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Robles TF. Interpersonal relationships, PNI, and health: Seeds in the 1980s, fruiting trees today. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2024; 19:100247. [PMID: 39036379 PMCID: PMC11260297 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2024.100247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/23/2024] [Indexed: 07/23/2024] Open
Abstract
In this contribution to the Special Issue, I highlight how Janice Kiecolt-Glaser's research in the 1980s planted the seeds for two areas of social relationships and health research: loneliness and intimate/marital relationships. I review the foundational "seed" studies from the mid-to late-1980s, the research "saplings" that sprouted and grew during the subsequent twenty years, and the "mature trees" that have gone on to fruit and grow their respective areas of inquiry over the past twenty years. In addition to highlighting the mature trees that have borne rich empirical fruit, my other goal for this contribution is to draw attention to ideas and concepts from Kiecolt-Glaser's work and writing that merit further conceptual and empirical examination in the next generation of research on social relationships, psychoneuroendocrinology, psychoneuroimmunology, and health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodore F. Robles
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, United States
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Graham-Engeland JE. Moving toward affective immunology: Legacy and future directions. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2024; 19:100241. [PMID: 38910934 PMCID: PMC11190499 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2024.100241] [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: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The term "affective immunology" has recently been used to denote a field focused on the interplay between affective processes (including mood states, specific emotions, and regulatory processes) and various aspects of immune function. The overarching goals of this commentary are a) to provide historical underpinnings of this field with a focus on the profound impact of the work of Janice Kiecolt-Glaser, who is further honored in this special issue, b) to review important off-shoots of her legacy work in this domain, and c) to highlight important future directions for the field. Kiecolt-Glaser's work laid much of the foundation for affective immunology, with groundbreaking research related to depression, hostility and dyadic interactions, loneliness, and other affective patterns, often in the context of holistic models, novel experimental designs, and interventions. Her former mentees (and many of their mentees) have carried on her legacy in these domains, in ways that continue to advance appreciation of how affective processes relate to immune function. There are numerous remaining questions for the field to pursue, including better understanding of the role of emotion regulation, emotional reactivity and recovery, restorative processes, affective variability, and developmental and dynamic social processes. Such work will require greater use of longitudinal and within-person approaches and/or examination of processes in daily life, as well as models that account for interactive and reciprocal processes and which integrate behavior, social context, sociocultural factors, individual differences, and other aspects of health. As more work in these domains continues, building on Kiecolt-Glaser's rich legacy, we move toward the emergence of affective immunology as an important subfield in the domain of psychoneuroimmunology, one which will offer more nuanced understanding of the role of affective processes in immune health.
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Vasan S, Lim MH, Eikelis N, Lambert E. Investigating the relationship between early cardiovascular disease markers and loneliness in young adults. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14221. [PMID: 38902298 PMCID: PMC11190220 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-65039-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Loneliness is recognised as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease development. However, it is unclear whether loneliness itself or other closely related mental health symptoms, such as depression and social anxiety, are associated with the development of cardiovascular disease. In the present study, we examined the relationship between loneliness and several early cardiovascular disease markers in young adults, after controlling for depression and social anxiety. Sixty-six young adults (18-35 years old, Mage = 22.70; 75.8% females) completed psychological questionnaires and took part in several physiological tests assessing cardiovascular health (e.g., vascular function). Results revealed higher loneliness was significantly associated with shorter pulse transit time (β = - 0.70, p = 0.002; shorter pulse transit time is a subclinical marker for arterial stiffness). Additionally, results show that while loneliness and depression were both related to vascular dysfunction in young adults, the underlining physiological mechanisms through which they affect vascular function may be different. Specifically, higher loneliness was associated with increased arterial stiffness, whereas depression was associated with increased endothelial dysfunction (β = - 0.43, p = 0.04). Our findings indicate that presence of loneliness and depression in young adults may be accompanied by early indicators of poor cardiovascular health, such as arterial stiffness and endothelial dysfunction. Results from the study further support the link between loneliness and cardiovascular disease development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shradha Vasan
- Iverson Health Innovation Research Institute, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Victoria, 3122, Australia.
- Department of Mental Health Services, St. Vincent's Hospital Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
| | - Michelle H Lim
- Iverson Health Innovation Research Institute, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Victoria, 3122, Australia
- Prevention Research Collaboration, Sydney School of Public Health, Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Nina Eikelis
- Iverson Health Innovation Research Institute, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Victoria, 3122, Australia
| | - Elisabeth Lambert
- Iverson Health Innovation Research Institute, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Victoria, 3122, Australia
- School of Health Sciences, Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne, Australia
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Wu D, Hu X, Meng L, Li J, Xu J, Zhang L, Ma Q, Li H, Zeng X, Li J, Zhang Q, Liu D. Influence of loneliness burden on cardio-cerebral vascular disease among the Chinese older adult: a national cohort study. Front Public Health 2024; 12:1307927. [PMID: 38414893 PMCID: PMC10896831 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1307927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Adverse psychosocial factors play an important role in cardio-cerebral vascular disease (CCVD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of the cumulative burden of loneliness on the risk of CCVD in the Chinese older adult. Methods A total of 6,181 Chinese older adult over the age of 62 in the monitoring survey of the fourth Sample Survey of the Aged Population in Urban and Rural China (SSAPUR) were included in this study. The loneliness cumulative burden (scored by cumulative degree) was weighted by the loneliness score for two consecutive years (2017-2018) and divided into low- and high-burden groups. The outcome was defined as the incidence of CCVD 1 year later (2018-2019). A multivariate logistic regression model was used to examine the relationship between the cumulative burden of loneliness and the new onset of CCVD. Results Among participants, 18.9% had a higher cumulative burden of loneliness, and 11.5% had a CCVD incidence within 1 year. After multivariate adjustment, the risk of developing CCVD in the high-burden group was approximately 37% higher than that in the low-burden group (OR 1.373, 95%CI 1.096-1.721; p = 0.006). Similar results were obtained when calculating the burden based on cumulative time. Longitudinal change in loneliness was not significantly associated with an increased risk of CCVD. A higher cumulative burden of loneliness may predict a higher risk of developing CCVD in older adult individuals aged 62-72 years or in those with diabetes. Conclusion The cumulative burden of loneliness can be used to assess the risk of new-onset CCVD in the older adult in the short term.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dishan Wu
- Department of Cardiology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xing Hu
- Health Service Department of the Guard Bureau of the Joint Staff Department, Beijing, China
| | - Lingbing Meng
- Department of Cardiology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jianyi Li
- Department of Cardiology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jiapei Xu
- Department of Cardiology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Graduate School, Peking University Fifth School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Luyao Zhang
- Department of Cardiology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Qinan Ma
- Department of Cardiology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Graduate School, Peking University Fifth School of Clinical Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Hui Li
- Department of Cardiology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xuezhai Zeng
- Department of Cardiology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Juan Li
- Center on Aging Psychology, Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Science, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | - Deping Liu
- Department of Cardiology, Beijing Hospital, National Center of Gerontology, Institute of Geriatric Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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Gaddis K, Woollen KC, Johnson LJ, Flaherty T, Byrnes JF. A structural vulnerability approach to older adult suicides: Trends and potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Clark County, NV (2017-2021). Forensic Sci Int Synerg 2024; 8:100454. [PMID: 38304716 PMCID: PMC10830507 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsisyn.2024.100454] [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: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
The ongoing SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has affected all aspects of life in the United States and around the world. This is particularly true for marginalized and vulnerable groups who face disproportionate levels of violence and premature death within their communities. While general impacts of the pandemic have been well-studied overall, little has been done to examine the correlation between COVID-19 and the risk of suicide among older adults. Older adults are particularly at risk because they face challenges including ageism, inadequate support systems, unreliable transportation, and frequent social isolation. Medicolegal casework offers a unique vantage of these issues, as it aims to identify manner of death which may be influenced by underlying structural vulnerabilities. The current research draws upon data collected from the Clark County Office of the Coroner/Medical Examiner. A sample of 871 older adults (aged 50+), whose manner of death was deemed a suicide between the years 2017-2021, were included in this analysis. Statistical analyses investigated differences between adults aged 50-64, 65-84, and 85+ years. Results suggest statistically significant changes in mechanism of death between pre-pandemic and pandemic periods, indicating a shift in risk factors related to social isolation and the home environment. Understanding such changes in trends directly affects the interpretation of skeletal data in forensic anthropology and thus, should be taken into consideration when developing structural vulnerability profiles. Furthermore, the inclusion of a structural vulnerability approach in forensic case reports has the potential to provide additional context for deaths by suicide and may help develop policies and procedures for mitigating future risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Gaddis
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy., Las Vegas, NV, 89154, USA
| | - Katharine C. Woollen
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy., Las Vegas, NV, 89154, USA
| | - Liam J. Johnson
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy., Las Vegas, NV, 89154, USA
| | - Taylor Flaherty
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy., Las Vegas, NV, 89154, USA
| | - Jennifer F. Byrnes
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 S. Maryland Pkwy., Las Vegas, NV, 89154, USA
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Shimada H, Doi T, Tsutsumimoto K, Makino K, Harada K, Tomida K, Arai H. Elevated Risk of Dementia Diagnosis in Older Adults with Low Frequencies and Durations of Social Conversation. J Alzheimers Dis 2024; 98:659-669. [PMID: 38461507 DOI: 10.3233/jad-231420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Background Social networks and social participation have protective effects on cognitive function maintenance and Alzheimer's disease and general dementia development. Objective We aimed to investigate the association between conversations and dementia incidence in older adults. Methods This longitudinal prospective cohort study used population data from the National Center for Geriatric and Gerontology-Study of Geriatric Syndromes (NCGG-SGS) from September 2015 to February 2017. The database included 4,167 individuals in Japan aged ≥60 years who were generally healthy and without major cognitive impairment. Participants were classified into two groups according to six daily conversation measures at baseline. The conversation index was calculated as a composite score for these measures. Participants were tracked monthly over 60 months for new-onset dementia. Results Data from 2,531 participants were analyzed (72.7±6.7 years; range: 60-96 years). Dementia incidence per 1,000 person-years was 15.7 (95% confidence interval, 13.6-18.1). The Youden index determined the cut-off point for dementia incidence, with a conversation index of 16/17 points. The low conversation group included more participants with new-onset dementia. Cox proportional hazards regression crude models showed remarkable relationships between dementia onset and specific conversation measurements, including conversation index. According to the Cox regression adjusted model, the cut-off point of the conversation index showed only a remarkable relationship with dementia onset. Conclusions Dementia risk was extensively associated with low daily conversation statuses. The assessment of conversational factors may be useful as a risk indicator for the development of Alzheimer's disease and general dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroyuki Shimada
- Department of Preventive Gerontology, Center for Gerontology and Social Science, Research Institute, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan
| | - Takehiko Doi
- Department of Preventive Gerontology, Center for Gerontology and Social Science, Research Institute, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan
| | - Kota Tsutsumimoto
- Department of Preventive Gerontology, Center for Gerontology and Social Science, Research Institute, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan
| | - Keitaro Makino
- Department of Preventive Gerontology, Center for Gerontology and Social Science, Research Institute, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan
| | - Kenji Harada
- Department of Preventive Gerontology, Center for Gerontology and Social Science, Research Institute, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan
| | - Kouki Tomida
- Department of Preventive Gerontology, Center for Gerontology and Social Science, Research Institute, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan
| | - Hidenori Arai
- National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, Obu, Japan
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Van Bogart K, Johnson JA, Nayman S, Nobel J, Smyth JM. Iterative Design, Feasibility, and Preliminary Efficacy Testing for the Development of a Cooperative Card Game Intervention to Reduce Loneliness and Foster Social Connection. Games Health J 2023; 12:377-384. [PMID: 37279459 DOI: 10.1089/g4h.2022.0245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective: To present the design, development, and pilot testing of Connections, an empirically derived cooperative card game intervention to reduce loneliness and enhance connection. Materials and Methods: Theory and empirical evidence from domains such as self-disclosure, interpersonal closeness, and serious games informed the design of this game. Iterative design was used to develop the intervention, followed by feasibility and preliminary efficacy pilot testing. Results: Pilot testing showed that participants felt confident playing the game and found Connections to be enjoyable, interesting, and helpful in building connections with others, and would recommend the game to others. Preliminary evaluation found statistically significant benefits across multiple domains after playing the game. Participants reported decreases in loneliness, depressed mood, and anxiousness (ps < 0.02). Additionally, participants reported increases in looking forward to forming new connections with others in the future, the degree to which they felt like opening up and talking to others, and the amount they felt like they had in common with others (ps < 0.05). Conclusion: Pilot testing of Connections demonstrated feasibility and preliminary impact among a community sample. Future development plans include minor revisions to the game instructions followed by more rigorous testing of the feasibility, usability, and efficacy of Connections among various settings and populations, with large samples and controlled trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina Van Bogart
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Jillian A Johnson
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Sibel Nayman
- Research Group Longitudinal and Intervention Research, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Jeremy Nobel
- Center for Primary Care, Department of Global Health and Social Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Foundation for Art & Healing, New York, New York, USA
| | - Joshua M Smyth
- Departments of Biobehavioral Health and Medicine, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, USA
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8
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Freilich CD. How does loneliness "get under the skin" to become biologically embedded? BIODEMOGRAPHY AND SOCIAL BIOLOGY 2023; 68:115-148. [PMID: 37800557 PMCID: PMC10843517 DOI: 10.1080/19485565.2023.2260742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/07/2023]
Abstract
Loneliness is linked to declining physical health across cardiovascular, inflammatory, metabolic, and cognitive domains. As a result, loneliness is increasingly being recognized as a public health threat, though the mechanisms that have been studied do not yet explain all loneliness-related health risk. Potential mechanisms include loneliness having 1.) direct, causal impacts on health, possibly maintained by epigenetic modification, 2.) indirect effects mediated through health-limiting behaviors, and 3.) artifactual associations perhaps related to genetic overlap and reverse causation. In this scoping review, we examine the evidence surrounding each of these pathways, with a particular emphasis on emerging research on epigenetic effects, in order to evaluate how loneliness becomes biologically embedded. We conclude that there are significant gaps in our knowledge of how psychosocial stress may lead to physiological changes, so more work is needed to understand if, how, and when loneliness has a direct influence on health. Hypothalamic-pituitary adrenocortical axis disruptions that lead to changes in gene expression through methylation and the activity of transcription factor proteins are one promising area of research but are confounded by a number of unmeasured factors. Therefore, wok is needed using causally informative designs, such as twin and family studies and intensively longitudinal diary studies.
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Kim Y, Lin J, Epel ES, Carver CS. A Lens on Caregiver Stress in Cancer: Longitudinal Investigation of Cancer-Related Stress and Telomere Length Among Family Caregivers of Adult Patients With Cancer. Psychosom Med 2023; 85:527-534. [PMID: 37260287 PMCID: PMC10524877 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000001220] [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] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Family members are typically the primary caregivers of patients with chronic illnesses. Family caregivers of adult relatives with cancer are a fast-growing population, yet the physical consequences of their stress due to the cancer in the family have been poorly understood. This study examined the bidirectional relations of the perceived stress of family caregivers of individuals recently diagnosed with cancer and leukocyte cellular aging indexed by telomere length for 2 years. METHODS Family caregivers ( N = 168; mean age = 51 years, 70% female, 46% Hispanic, 36% spouse to the patient) of patients with colorectal cancer provided psychological data and peripheral blood samples approximately 4 (T1), 12 (T2), and 21 months (T3) after diagnosis. Time-lagged cross-panel modeling was used to test the associations of perceived cancer-related stress and telomere length, controlling for age, sex, and body mass index. RESULTS Cancer-related stress was highest at T1 and decreased by 1 year. Greater cancer-related stress predicted longer telomere length at subsequent assessments for 2 years ( β ≥ 0.911, p ≤ .019). However, telomere length did not change significantly for 2 years overall and did not prospectively predict cancer-related stress over this period. CONCLUSIONS Findings suggest the need to better understand how the perceived stress of colorectal cancer caregivers, which tends to be intense for a relatively short period compared with dementia caregiving, may impact immune cell distributions and telomere length. These findings emphasize the need for further knowledge about psychobiological mechanisms of how cancer caregiving may impact cellular aging.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jue Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Elissa S. Epel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco
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Sommerlad A, Kivimäki M, Larson EB, Röhr S, Shirai K, Singh-Manoux A, Livingston G. Social participation and risk of developing dementia. NATURE AGING 2023; 3:532-545. [PMID: 37202513 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-023-00387-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The increasing number of people with dementia globally illustrates the urgent need to reduce dementia's scale and impact. Lifetime social participation may affect dementia risk by increasing cognitive reserve, and through brain maintenance by reducing stress and improving cerebrovascular health. It may therefore have important implications for individual behavior and public health policy aimed at reducing dementia burden. Observational study evidence indicates that greater social participation in midlife and late life is associated with 30-50% lower subsequent dementia risk, although some of this may not be causal. Social participation interventions have led to improved cognition but, partly due to short follow-up and small numbers of participants, no reduction in risk of dementia. We summarize the evidence linking social participation with dementia, discuss potential mechanisms by which social participation is likely to reduce and mitigate the impact of neuropathology in the brain, and consider the implications for future clinical and policy dementia prevention interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Sommerlad
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK.
- Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
| | - Mika Kivimäki
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
- Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Eric B Larson
- University of Washington Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Susanne Röhr
- School of Psychology, Massey University, Manawatu, New Zealand
- Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI), Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- Institute of Social Medicine, Occupational Health and Public Health (ISAP), Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kokoro Shirai
- Department of Social Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Archana Singh-Manoux
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
- Université Paris Cité, Inserm, U1153, Paris, France
| | - Gill Livingston
- Division of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK
- Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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11
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Slavich GM, Roos LG, Mengelkoch S, Webb CA, Shattuck EC, Moriarity DP, Alley JC. Social Safety Theory: Conceptual foundation, underlying mechanisms, and future directions. Health Psychol Rev 2023; 17:5-59. [PMID: 36718584 PMCID: PMC10161928 DOI: 10.1080/17437199.2023.2171900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Classic theories of stress and health are largely based on assumptions regarding how different psychosocial stressors influence biological processes that, in turn, affect human health and behavior. Although theoretically rich, this work has yielded little consensus and led to numerous conceptual, measurement, and reproducibility issues. Social Safety Theory aims to address these issues by using the primary goal and regulatory logic of the human brain and immune system as the basis for specifying the social-environmental situations to which these systems should respond most strongly to maximize reproductive success and survival. This analysis gave rise to the integrated, multi-level formulation described herein, which transforms thinking about stress biology and provides a biologically based, evolutionary account for how and why experiences of social safety and social threat are strongly related to health, well-being, aging, and longevity. In doing so, the theory advances a testable framework for investigating the biopsychosocial roots of health disparities as well as how health-relevant biopsychosocial processes crystalize over time and how perceptions of the social environment interact with childhood microbial environment, birth cohort, culture, air pollution, genetics, sleep, diet, personality, and self-harm to affect health. The theory also highlights several interventions for reducing social threat and promoting resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- George M. Slavich
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Lydia G. Roos
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Summer Mengelkoch
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Christian A. Webb
- McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eric C. Shattuck
- Institute for Health Disparities Research and Department of Public Health, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Daniel P. Moriarity
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Jenna C. Alley
- Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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12
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Rosie Shrout M, Wilson S, Renna M, Madison A, Kiecolt-Glaser JK. "We've Got This": Middle-Aged and Older Couples' Satisfying Relationships and We-Talk Promote Better Physiological, Relational, and Emotional Responses to Conflict. Psychosom Med 2023; 85:154-164. [PMID: 36527719 PMCID: PMC9923879 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000001162] [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] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Conflict poses multiple relational and health risks. Dyadic stress theories suggest satisfaction and communication alter cardiovascular and autonomic function, key pathways from troubled relationships to poor health. However, "we-talk," a positive communication pattern, can strengthen relationships and promote health. We examined how each spouse's satisfaction and we-talk were related to conflict's physiological, relational, and emotional toll. METHODS Married couples ( n = 107 couples, 214 individuals, ages 40-87 years) who were mostly White, highly educated, and higher-income Americans in different-gender relationships engaged in 20-minute conflict discussions while wearing monitors to assess heart rate variability (HRV). Spouses rated their closeness immediately after conflict and their conflict rumination 2 hours later. Conflict transcriptions measured we-talk, or the proportion of first-person plural pronouns (we, us, our). RESULTS Satisfied spouses or those in mutually satisfying relationships had higher HRV during conflict ( b = 0.0001, p = .049), felt closer immediately after conflict ( b = 0.07, p < .001), and ruminated less about the conflict 2 hours later ( b = -0.26, p = .026). Spouses' HRV was highest ( b = 0.0002, p = .002) and rumination was lowest ( b = -0.49, p = .019) when they or their partners were satisfied and used we-talk more often. Women's HRV ( b = 0.0001, p = .035) and rumination ( b = -0.01, p = .02) benefited when both spouses were satisfied, as did closeness when women were satisfied ( b = 0.10, p < .001). Men's closeness benefited when they ( b = 0.04, p = .003) or their wives ( b = 0.04, p = .002) were satisfied. CONCLUSIONS The combination of mutually satisfying relationships and we-talk was associated with better relational and health outcomes after conflict. These findings are important for middle-aged and older couples whose relationships are central to their health.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Rosie Shrout
- Department of Human Development and Family Studies, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
- Center on Aging and the Life Course, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Stephanie Wilson
- Department of Psychology, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Megan Renna
- School of Psychology, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA
| | - Annelise Madison
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
- Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Janice K. Kiecolt-Glaser
- Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH, USA
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13
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Okada M, Okada K, Kakehashi M. Common eating habit patterns are associated with a high maximum occlusal force and pre-eating cardiac vagal tone. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15091. [PMID: 36987454 PMCID: PMC10040181 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Masticatory function is associated with nervous function, including autonomic nervous function, and both functions are influenced by human habits. In a previous preliminary study of 53 young women, we found that eating habit patterns were associated with occlusal force as an indicator of masticatory function. Therefore, we hypothesized that relationships exist between occlusal force, the autonomic nervous system, and eating habit patterns. Methods To test our hypothesis, we analyzed the relationship between heart rate variability measured before and after lunch in 53 young women, and measured and surveyed maximum occlusal force and eating habit patterns, respectively, in these participants. Results High occlusal force was associated with an increased high-frequency (HF) component (vagal tone index) of the heart rate variability index immediately before lunch (standardized regression coefficient (β) = 0.417, P = 0.002). Each of the eating habit items surveyed in a questionnaire showed a similar tendency for the HF component immediately before lunch and maximum occlusal force; in particular, "Habit of eating breakfast" and "Number of meals per day" were significantly associated with both variables. Additionally, total eating habit scores related to higher maximum occlusal force were associated with an increase in the HF component immediately before lunch (β = 0.514, P < 0.001). The maximum occlusal force and the pre-eating HF component values were stratified by total eating habit scores (into low, medium, high categories), and the high scores were significantly higher than the medium or low scores. Conclusions Occlusal force and the pre-eating cardiac vagal response of individuals were characterized by their common eating habit patterns, indicating that eating habits may be simultaneously associated with the development of masticatory function, nervous system development, and cardiovascular rhythm. Although further research is needed to investigate these relationships in detail, our findings provide insights that will inform the study of physical functions, neurodevelopment, habitual behaviors, and health in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masahiro Okada
- Department of Food and Dietetics, Hiroshima Bunka Gakuen Two-Year College, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Kosuke Okada
- Department of Internal Medicine COOP Saeki Hospital, Hiroshima, Japan
| | - Masayuki Kakehashi
- Graduate School of Biomedical & Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan
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14
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Ask TF, Sütterlin S. Prefrontally modulated vagal neuroimmunomodulation is associated with telomere length. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:1063162. [PMID: 36605550 PMCID: PMC9807922 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.1063162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Accumulated senescent cells are proposed to be one of the main drivers of age-related pathology such as dementia and cancer through disruption of tissue structure and function. We recently proposed the Neuro-Immuno-Senescence Integrative Model (NISIM), which relates prefrontally modulated vagal tone and subsequent balance between vagal and sympathetic input to the spleen to inflammatory responses leading to generation of reactive oxygen species and oxidative telomere damage. Aim In this study, we assess inflammation as a mediator in the relationship between prefrontally modulated vagal tone and leukocyte telomere length (LTL). We also assess the relationship between a recently proposed index of vagal neuroimmunomodulation (vagal tone/inflammation ratio; NIM index) and telomere length. Methods This study uses participant data from a large nationally representative longitudinal study since 1974 with a total of 45,000 Norwegian residents so far. A sub-sample of 131 participants from which ultrashort recordings (30 s) of vagal tone, c reactive protein, and LTL could be obtained were included in the study. Relationships were analyzed with Pearson's correlations and hierarchical multiple linear regression using either vagal tone and CRP or the NIM index to predict telomere length. Results Vagal tone was a significant positive predictor of telomere length but this was not mediated by c reactive protein, even after controlling for confounders. The NIM index was a significant positive predictor of telomere length, also when controlling for confounders. In a follow-up analysis simultaneously comparing telomere length between groups with high and low values of vagal tone, and between groups with high and low NIM index values, telomere length was only significantly different between NIM index groups. Conclusion This is the first study suggesting that prefrontally modulated vagal neuroimmunomodulation is associated with telomere length thus supporting the NISIM. Results indicate that the NIM index is a more sensitive indicator of vagal neuroimmunomodulation than vagal tone and CRP in isolation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Torvald F. Ask
- Faculty of Health, Welfare and Organisation, Østfold University College, Halden, Norway,Department of Information Security and Communication Technology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Gjøvik, Norway,*Correspondence: Torvald F. Ask,
| | - Stefan Sütterlin
- Faculty of Health, Welfare and Organisation, Østfold University College, Halden, Norway,Faculty of Computer Science, Albstadt-Sigmaringen University, Sigmaringen, Germany
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15
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Delgado-Losada ML, Bouhaben J, Arroyo-Pardo E, Aparicio A, López-Parra AM. Loneliness, Depression, and Genetics in the Elderly: Prognostic Factors of a Worse Health Condition? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:15456. [PMID: 36497531 PMCID: PMC9739711 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192315456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Loneliness is considered a prognostic factor for poorer health status in the elderly. It is proposed to analyze the role of loneliness in health status in terms of various factors. A total of 1747 individuals from the pilot survey of the Aging in Spain Longitudinal Study (ELES-PS) were reviewed. ELES is a cross-sectional study for collecting health variables, food habits, socioeconomic data, and cognitive and functional capacities, which was carried out on a Spanish representative sample of noninstitutionalized persons of 50 years of age or older. Moreover, since telomere shortening is associated with cellular senescence, 35 telomere-related SNPs and cognitive impairments were analyzed. The results characterize the "solos" as males of 50-60 years, who were overweight and had lower levels of hemoglobin and neutrophils. There is also an association between five SNPs related to telomere length and BDNF. A group of people with loneliness and depression was identified with poorer health and cognitive status, poorer perception of their quality of life, poorer quality of sleep, and lower physical activity. Therefore, it follows that telomeres and BDNF play a role as intermediaries between loneliness and depression and their relationship with a worse state of health.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Luisa Delgado-Losada
- Experimental Psychology, Cognitive Processes and Speech Therapy Department, Faculty of Psychology, Complutense University of Madrid, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Spain
- Group of Neurosciences: Psychoneuroendocrinology, Neuroimaging and Molecular Genetics in Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria San Carlos (IdISSC), Hospital Clínico de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- UCM Research Group: VALORNUT-920030, Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, Plaza Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Jaime Bouhaben
- Experimental Psychology, Cognitive Processes and Speech Therapy Department, Faculty of Psychology, Complutense University of Madrid, 28223 Pozuelo de Alarcón, Spain
| | - Eduardo Arroyo-Pardo
- Laboratory of Forensic and Population Genetics, Legal Medicine, Psychiatry and Pathology Department, Medicine School, Complutense University of Madrid, Plaza Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Group of Forensic Sciences: Forensic Genetics and Toxicology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria San Carlos (IdISSC), Hospital Clínico de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Aránzazu Aparicio
- Group of Neurosciences: Psychoneuroendocrinology, Neuroimaging and Molecular Genetics in Neuropsychiatric Diseases, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria San Carlos (IdISSC), Hospital Clínico de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- UCM Research Group: VALORNUT-920030, Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, Plaza Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, Plaza Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana María López-Parra
- Laboratory of Forensic and Population Genetics, Legal Medicine, Psychiatry and Pathology Department, Medicine School, Complutense University of Madrid, Plaza Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Group of Forensic Sciences: Forensic Genetics and Toxicology, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria San Carlos (IdISSC), Hospital Clínico de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
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16
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The cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway in humans: State-of-the-art review and future directions. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 136:104622. [PMID: 35300992 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The parasympathetic nervous system modulates inflammation through efferent vagus nerve signaling. Tracey (2002) termed this process as the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP). Interest in the potential practical use of this immune-modulatory process is increasing alongside increasing appreciation for the role of systemic inflammation in the etiology of somatic and psychological disease. A diverse literature exists providing expansive correlational evidence and some preliminary experimental evidence of the CAP in humans. However, so far this literature has not been well integrated and critically evaluated. This review describes the current state-of-the-art of research into vagus nerve driven parasympathetic control of inflammation in humans. Substantial limitations and gaps in the literature are identified, and promising directions for future research are highlighted.
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17
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Moons P, Marelli A. Born to Age: When Adult Congenital Heart Disease Converges With Geroscience. JACC. ADVANCES 2022; 1:100012. [PMID: 38939088 PMCID: PMC11198429 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacadv.2022.100012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Advances in imaging, catheter-based interventions, congenital heart disease surgery, and clinical management of congenital heart disease (CHD) have yielded a dramatic change in age distribution of the CHD population. This implores clinicians and researchers to gain a better understanding of aging, as this will be the cornerstone to how we plan and manage this rapidly evolving group of patients. In this article, we first review the demographic changes in the CHD population and then describe the systemic complications of disease observed in young patients with CHD, following which we discuss general concepts in aging that may be transferable to the CHD population. Finally, we review inflammation and its potential impact on aging. We provide a new lens on aging in CHD and its functional consequences in CHD, with the goal of stimulating an exchange of knowledge between geroscientists and CHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philip Moons
- KU Leuven Department of Public Health and Primary Care, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Institute of Health and Care Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Ariane Marelli
- McGill University Health Center, McGill Adult Unit for Congenital Heart Disease Excellence (MAUDE Unit), Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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18
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Shattuck EC. Networks, cultures, and institutions: Toward a social immunology. Brain Behav Immun Health 2021; 18:100367. [PMID: 34761241 PMCID: PMC8566934 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2021.100367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper calls for increased attention to the ways in which immune function – including its behavioral aspects – are responsive to social contexts at multiple levels. Psychoneuroimmunology has demonstrated that the quantity and quality of social connections can affect immune responses, while newer research is finding that sickness temporarily affects these same social networks and that some aspects of culture can potentially “get under the skin” to affect inflammatory responses. Social immunology, the research framework proposed here, unifies these findings and also considers the effects of structural factors – that is, a society's economic, political, and environmental landscape – on exposure to pathogens and subsequent immune responses. As the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted, a holistic understanding of the effects of social contexts on the patterning of morbidity and mortality is critically important. Social immunology provides such a framework and can highlight important risk factors related to impaired immune function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric C Shattuck
- Institute for Health Disparities Research, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.,Department of Public Health, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
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19
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Diller GP, Arvanitaki A, Opotowsky AR, Jenkins K, Moons P, Kempny A, Tandon A, Redington A, Khairy P, Mital S, Gatzoulis MΑ, Li Y, Marelli A. Lifespan Perspective on Congenital Heart Disease Research: JACC State-of-the-Art Review. J Am Coll Cardiol 2021; 77:2219-2235. [PMID: 33926659 DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2021.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
More than 90% of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) are nowadays surviving to adulthood and adults account for over two-thirds of the contemporary CHD population in Western countries. Although outcomes are improved, surgery does not cure CHD. Decades of longitudinal observational data are currently motivating a paradigm shift toward a lifespan perspective and proactive approach to CHD care. The aim of this review is to operationalize these emerging concepts by presenting new constructs in CHD research. These concepts include long-term trajectories and a life course epidemiology framework. Focusing on a precision health, we propose to integrate our current knowledge on the genome, phenome, and environome across the CHD lifespan. We also summarize the potential of technology, especially machine learning, to facilitate longitudinal research by embracing big data and multicenter lifelong data collection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerhard-Paul Diller
- Department of Cardiology III-Adult Congenital and Valvular Heart Disease, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany; Adult Congenital Heart Centre and National Centre for Pulmonary Hypertension, Royal Brompton and Harefield National Health Service Foundation Trust, Imperial College London, London, UK; National Register for Congenital Heart Defects, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Alexandra Arvanitaki
- Department of Cardiology III-Adult Congenital and Valvular Heart Disease, University Hospital Muenster, Muenster, Germany; Adult Congenital Heart Centre and National Centre for Pulmonary Hypertension, Royal Brompton and Harefield National Health Service Foundation Trust, Imperial College London, London, UK; First Department of Cardiology, American Hellenic Educational Progressive Association University Hospital, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Alexander R Opotowsky
- The Cincinnati Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Heart Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital and University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA
| | - Kathy Jenkins
- Department of Cardiology, Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Philip Moons
- Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; Institute of Health and Care Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Alexander Kempny
- Adult Congenital Heart Centre and National Centre for Pulmonary Hypertension, Royal Brompton and Harefield National Health Service Foundation Trust, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Animesh Tandon
- Pediatric Cardiology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Children's Health, Dallas, Texas, USA; Department of Radiology, University of Texas Southwestern Children's Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Andrew Redington
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Montreal Heart Institute, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Paul Khairy
- Montreal Heart Institute, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Seema Mital
- Department of Pediatrics, Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael Α Gatzoulis
- Adult Congenital Heart Centre and National Centre for Pulmonary Hypertension, Royal Brompton and Harefield National Health Service Foundation Trust, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Yue Li
- Department of Computer Science, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Ariane Marelli
- McGill Adult Unit for Congenital Heart Disease Excellence (MAUDE Unit), Department of Medicine, McGill University, Montréal, Québec, Canada.
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20
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Brief induction of loneliness decreases vagal regulation during social information processing. Int J Psychophysiol 2021; 164:112-120. [PMID: 33745964 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2021.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Perceived social isolation, or loneliness, has been repeatedly linked to numerous adverse health outcomes. Much effort has been directed towards elucidating the mechanisms underlying its effects on the cardiovascular system, which may explain the deleterious effects on morbidity and mortality. It has been previously suggested that perceived social isolation can impair effective parasympathetic regulation and physiological adjustment to the demands of the social environment. Thus, the present study aimed at investigating the causal impact of an induction of loneliness on vagal activity during social stimuli processing. In the study, participants (N = 119) were led to anticipate either a future filled with satisfying relationships (Future Belong) or a lonely life (Future Alone). Then, they were asked to complete an implicit emotion regulation task while their cardiovascular activity was recorded. In the Future Belong group, a pattern of vagal suppression was observed between the resting period and task completion, which was followed by vagal recovery during the post-task resting period. However, in the Future Alone group, a change from the baseline HRV was observed only at the beginning of the task, but not during its consecutive stages. Moreover, in participants who believed in the given FA feedback, the initial vagal suppression was absent. These findings provide evidence that even a brief induction of loneliness can result in a blunted vagal suppression during social information processing. It can be hypothesized that the lack of the ability to regulate vagal activity while processing social cues may potentially underlie problems with social engagement and self-control.
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21
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MacCormack JK, Henry TR, Davis BM, Oosterwijk S, Lindquist KA. Aging bodies, aging emotions: Interoceptive differences in emotion representations and self-reports across adulthood. Emotion 2021; 21:227-246. [PMID: 31750705 PMCID: PMC7239717 DOI: 10.1037/emo0000699] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Bodily sensations are closely linked to emotional experiences. However, most research assessing the body-emotion link focuses on young adult samples. Inspired by prior work showing age-related declines in autonomic reactivity and interoception, we present 2 studies investigating age-related differences in the extent to which adults (18-75 years) associate interoceptive or internal bodily sensations with emotions. Study 1 (N = 150) used a property association task to assess age effects on adults' tendencies to associate interoceptive sensations, relative to behaviors or situations, with negative emotion categories (e.g., anger, sadness). Study 2 (N = 200) used the Day Reconstruction experience sampling method to assess the effect of age on adults' tendencies to report interoceptive sensations and emotional experiences in daily life. Consistent with prior literature suggesting that older adults have more muted physiological responses and interoceptive abilities than younger adults, we found that older adults' mental representations (Study 1) and self-reported experiences (Study 2) of emotion are less associated with interoceptive sensations than are those of younger adults. Across both studies, age effects were most prominent for high arousal emotions (e.g., anger, fear) and sensations (e.g., racing heart) that are often associated with peripheral psychophysiological concomitants in young adults. These findings are consistent with psychological constructionist models and a "maturational dualism" account of emotional aging, suggesting additional pathways by which emotions may differ across adulthood. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
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22
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Roddick CM, Chen FS. Effects of Chronic and State Loneliness on Heart Rate Variability in Women. Ann Behav Med 2020; 55:460-475. [PMID: 32889527 DOI: 10.1093/abm/kaaa065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Loneliness, the subjective experience of social isolation, represents one of the largest risk factors for physical illness and early death in humans. However, the mechanisms by which loneliness leads to adverse health outcomes are not well understood. PURPOSE In this study, we examined altered parasympathetic nervous system function as a potential pathway by which chronic loneliness and state loneliness may "get under the skin" to impact cardiovascular physiology. METHODS In a controlled laboratory setting, vagally mediated resting heart rate variability (HRV), HRV reactivity to an induction of state loneliness, and HRV reactivity to a cognitive challenge task were assessed in a sample of 316 healthy women (18-28 years). RESULTS Greater chronic loneliness in women predicted lower resting HRV, an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality, after controlling for demographic, psychosocial, and health behavior covariates. Furthermore, women higher in chronic loneliness experienced significantly larger increases in HRV to state loneliness and reported significantly higher levels of negative affect immediately following state loneliness, compared with their less chronically lonely counterparts. Chronic loneliness also predicted blunted HRV reactivity-a maladaptive physiological response-to cognitive challenge. CONCLUSIONS The current findings provide evidence that chronic loneliness is associated with altered parasympathetic function (both resting HRV and HRV reactivity) in women, and that the immediate experience of state loneliness is linked to a proximate increase in HRV among chronically lonely women. Results are discussed in terms of implications for cardiovascular health and the evolutionary functions of loneliness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte M Roddick
- Department of Psychology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Frances S Chen
- Department of Psychology, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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23
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Puhlmann LMC, Valk SL, Engert V, Bernhardt BC, Lin J, Epel ES, Vrtička P, Singer T. Association of Short-term Change in Leukocyte Telomere Length With Cortical Thickness and Outcomes of Mental Training Among Healthy Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Netw Open 2019; 2:e199687. [PMID: 31553468 PMCID: PMC6763984 DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.9687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Importance Telomere length is associated with the development of age-related diseases and structural differences in multiple brain regions. It remains unclear, however, whether change in telomere length is linked to brain structure change, and to what extent telomere length can be influenced through mental training. Objectives To assess the dynamic associations between leukocyte telomere length (LTL) and cortical thickness (CT), and to determine whether LTL is affected by a longitudinal contemplative mental training intervention. Design, Setting, and Participants An open-label efficacy trial of three 3-month mental training modules with healthy, meditation-naive adults was conducted. Data on LTL and CT were collected 4 times over 9 months between April 22, 2013, and March 31, 2015, as part of the ReSource Project. Data analysis was performed between September 23, 2016, and June 21, 2019. Of 1582 eligible individuals, 943 declined to participate; 362 were randomly selected for participation and assigned to training or retest control cohorts, with demographic characteristics matched. The retest control cohorts underwent all testing but no training. Intention-to-treat analysis was performed. Interventions Training cohort participants completed 3 modules cultivating interoception and attention (Presence), compassion (Affect), or perspective taking (Perspective). Main Outcomes and Measures Change in LTL and CT. Results Of the 362 individuals randomized, 30 participants dropped out before study initiation (initial sample, 332). Data were available for analysis of the training intervention in 298 participants (n = 222 training; n = 76 retest control) (175 women [58.7%]; mean [SD] age, 40.5 [9.3] years). The training modules had no effect on LTL. In 699 observations from all 298 participants, mean estimated changes in the relative ratios of telomere repeat copy number to single-copy gene (T/S) were for no training, 0.004 (95% CI, -0.010 to 0.018); Presence, -0.007 (95% CI, -0.025 to 0.011); Affect, -0.005 (95% CI, -0.019 to 0.010); and Perspective, -0.001 (95% CI, -0.017 to 0.016). Cortical thickness change data were analyzed in 167 observations from 67 retest control participants (37 women [55.2%], mean [SD] age, 39.6 [9.0] years). In this retest control cohort subsample, naturally occurring LTL change was related to CT change in the left precuneus extending to the posterior cingulate cortex (mean t161 = 3.22; P < .001; r = 0.246). At the individual participant level, leukocyte telomere shortening as well as lengthening were observed. Leukocyte telomere shortening was related to cortical thinning (t77 = 2.38; P = .01; r = 0.262), and leukocyte telomere lengthening was related to cortical thickening (t77 = 2.42; P = .009; r = 0.266). All analyses controlled for age, sex, and body mass index. Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this trial indicate an association between short-term change in LTL and concomitant change in plasticity of the left precuneus extending to the posterior cingulate cortex. This result contributes to the evidence that LTL changes more dynamically on the individual level than previously thought. Further studies are needed to determine potential long-term implications of such change in relation to cellular aging and the development of neurodegenerative disorders. No effect of contemplative mental training was noted in what may be, to date, the longest intervention with healthy adults. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01833104.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara M. C. Puhlmann
- Research Group, “Social Stress and Family Health,” Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sofie L. Valk
- Institute of Systems Neuroscience, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-7: Brain & Behaviour), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany
| | - Veronika Engert
- Research Group, “Social Stress and Family Health,” Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Boris C. Bernhardt
- Montreal Neurological Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Québec, Canada
| | - Jue Lin
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Elissa S. Epel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco
| | - Pascal Vrtička
- Research Group, “Social Stress and Family Health,” Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Tania Singer
- Social Neuroscience Lab, Max Planck Society, Berlin, Germany
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Muneer A, Minhas FA. Telomere Biology in Mood Disorders: An Updated, Comprehensive Review of the Literature. CLINICAL PSYCHOPHARMACOLOGY AND NEUROSCIENCE 2019; 17:343-363. [PMID: 31352701 PMCID: PMC6705109 DOI: 10.9758/cpn.2019.17.3.343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2018] [Revised: 03/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Major psychiatric disorders are linked to early mortality and patients afflicted with these ailments demonstrate an increased risk of developing physical diseases that are characteristically seen in the elderly. Psychiatric conditions like major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia may be associated with accelerated cellular aging, indicated by shortened leukocyte telomere length (LTL), which could underlie this connection. Telomere shortening occurs with repeated cell division and is reflective of a cell’s mitotic history. It is also influenced by cumulative exposure to inflammation and oxidative stress as well as the availability of telomerase, the telomere-lengthening enzyme. Precariously short telomeres can cause cells to undergo senescence, apoptosis or genomic instability; shorter LTL correlates with compromised general health and foretells mortality. Important data specify that LTL may be reduced in principal psychiatric illnesses, possibly in proportion to exposure to the ailment. Telomerase, as measured in peripheral blood monocytes, has been less well characterized in psychiatric illnesses, but a role in mood disorder has been suggested by preclinical and clinical studies. In this manuscript, the most recent studies on LTL and telomerase activity in mood disorders are comprehensively reviewed, potential mediators are discussed, and future directions are suggested. An enhanced comprehension of cellular aging in psychiatric illnesses could lead to their re-conceptualizing as systemic ailments with manifestations both inside and outside the brain. At the same time this paradigm shift could identify new treatment targets, helpful in bringing about lasting cures to innumerable sufferers across the globe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ather Muneer
- Department of Psychiatry, Islamic International Medical College, Riphah International University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | - Fareed Aslam Minhas
- Department of Psychiatry, WHO Collaborating Center, Rawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
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Abstract
Immunological aging, which encompasses age-associated declines in the immune system (immunosenescence) and increases in inflammation (inflammaging), is associated with morbidity and mortality. A growing body of research suggests stress is one factor that may accelerate immunological aging. This article provides a brief overview of immunological aging, describes key biological pathways acting at multiple lifespan stages linking stress and immunological aging, and reviews recent innovative work characterizing associations between stress in several domains and immunological aging, as well as potential protective and risk factors. Important directions for future research include careful characterizations of the complexities of stress and rigorous measurement of immunological aging processes. Advancing knowledge of stress resilience and healthy immune aging may ultimately slow disease onset and extend healthspan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca G Reed
- Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Kentucky
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Johnson AJ, Terry E, Bartley EJ, Garvan C, Cruz-Almeida Y, Goodin B, Glover TL, Staud R, Bradley LA, Fillingim RB, Sibille KT. Resilience factors may buffer cellular aging in individuals with and without chronic knee pain. Mol Pain 2019; 15:1744806919842962. [PMID: 30900507 PMCID: PMC6484237 DOI: 10.1177/1744806919842962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2019] [Accepted: 03/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Telomere length, a measure of cellular aging, is inversely associated with chronic pain severity. While psychological resilience factors (e.g., optimism, acceptance, positive affect, and active coping) are associated with lower levels of clinical pain and greater physical functioning, it is unknown whether resilience may buffer against telomere shortening in individuals with chronic pain. Additionally, a broader conceptualization of resilience that includes social and biobehavioral factors may improve our understanding of the relationship between resilience, chronic pain, and health outcomes. In individuals with and without chronic knee pain, we investigated whether (1) psychological resilience would be positively associated with telomere length and if (2) a broader conceptualization of resilience including social and biobehavioral factors would strengthen the association. Seventy-nine adults, 45 to 85 years of age, with and without knee pain completed demographic, health, clinical pain, psychological, social, and biobehavioral questionnaires. Resilience levels were determined by summing the total number of measures indicating resilience based on published clinical ranges and norms. Blood samples were collected, and telomere length was determined. In regression analyses controlling for sex, race, age, and characteristic pain intensity, greater psychological resilience and psychosocial/biobehavioral resilience were associated with longer telomeres ( p = .0295 and p = .0116, respectively). When compared, psychosocial/biobehavioral resilience was significantly more predictive of telomere length than psychological resilience ( p < .0001). Findings are promising and encourage further investigations to enhance understanding of the biological interface of psychosocial and biobehavioral resilience factors in individuals with musculoskeletal chronic pain conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alisa J Johnson
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Ellen Terry
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Emily J Bartley
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Cynthia Garvan
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Yenisel Cruz-Almeida
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, Institute on Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Burel Goodin
- Division of Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, Department of Psychology, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Toni L Glover
- College of Nursing, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Roland Staud
- Department of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Laurence A Bradley
- Division of Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Roger B Fillingim
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Kimberly T Sibille
- Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
- Department of Aging and Geriatric Research, Institute on Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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