Allostatic load and canine companionship: a comparative study using biomarkers in older adults

Morales-Jinez, Alejandro; López-Rincón, Francisco J.; Ugarte-Esquivel, Alicia; Andrade-Valles, Irma; Rodríguez-Mejía, Luz Elena; Hernández-Torres, José Luis

doi:10.1590/1518-8345.2755.3071

Cited by 13 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 14 publications

(19 reference statements)

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“…Data from a representative longitudinal study on older adults [143] showed that high allostatic load levels were associ ated with several personality characteristics (neuroticism, lower extroversion, lower conscientiousness) at baseline, and with declines in extroversion, conscientiousness, agreeableness and openness at a 4year followup. Older adults with canine companionship displayed lower levels of allostatic load compared to those without [144].…”

Section: Agingmentioning

confidence: 84%

Allostatic Load and Its Impact on Health: A Systematic Review

Guidi

Lucente

Sonino

et al. 2020

Psychother Psychosom

593

466

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Introduction: Allostatic load refers to the cumulative burden of chronic stress and life events. It involves the interaction of different physiological systems at varying degrees of activity. When environmental challenges exceed the individual ability to cope, then allostatic overload ensues. Allostatic load is identified by the use of biomarkers and clinical criteria. Objective: To summarize the current knowledge on allostatic load and overload and its clinical implications based on a systematic review of the literature. Methods: PubMed, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library were searched from inception to December 2019. A manual search of the literature was also performed, and reference lists of the retrieved articles were examined.We considered only studies in which allostatic load or overload were adequately described and assessed in either clinical or non-clinical adult populations. Results: A total of 267 original investigations were included. They encompassed general population studies, as well as clinical studies on consequences of allostatic load/overload on both physical and mental health across a variety of settings. Conclusions: The findings indicate that allostatic load and overload are associated with poorer health outcomes. Assessment of allostatic load provides support to the understanding of psychosocial determinants of health and lifestyle medicine. An integrated approach that includes both biological markers and clinimetric criteria is recommended.

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Section: Agingmentioning

confidence: 84%

Allostatic Load and Its Impact on Health: A Systematic Review

Guidi

Lucente

Sonino

et al. 2020

Psychother Psychosom

593

466

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Also, psychological benefits from the relationship to the pet are reported, especially in older adults [36]. Dog owners report fewer depression and anxiety symptoms, and improved social contacts [37] and positive emotions [38,39]. Another study showed that dog and cat ownership was not directly associated with psychological wellbeing [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pet Attachment and Wellbeing of Older-Aged Recreational Horseback Riders

Schwarzmueller-Erber

Maier

Kundi

2020

IJERPH

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The aim of the study was to determine if and how emotional attachment to their animal of older-aged (45+) horseback riders affects their physical, psychological and social wellbeing in comparison to dog owners. Overall, 124 individuals 45+ years answered questionnaires about pet attachment and wellbeing. Comparisons were carried out using a general linear model with activity group (rider/dog owner) as the main variable of interest. Horseback riders had no significantly lower pet attachment scores compared to dog owners. Gender differences of pet attachment were found in riders, with women having higher love factor scores. Self-reported mood during activities with the animal was significantly correlated with overall pet attachment, pet love and personal growth by contact with the pet in both, riders and dog owners. We observed no correlation of physical wellbeing during and after the activity with the animal and overall pet attachment in dog owners and horseback riders. Psychological wellbeing during the activity was significantly correlated with overall pet attachment in riders and social wellbeing during the activity in both groups. Recreational horseback riders nearly reach pet attachment scores of dog owners, increasing social and psychological wellbeing in a manner similar to that in dog owners.

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“…One strategy to reduce stress is through positive relationships, including with a companion animal, such as a dog. For example, Morales-Jinez et al (2018) compared two groups of older adults who lived with and without canine companions and found reduced levels of cortisol and total cholesterol, biomarkers associated with stress, in participants who owned dogs [ 7 ]. These differences are likely due in part to lifestyle differences: dog owners have been shown to exercise more often and sleep better [ 8 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Molecular Biomarkers of Adult Human and Dog Stress during Canine-Assisted Interventions: A Systematic Scoping Review

Gandenberger¹,

Flynn²,

Moratto³

et al. 2022

Animals

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Positive relationships, including those between humans and other animals, particularly dogs, may be a way to reduce stress in humans. However, research into this area is relatively new, and a comprehensive review of the impacts of these interactions on humans and dogs has not been conducted. A scoping review of the scientific literature was conducted to explore what is known about the impacts of canine-assisted interventions on molecular biomarkers (e.g., cortisol and oxytocin) and associated measures (e.g., heart rate and blood pressure) of human and canine stress. As reported across 27 identified studies, canine-assisted interventions have consistently been demonstrated to elicit positive changes in human stress markers, and typically do not cause negative impacts on the studied canine stress markers. However, results were inconsistent across measures of stress. For example, in humans, it was common for a study to show improvements to cortisol levels but no change to self-reported stress, or vice versa. Many of the reviewed studies also had significant methodological issues, such as not aligning the timing of sample collections to when the analyzed stress biomarkers could be expected to peak. More rigorous research should be conducted on the impacts of canine-assisted interventions on a wider range of stress biomarkers.

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Allostatic load and canine companionship: a comparative study using biomarkers in older adults

Cited by 13 publications

References 14 publications

Allostatic Load and Its Impact on Health: A Systematic Review

Allostatic Load and Its Impact on Health: A Systematic Review

Pet Attachment and Wellbeing of Older-Aged Recreational Horseback Riders

Molecular Biomarkers of Adult Human and Dog Stress during Canine-Assisted Interventions: A Systematic Scoping Review

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