Does Exposure to Stressors Predict Changes in Physiological Dysregulation?
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Does Exposure to Stressors Predict Changes in Physiological Dysregulation? Dana A. Glei, Ph.D. & Noreen Goldman, D.Sc. & Chih-Hsun Wu, Ph.D. & Maxine Weinstein, Ph.D.
Published online: 23 March 2013 # The Society of Behavioral Medicine 2013
Abstract Background The allostatic load framework implies that cumulative exposure to stressors results in multi-system physiological dysregulation. Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of stress burden on subsequent changes (2000–2006) in physiological dysregulation. Methods Data came from a population-based cohort study in Taiwan (n=521, aged 54+ in 2000, re-examined in 2006). Measures of stressful events and chronic strain were based on questions asked in 1996, 1999, and 2000. A measure of trauma was based on exposure to the 1999 earthquake. Dysregulation was based on 17 biomarkers (e.g., metabolic, inflammatory, neuroendocrine). Results There were some small effects among men: chronic strain was associated with subsequent increases in dysregulation (standardized β=0.08, 95 % CI=0.01 to 0.20), particularly
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s12160-013-9485-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. D. A. Glei (*) : M. Weinstein Center for Population and Health, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, USA e-mail: [email protected] N. Goldman Office of Population Research, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA C.-H. Wu Population and Health Research Center, Bureau of Health Promotion, Department of Health, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China D. A. Glei 5985 San Aleso Court, Santa Rosa, CA 95409-3912, USA
inflammation; life events were also associated with increased inflammation (β=0.10, CI=0.01 to 0.26). There were no significant effects in women. Conclusions We found weak evidence that stress burden is associated with changes in dysregulation. Keywords Stressors . Psychological stress . Life challenges . Allostatic load . Physiological dysregulation . Biological markers
Introduction The allostatic load framework proposes that repeated exposure to environmental challenges creates a cumulative cost represented by dysregulation of multiple interrelated physiological systems, which may in turn result in deterioration of health [1, 2]. Although measures of allostatic load have been shown to predict mortality and other health outcomes [3], studies that have examined directly the purported link between stress burden (both life events and perceived chronic strain) and multi-system physiological dysregulation (allostatic load) have yielded evidence of only a modest association [4–11]. Most of these studies evaluated physiological parameters at only one time, and none has investigated the effects of stressors on changes in physiological dysregulation over time. Cross-sectional differences in physiological dysregulation are likely to be a function of numerous factors, many of which may be unobserved, that differ between individuals. Longitudinal data allow us to
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