-236. [PMID: 38070623 PMCID: PMC10872243 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2023.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Up to 40 % of individuals who sustain traumatic injuries are at risk for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the conditional risk for developing PTSD is even higher for Black individuals. Exposure to racial discrimination, including at both interpersonal and structural levels, helps explain this health inequity. Yet, the relationship between racial discrimination and biological processes in the context of traumatic injury has yet to be fully explored. The current study examined whether racial discrimination is associated with a cumulative measure of biological stress, the gene expression profile conserved transcriptional response to adversity (CTRA), in Black trauma survivors. Two-weeks (T1) and six-months (T2) post-injury, Black participants (N = 94) provided a blood specimen and completed assessments of lifetime racial discrimination and PTSD symptoms. Mixed effect linear models evaluated the relationship between change in CTRA gene expression and racial discrimination while adjusting for age, gender, body mass index (BMI), smoking history, heavy alcohol use history, and trauma-related variables (mechanism of injury, lifetime trauma). Results revealed that for individuals exposed to higher levels of lifetime racial discrimination, CTRA significantly increased between T1 and T2. Conversely, CTRA did not increase significantly over time in individuals exposed to lower levels of lifetime racial discrimination. Thus, racial discrimination appeared to lead to a more sensitized biological profile which was further amplified by the effects of a recent traumatic injury. These findings replicate and extend previous research elucidating the processes by which racial discrimination targets biological systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - E Kate Webb
- McLean Hospital, Division of Depression and Anxiety Disorders, Belmont, MA USA; Harvard Medical School, Department of Psychiatry, Boston, MA USA
| | - Steven W Cole
- Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Jane & Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA
| | - Carissa W Tomas
- Division of Epidemiology and Social Sciences, Institute for Health and Equity, Medical College of Wisconsin, WI, USA
| | - Jennifer M Knight
- Department of Trauma and Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, WI, USA
| | | | - Christine L Larson
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | | | - Lucas Torres
- Department of Psychology, Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lee SH, Cole SW, Choi I, Sung K, Kim S, Youm Y, Chey J. Social network position and the Conserved Transcriptional Response to Adversity in older Koreans. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 155:106342. [PMID: 37523898 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social connections are crucial to human health and well-being. Previous research on molecular mechanisms in health has focused primarily on the individual-level perception of social connections (e.g., loneliness). This study adopted socio-centric social network analysis that includes all social ties from the entire population of interest to examine the group-level social connections and their association with a molecular genomic measure of health. METHODS Using socio-centric (global) social network data from an entire village in Korea, we investigated how social network characteristics are related to immune cell gene expression among older adults. Blood samples were collected (N = 53, 65-79 years) and mixed effect linear model analyses were performed to examine the association between social network characteristics and Conserved Transcriptional Response to Adversity (CTRA) RNA expression patterns. RESULTS Social network positions measured by k-core score, the degree of cohesive core positions in an entire village, were significantly associated with CTRA downregulation. Such associations emerged above and beyond the effects of perceived social isolation (loneliness) and biobehavioral risk factors (smoking, alcohol, BMI, etc.). Social network size, defined as degree centrality, was also associated with reduced CTRA gene expression, but its association mimicked that of perceived social isolation (loneliness). CONCLUSIONS The current findings implicate community-level social network characteristics in the regulation of individual human genome function above and beyond individual-level perceptions of connectedness.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sung-Ha Lee
- Center for Happiness Studies, Seoul National University, South Korea
| | - Steven W Cole
- Departments of Medicine and Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Incheol Choi
- Center for Happiness Studies, Seoul National University, South Korea; Department of Psychology, Seoul National University, South Korea
| | - Kiho Sung
- Department of Sociology, Yonsei University, South Korea
| | - Somin Kim
- Department of Psychology, Seoul National University, South Korea
| | - Yoosik Youm
- Department of Sociology, Yonsei University, South Korea.
| | - Jeanyung Chey
- Department of Psychology, Seoul National University, South Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kim JH, Choi E, Kim N, Choi I. Older people are not always happier than younger people: The moderating role of personality. Appl Psychol Health Well Being 2023; 15:275-292. [PMID: 35665604 DOI: 10.1111/aphw.12377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The present research explored whether the well-established U-shaped relationship between age and happiness varied with personality. Individuals ranging from 15 to 75 years of age (N = 10,456, 84.9% female) completed online surveys of subjective well-being (i.e. life satisfaction, positive affect, and negative affect) and the Big Five personality traits (International Personality Item Pool [IPIP]). The results of hierarchical multiple regression using the PROCESS macro not only supported the prediction of a U-shaped relationship between age and well-being but also revealed that the quadratic relationship is moderated by agreeableness and neuroticism. Specifically, well-being did not bounce back in later adulthood on the well-being curve across different age groups with low agreeableness and high neuroticism. Moreover, positive affect did not increase and even decreased in later adulthood among those with low agreeableness. This study discusses the potential mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joo Hyun Kim
- Institute of Health Policy and Management, Medical Research Center, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Eunsoo Choi
- School of Psychology, Korea University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Namhee Kim
- Center for Happiness Studies, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Incheol Choi
- Center for Happiness Studies, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Psychology, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
The genomic impact of kindness to self vs. others: A randomized controlled trial. Brain Behav Immun 2022; 106:40-48. [PMID: 35905861 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbi.2022.07.159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Prosocial behavior has been linked to improved physical health, but the biological mechanisms involved remain unclear. This study tested whether a 4-week kindness intervention could reduce expression of a stress-related immune response gene signature known as the Conserved Transcriptional Response to Adversity (CTRA). METHODS In a diverse sample of community adults (N = 182), study participants were randomly assigned to perform 3 kind acts for other people, to perform 3 kind acts for themselves, or to list daily activities (control), on one day per week over 4 weeks. CTRA gene expression was measured by RNA sequencing of dried blood spots (DBS) collected at baseline and 5 weeks later (1 week after completing study assignments). Participants' descriptions of their kind acts were coded for protocol adherence and act content. RESULTS Participants who were randomized to perform kind acts for others showed significant reductions in CTRA gene expression relative to controls. Participants who were randomized to perform kind acts for themselves also showed significant reductions in CTRA gene expression relative to controls, but this pattern emerged only for those who failed to perform the requested self-kind acts (protocol non-adherent). Those who fully adhered to the self-kindness protocol showed no change in CTRA gene expression and did not differ from controls. Act content analyses implicated self-stress-reducing behavior in the paradoxical effects of self-kindness and the physical presence of others in the effects of prosocial behavior. CONCLUSIONS Prosocial engagement-doing something kind for others rather than oneself-reduces CTRA gene expression. The nature of kind acts and their intended recipient plays a key role in shaping the genomic impact of kindness.
Collapse
|
5
|
Lee S, Chey J, Ahn W, Woo C, Youm Y, Kim H, Oh N, Park H, Gim S, Lee E, Choi I. Psychological well‐being and salivary markers of inflammation: The moderating effect of age. Appl Psychol Health Well Being 2022; 15:466-478. [PMID: 35851762 DOI: 10.1111/aphw.12389] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests a significant impact of higher psychological well-being (PWB) on health outcomes; however, such associations have been studied exclusively in middle-aged to older adults. This study examined the aging effect on PWB measures as well as the moderating effect of age on the link between PWB and inflammation, using salivary markers by comparing the younger adults (n = 127; Mage = 22.98 years) versus older adults (n = 75; Mage = 75.60 years). Older adults showed significantly lower levels of PWB, particularly regarding purpose in life and personal growth. Moreover, higher purpose in life was associated with lower salivary IL-1ß and IL-6 (b = 0.83, p < .001; b = 0.81, p < .01) only in the older adult group but not in younger adults. These findings highlight the potential buffering effect of the sense of living well on physiological pathways in later life.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sung‐Ha Lee
- Center for Happiness Studies Seoul National University Seoul South Korea
| | - Jeanyung Chey
- Department of Psychology Seoul National University Seoul South Korea
| | - Woo‐Young Ahn
- Department of Psychology Seoul National University Seoul South Korea
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences Seoul National University Seoul South Korea
| | - Choong‐Wan Woo
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Sungkyunkwan University Suwon South Korea
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research Institute for Basic Science (IBS) Suwon South Korea
- Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence Sungkyunkwan University Suwon South Korea
| | - Yoosik Youm
- Department of Sociology Yonsei University Seoul South Korea
| | - Hairin Kim
- Department of Psychology Seoul National University Seoul South Korea
- Department of Psychiatry Seoul National University College of Medicine and SMG‐SNU Boramae Medical Center Seoul South Korea
| | - Naeun Oh
- Department of Psychology Seoul National University Seoul South Korea
| | - Hyeyoung Park
- Department of Psychology Seoul National University Seoul South Korea
| | - Suhwan Gim
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Sungkyunkwan University Suwon South Korea
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research Institute for Basic Science (IBS) Suwon South Korea
- Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence Sungkyunkwan University Suwon South Korea
| | - Eunjin Lee
- Department of Biomedical Engineering Sungkyunkwan University Suwon South Korea
- Center for Neuroscience Imaging Research Institute for Basic Science (IBS) Suwon South Korea
- Department of Intelligent Precision Healthcare Convergence Sungkyunkwan University Suwon South Korea
| | - Incheol Choi
- Center for Happiness Studies Seoul National University Seoul South Korea
- Department of Psychology Seoul National University Seoul South Korea
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Wang L, Yu Z, Chen W, Zhang J, Bettencourt AF. Higher exposure to childhood adversity associates with lower adult flourishing. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:612. [PMID: 35351105 PMCID: PMC8966170 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-13063-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are prevalent and associated with negative health and social outcomes. However, our understanding of how patterns of ACEs exposure relate to positive outcomes in adulthood remains limited. This study aims to identify patterns of ACEs and examine associations with flourishing in a sample of Chinese young adults. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted from August to November 2020. Young adults, ages 18–35, enrolled in undergraduate or graduate programs at universities in Mainland China were recruited through convenience and snowball sampling to participate in a survey. The exposure to ACEs was measured by the twelve-item Chinese version of the ACE-International Questionnaire. Additional measures included six domains of flourishing assessed using the Chinese version of the Flourishing Measure, and demographic covariates (i.e., gender, age, year in university, marital status). Descriptive statistical analysis and latent class analysis (LCA) were performed using SPSS 27 and Mplus 8.5. Results Participants included 9468 young adults (mean age = 20.1 years). Majority of participants were female (75.3%), undergraduate students (96.4%), and single (79.8%). Approximately 56% of participants reported at least one ACE; 7.0% reported four or more ACEs. Emotional neglect (33.2%), household violence (20.6%), and parental separation/divorce (13.9%) were the most frequently reported ACEs. LCA identified three ACEs classes: multiple maltreatment and household violence (4.7%), emotional neglect and household violence (16.2%), and low ACEs (79.1%). Individuals in the low ACEs class had the highest level of flourishing whereas individuals in multiple maltreatment and household violence had the lowest level of flourishing in all six domains. There were no significant differences in flourishing between the multiple maltreatment and household violence and the emotional neglect and household violence classes except in the physical and mental health (means = 6.17 vs 6.51, p = 0.02) and the financial and material stability domains (means = 5.25 vs 5.66, p = 0.04). Conclusions Patterns of multiple ACEs exposures were associated with lower levels of flourishing. Our findings have implications for efforts to prevent ACEs exposure through monitoring and promoting family well-being and routine screening to identify those with ACEs exposure to prevent negative social and health sequelae. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-022-13063-6.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lin Wang
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Nursing, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhiyuan Yu
- Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, 525N Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| | - Wenyi Chen
- Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, 525N Wolfe Street, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Juan Zhang
- Departments of Nursing, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, International Peace Maternity and Children Hospital of China Welfare Institution, Shanghai, China
| | - Amie F Bettencourt
- Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
West TN, Zhou J, Brantley MM, Kim SL, Brantley J, Salzberg S, Cole SW, Fredrickson BL. Effect of Mindfulness Versus Loving-kindness Training on Leukocyte Gene Expression in Midlife Adults Raised in Low-Socioeconomic Status Households. Mindfulness (N Y) 2022; 13:1185-1196. [PMID: 36278141 PMCID: PMC9585929 DOI: 10.1007/s12671-022-01857-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Objectives People raised in low socio-economic status (SES) households are at an increased risk for physical illness in adulthood. A shift in gene expression profiles in the immune system is one biological mechanism thought to account for elevated disease susceptibility, with a frequently-investigated profile being the conserved transcriptional response to adversity (CTRA), characterized by increased expression of proinflammatory genes and decreased expression of antiviral and antibody-related genes. Methods The present study investigated, in a sample of at-risk midlife adults (N = 88), whether those randomized to learn loving-kindness meditation (LKM) in a 6-week workshop, would show a reduction in CTRA gene expression, compared to those randomized to learn mindfulness meditation (MM). We assessed emotions daily and hypothesized positive emotions to account for the expected effect of LKM on gene expression. Results Results showed significant group differences from pre- to post-intervention, yet in the opposite direction as hypothesized: Participants randomized to the MM group showed significant declines in CTRA gene expression, whereas those in the LKM group showed significant increases in CTRA gene expression. Both groups showed increases over the 6 weeks in daily reports of positive emotions, b=.007, p <.001 alongside decreases in negative emotions b=-.005, p <.001. Thus, positive emotions were not pursued as a candidate mediator of observed group effects. Conclusion This study is the first to examine whether the biological impact of childhood low-SES can be reversed in mid-life through meditation interventions. Results suggest mindfulness meditation may be a viable option for improving health outcomes in this at-risk population. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02400593.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Taylor N. West
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB #3270, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | - Jieni Zhou
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB #3270, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| | | | - Sumi L. Kim
- Chaplain’s Office, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jeffrey Brantley
- Duke Integrative Medicine, Duke University, Durham , NC, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Steve W. Cole
- Department of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Barbara L. Fredrickson
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, CB #3270, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Flourishing in Healthcare Trainees: Psychological Well-Being and the Conserved Transcriptional Response to Adversity. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19042255. [PMID: 35206440 PMCID: PMC8871849 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19042255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
While much attention has been paid to healthcare provider and trainee burnout, less is known about provider well-being (i.e., flourishing) or about the effects of well-being on immune function. This study examined the demographic and psycho-social correlates of well-being among healthcare trainees (resident physicians and physician assistant (PA) trainees) and evaluated the association of well-being with the “conserved transcriptional response to adversity” (CTRA) characterized by up-regulated expression of pro-inflammatory genes and down-regulated expression of innate antiviral genes. Participants (n = 58) completed self-reported assessments of sleep disturbance, loneliness, depressive symptoms, anxiety, stress, and well-being (flourishing). Blood sample RNA profiles were analyzed by RNA sequencing to assess the CTRA. Slightly over half (n = 32; 55.2%) of healthcare trainees were categorized as flourishing. Flourishing was less prevalent among primary caregivers, and more prevalent among trainees who exercised more frequently and those with fewest days sick. Loneliness (AOR = 0.75; 95% CI = 0.61, 0.91; p = 0.003) and stress (AOR = 0.65; 95% CI = 0.45, 0.94; p = 0.02) were associated with decreased odds of flourishing when controlling for other variables. Flourishing was associated with down-regulated CTRA gene expression, whereas loneliness was associated with up-regulated CTRA gene expression (both p < 0.05). Assessing these relationships in a larger, multi-site study is of critical importance to inform policy, curricula, and interventions to bolster sustainable trainee well-being.
Collapse
|