Objective-Previous research on the physical health consequences of childhood abuse and other adversities has been based on data from young or middle-aged adults. This study addressed the question of whether childhood abuse and other adversities have lasting, detectable consequences for inflammation and cell aging late in life, and whether the effects are large enough to be discernible beyond that of a major chronic stressor, dementia family caregiving.Method-In this community sample of 132 healthy older adults (mean age = 69.70, SD=10.14), including 58 dementia family caregivers and 74 noncaregivers, blood samples were analyzed for interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and telomere length, a measure of cell aging. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D).Results-After controlling for age, caregiving status, gender, body mass index, exercise, and sleep, the presence of multiple childhood adversities was related to both heightened IL-6 (.37 ± .03 vs. .44 ± .03 log10 pg/mL) and shorter telomeres (6.51 ± .17 vs. 5.87 ± .20 Kb), compared to the absence of adversity; the telomere difference could translate into a 7-15 year difference in lifespan. Abuse was associated with heightened IL-6 and TNF-α levels, and, for TNF-α, this relationship was magnified in caregivers compared to controls. Moreover, abuse and caregiving status were significantly and independently associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms.Conclusions-Adverse childhood events are related to continued vulnerability among older adults, enhancing the impact of chronic stressors. Childhood adversities cast a very long shadow. Keywordspsychoneuroimmunology; IL-6; TNF-α; depression; cell aging; trauma Adverse events during childhood have been associated with a higher prevalence of several mental disorders, including DSM-IV-defined mood disorders, disruptive behavior, and substance abuse disorders (1). In fact, simulation data suggested that adversities were associated with 44.6% of all childhood-onset disorders and 25.9% to 32% of adult-onset disorders (1). Adults who experienced abuse or neglect as children appear to have an enhanced emotional sensitivity to stress; they are more likely to develop psychiatric disorders when confronting subsequent stressors than adults who did not have a similarly troubled history (2). Indeed, childhood maltreatment is a particularly potent risk factor for depression in adults, especially when individuals encounter stressful life events (3).In addition to the enhanced emotional stress sensitivity associated with childhood adversity, heightened physiological stress sensitivity has also been documented (3). Alterations in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and autonomic stress responses have been found in adult survivors of childhood abuse compared to similar individuals without a history of abuse (4,5). Findings from trauma survivors consistent with neuroendocrine stress response sensitization include enhanced glucocorticoi...

SynopsisConverging and replicated evidence indicate that psychological stress can modulate wound healing processes. This article reviews the methods and findings of experimental models of wound healing. Psychological stress can have a substantial and clinically relevant impact on wound repair. Physiological stress responses can directly influence wound healing processes. Furthermore, psychological stress can indirectly modulate the repair process by promoting the adoption of health-damaging behaviors. Translational work is needed to develop innovative treatments able to attenuate stress-induced delays in wound healing.Keywords wound healing; stress; cytokine; cortisol; psychoneuroimmunology; oxytocin Wound healing is a critical process involved in the recovery from injury and surgical procedures. Poor healing increases the risk for wound infections or complications, lengthens hospital stays, magnifies patient discomfort, and slows return to activities of daily living. Converging evidence from different research paradigms suggest that psychological stress and other behavioral factors can affect wound healing. A meta-analytic study using diverse wound healing models and outcomes found that across studies there was an average correlation of −.42 between psychological stress and wound healing [1]. This suggests that the relationship between stress and wound repair is not only statistically significant, but also clinically relevant. This review presents data and methods from observational, experimental, and interventional studies corroborating the impact of stress on wound healing. Potential behavioral and physiological mechanisms explaining the association between stress and impaired wound healing are also discussed.

Objectives Acute laboratory stressors elicit elevations in serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP). Chronic stressors, such as family dementia caregiving, promote a state of chronic low-grade elevation in circulating inflammatory markers. The recurrent daily stressors associated with chronic stress may lead to repeated and sustained activation of the physiological stress systems. The present study evaluated the possibility that greater exposure and reactivity to daily stressors fueled increased levels of circulating inflammatory markers among family dementia caregivers, compared to noncaregiving controls. Methods This cross-sectional study included 53 caregivers and 77 noncaregiving controls. A semi-structured interview assessed the occurrence of daily stressors in the past 24 hours. A blood sample provided data on two inflammatory markers, CRP and IL-6. Results Caregivers were more likely to experience multiple stressors in the past 24 hours than noncaregiving controls. The occurrence of multiple daily stressors was associated with greater serum IL-6 and CRP levels. The greater occurrence of daily stressors in the past 24 hours partially mediated the relationship between dementia caregiving and CRP levels. Conclusion These results suggest that the cumulative effect of daily stressors promotes elevations in inflammatory markers. Greater exposure to daily stressors may be a psychobiological mechanism leading to elevations in CRP levels among family dementia caregivers.

These results are conceptually consistent with both the Health Belief Model and the Elaboration Likelihood Model of health promotion and are useful in informing HCPs on how to better promote SB.

Background Childhood abuse leads to greater morbidity and mortality in adulthood. Dysregulated physiological stress responses may underlie the greater health risk among abused individuals. Purpose This study evaluated the impact of childhood abuse on inflammatory responses to naturalistically occurring daily stressors. Methods In this cross-sectional study of 130 older adults, recent daily stressors and childhood abuse history were evaluated using the Daily Inventory of Stressful Events and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. Blood samples provided data on circulating interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and C-reactive protein (CRP). Results Childhood abuse history moderated IL-6 levels, but not TNF-α and CRP responses to daily stressors. Individuals with a childhood abuse history who experienced multiple stressors in the past 24 hours had IL-6 levels 2.35 times greater than those of participants who reported multiple daily stressors but no early abuse history. Conclusion Childhood abuse substantially enhances IL-6 responses to daily stressors in adulthood.

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Objectives In order for physical distancing directives to be effective at lowering and flattening the epidemic peak during a pandemic, individuals must adhere to confinement guidelines. Recent reviews highlight the paucity of research on empirical correlates of adherence to physical distancing and quarantine directives. Methods In this cross-sectional study, 1003 individuals were recruited using quota sampling to form a sample approximately representative of the population of Quebec (Canada) in terms of age, gender, and urbanicity. Participants completed an online survey on adherence to physical distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic. This survey evaluated socio-demographic, health, cognitive, emotional, and social factors related to physical distancing.

Recent models propose deoxyribonucleic acid methylation of key neuro-regulatory genes as a molecular mechanism underlying the increased risk of mental disorder associated with early life adversity (ELA). The goal of this study was to examine the association of ELA with oxytocin receptor gene (OXTR) methylation among young adults. Drawing from a 21-year longitudinal cohort, we compared adulthood OXTR methylation frequency of 46 adults (23 males and 23 females) selected for high or low ELA exposure based on childhood socioeconomic status and exposure to physical and sexual abuse during childhood and adolescence. Associations between OXTR methylation and teacher-rated childhood trajectories of anxiousness were also assessed. ELA exposure was associated with one significant CpG site in the first intron among females, but not among males. Similarly, childhood trajectories of anxiousness were related to one significant CpG site within the promoter region among females, but not among males. This study suggests that females might be more sensitive to the impact of ELA on OXTR methylation than males.