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Biomedical subjects

Sheldon Cohen

Publications and source records attributed to Sheldon Cohen.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Positive emotional style predicts resistance to illness after experimental exposure to rhinovirus or influenza a virus.

OBJECTIVE: In an earlier study, positive emotional style (PES) was associated with resistance to the common cold and a bias to underreport (relative to objective disease markers) symptom severity. This work did not control for social and cognitive factors closely associated with PES. We replicate the original study using a different virus and controls for these alternative explanations. METHODS: One hundred ninety-three healthy volunteers ages 21 to 55 years were assessed for a PES characterized by being happy, lively, and calm; a negative emotional style (NES) characterized by being anxious, hostile, and depressed; other cognitive and social dispositions; and self-reported health. Subsequently, they were exposed by nasal drops to a rhinovirus or influenza virus and monitored in quarantine for objective signs of illness and self-reported symptoms. RESULTS: For both viruses, increased PES was associated with lower risk of developing an upper respiratory illness as defined by objective criteria (adjusted odds ratio comparing lowest with highest tertile = 2.9) and with reporting fewer symptoms than expected from concurrent objective markers of illness. These associations were independent of prechallenge virus-specific antibody, virus type, age, sex, education, race, body mass, season, and NES. They were also independent of optimism, extraversion, mastery, self-esteem, purpose, and self-reported health. CONCLUSIONS: We replicated the prospective association of PES and colds and PES and biased symptom reporting, extended those results to infection with an influenza virus, and "ruled out" alternative hypotheses. These results indicate that PES may play a more important role in health than previously thought.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Infection-induced proinflammatory cytokines are associated with decreases in positive affect, but not increases in negative affect.

Infection commonly triggers nonspecific psychological and behavioral changes including fatigue and malaise, anhedonia, inability to concentrate, and disturbed sleep that collectively are termed "sickness behaviors". Converging evidence from several lines of research implicate the activities of proinflammatory cytokines as a cause of sickness behaviors. Here we elaborate upon the findings of previous research by examining whether infection-associated elevations in local proinflammatory cytokines are associated with increased negative mood and decreased positive mood. One hundred and eighty-nine healthy adults were experimentally exposed to rhinovirus or influenza virus during a 6-day period of quarantine. Infection, objective signs of illness, nasal IL-1beta, IL-6, and TNF-alpha, and self-reported affect were assessed at baseline and on each of the five post-challenge quarantine days. In the 153 persons who became infected following exposure to the challenge virus, daily production of IL-6, but not IL-1beta or TNF-alpha, was associated with reduced concurrent daily positive affect. One-day lagged analyses showed that daily production of all three cytokines was related to lower positive affect on the next day. All lagged associations were independent of previous-day positive affect and objective signs of illness (mucus production, mucociliary clearance function). There were no associations between cytokines and negative affect. Findings support a causal association between pathogen-induced local cytokine production and changes in positive affect over a 24-h timeline.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

The Life Engagement Test: assessing purpose in life.

This article describes a 6-item scale, the Life Engagement Test, designed to measure purpose in life, defined in terms of the extent to which a person engages in activities that are personally valued. Psychometric data are presented including information about the scale's factor structure, internal consistency, test-retest reliability, convergent validity, discriminant predictive validity, and norms. The data suggest that the Life Engagement Test is psychometrically sound across different gender, age, and ethnic groups and is appropriate for wider use. Discussion centers on the use of the Life Engagement Test in behavioral medicine and health psychology research and recent associations that have begun to emerge between the scale and health-relevant outcomes.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Trait positive affect and antibody response to hepatitis B vaccination.

Recent evidence suggests that dispositional positive affect may be associated with decreased vulnerability to upper respiratory infections. To explore a potential pathway of this relationship, we examined whether trait positive affect is related to an in vivo immune response relevant for host resistance to infection. Eighty-four healthy, graduate students who tested negative for prior expose to the hepatitis B virus were administered the standard hepatitis B vaccination series. Five months after the first dose, a blood sample was collected for the measurement of specific antibody response to the vaccine and subjects completed a battery of psychosocial questionnaires. Higher scores on a measure of dispositional positive affect were associated with a greater antibody response to hepatitis B vaccination. This relationship occurred after controlling for demographics and body mass and was largely independent of concomitant levels of dispositional negative affect, optimism, and extraversion. In the presence of dispositional positive affect, there was no independent effect of trait negative affect on antibody response. Physical activity played a protective role for individuals low in positive affect, being related to higher antibody responses. These data provide initial evidence that individual differences in dispositional positive affect may be of health significance, being related to an in vivo immune response relevant for protection against infection.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Emotional style, nasal cytokines, and illness expression after experimental rhinovirus exposure.

Psychosocial factors moderate the expression of illness during upper respiratory virus infections but past attempts to define mediational pathways were not successful. Here, we used a model of experimental rhinovirus infection in humans to evaluate three proinflammatory cytokines for their potential role in mediating the previously documented association between positive emotional style and illness. After assessing emotional style in 327 healthy adults, each was exposed to one of two strains of rhinovirus and followed for 5 days in quarantine. Symptoms/signs, nasal lavage IL-1beta, IL-6, and IL-8 protein, and viral shedding were assessed at baseline and on each of the 5 days after exposure. Virus-specific antibody was assessed at baseline and 28 days after challenge. An analysis of the data for 234 subjects with documented infection showed that nasal IL-1beta, IL-6, and IL-8 protein levels were all associated with greater illness expression but IL-6 was by far the best predictor of nasal signs and symptoms. Lower positive emotional style was associated with greater objective and subjective markers of illness and these associations were decreased substantially by controlling for IL-6 but not for IL-1beta or IL-8. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that IL-6 acts as a biological mediator in linking positive emotional style to illness expression during rhinovirus infection.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

State and trait affect as predictors of salivary cortisol in healthy adults.

We measured affect in 334 healthy adults on each of 7 days over a 3-week period. On the last day, salivary cortisol was assessed 14 times yielding scores for total concentration, morning rise amplitude, and slope of the time function. Trait negative affect (NA) was associated with higher total cortisol concentrations and greater morning rise in men. Cortisol levels for men low in trait positive affect (PA) did not decrease in the afternoon, resulting in a relatively high, flat rhythm. In contrast, women high in trait PA had low morning cortisol resulting in a low flat rhythm. State (person-centered) NA was not associated with same-day cortisol measures. State PA was associated with decreased total cortisol concentration in women. These are the first results showing associations between cortisol and trait PA. Differences in rhythmicity found here are noteworthy given the possible role of cortisol dysregulation in disease incidence, morbidity, mortality, and severity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

Does positive affect influence health?

This review highlights consistent patterns in the literature associating positive affect (PA) and physical health. However, it also raises serious conceptual and methodological reservations. Evidence suggests an association of trait PA and lower morbidity and of state and trait PA and decreased symptoms and pain. Trait PA is also associated with increased longevity among older community-dwelling individuals. The literature on PA and surviving serious illness is inconsistent. Experimentally inducing intense bouts of activated state PA triggers short-term rises in physiological arousal and associated (potentially harmful) effects on immune, cardiovascular, and pulmonary function. However, arousing effects of state PA are not generally found in naturalistic ambulatory studies in which bouts of PA are typically less intense and often associated with health protective responses. A theoretical framework to guide further study is proposed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed2005

Loneliness, social network size, and immune response to influenza vaccination in college freshmen.

Antibody response to the influenza immunization was investigated in 83 1st-semester healthy university freshmen. Elevated levels of loneliness throughout the semester and small social networks were independently associated with poorer antibody response to 1 component of the vaccine. Those with both high levels of loneliness and a small social network had the lowest antibody response. Loneliness was also associated with greater psychological stress and negative affect, less positive affect, poorer sleep efficiency and quality, and elevations in circulating levels of cortisol. However, only the stress data were consistent with mediation of the loneliness-antibody response relation. None of these variables were associated with social network size, and hence none were potential mediators of the relation between network size and immunization response.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2005

The impact of stress on the development and expression of atopy.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Biological hypersensitivity to environmental stimuli is a fundamental feature of atopy predisposing to a number of clinically expressed disorders including allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis or eczema, and allergic asthma. There is provocative evidence that psychological stress constitutes an increased risk for atopy. This risk is thought to be mediated by the effects of stress on neuroimmunoregulation which in turn modulates the hypersensitivity response. The primary objective is to review recent evidence updating our understanding of the role for psychological stress in atopy. RECENT FINDINGS: The Th1-Th2 paradigm has been central to interpreting quantitative differences in cytokine expression in response to environmental stimuli like stress. Here we argue that examination of other mechanisms (e.g. oxidative stress pathways, glucocorticoid resistance, nerve-mast cell interactions, intestinal dysbiosis) and a broader range of cytokines and neuropeptides produced by cells both within and outside the immune system may better delineate the true complexity of the underlying mechanisms linking stress to allergic sensitization and asthma. The role of genetics and gene by environment interactions - based on evolving knowledge of candidate genes that may be relevant to both the stress response in general and pathways linked specifically to atopy - is also discussed. SUMMARY: Psychological stress may be conceptualized as a social pollutant that, when 'breathed' into the body, may disrupt biological systems related to inflammation through mechanisms potentially overlapping with those altered by physical pollutants and toxicants.

Asthma↗
PubMed2005

Keynote Presentation at the Eight International Congress of Behavioral Medicine: the Pittsburgh common cold studies: psychosocial predictors of susceptibility to respiratory infectious illness.

This article provides a selected overview of 20 years of research on the role of psychosocial factors in susceptibility to upper respiratory infections. We present evidence from our laboratory that psychological stress is associated with increased risk for developing respiratory illness for persons intentionally exposed to a common cold virus, that the longer the duration of the stressor the greater the risk, and that stress association with susceptibility may be mediated by stress-induced disruption of the regulation of proinflammatory cytokines. We further provide evidence that social relationships (social integration and social support) are also associated with risk for respiratory illness: Social integration is associated with reduced risk irrespective of stress level and social support protects persons from the pathogenic influences of stress. Finally, we report recent evidence that lower levels of early childhood socioeconomic status (SES) are associated with greater risk of viral-induced illness during adulthood, independent of adult SES.

Cytokines↗
PubMed2004

Chronic caregiver stress and IgE expression, allergen-induced proliferation, and cytokine profiles in a birth cohort predisposed to atopy.

BACKGROUND: Psychologic stress modifies immune function and cytokine production. OBJECTIVE: We examined relationships between caregiver stress on the following markers of early childhood immune response: (1) IgE expression (n=215); (2) mitogen-induced and allergen-specific (Dermatophagoides farinae [Der f 1] and cockroach [Bla g 2]) proliferative response (n=114); and (3) subsequent cytokine expression (INF-gamma, TNF-alpha, IL-10, and IL-13) in a prospective birth cohort predisposed to atopy. METHODS: Caregiver stress was measured at 2-month intervals for the first 2 years of life and yearly thereafter by using the Perceived Stress Scale. A subsequent blood sample obtained from the children (median age, 2.1 years; range, 18-32 months) was analyzed for total serum IgE level and allergen-induced proliferation quantified as the stimulation index (SI; mean thymidine incorporation of the stimulated sample divided by that of the unstimulated sample). The relationship between stress and the proliferative response (SI >3 vs SI < or =3), and total IgE level (< or =100 IU/mL vs >100 IU/mL) was examined by using logistic regression. The relationship between cytokine levels and stress was analyzed by using linear regression. RESULTS: In adjusted analyses higher caregiver stress in the first 6 months after birth was associated with a Der f 1 SI of greater than 3 (odds ratio [OR], 1.5; 95% CI, 1.0-2.3) and nominally associated with a Bla g 2 SI of greater than 3 (OR, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.7-1.8). Higher stress between ages 6 and 18 months was associated with a high total IgE level (OR, 2.03; 95% CI, 1.1-3.6). Higher stress was significantly associated with increased production of TNF-alpha, with a suggested trend between higher stress and reduced INF-gamma production. CONCLUSION: Increased stress in early childhood was associated with an atopic immune profile in these children predisposed to atopy-asthma.

Allergens↗
PubMed2004

A matter of life and breath: childhood socioeconomic status is related to young adult pulmonary function in the CARDIA study.

BACKGROUND: Socioeconomic status (SES) may contribute to the trajectory of pulmonary function over the life course. Studies suggest that people with lower (versus higher) SES during childhood subsequently have lower levels of adult pulmonary function. But prospective studies are sparse across young adulthood, an important phase in pulmonary development. METHODS: Participants were from the Coronary Artery (Disease) Risk Development in (Young) Adults (CARDIA) study: 5113 young adults ages 18-30 at baseline, approximately balanced within centres across gender, self-identified race/ethnicity (Black, White), and current SES. Childhood SES was ascertained from baseline self-reports of parents' highest completed education. Pulmonary function in young adulthood was measured using FEV(1) (forced expiratory volume in one second) and FVC (forced vital capacity), assessed on three occasions over a period of 5 years. RESULTS: Longitudinal analyses suggested that rates of change in both FEV(1) and FVC differed in a gradient fashion by childhood SES. As shown by significant childhood SES by time interaction terms, these associations with FEV(1) were robust for men (b = 1.59E-3, SE = 5.21E-4, P < 0.001) and women (b = 1.93E-3, SE = 4.80E-4, P < 0.001), and adjusted for multiple potential confounders including smoking. Results were similar for FVC. Subsequent examination of the interaction terms suggested that FEV(1) and FVC declined for participants in the lowest childhood SES group, showed continued plateau or growth for those in the highest group, and were intermediate for the middle group. CONCLUSIONS: Childhood SES may influence men's and women's young adult pulmonary function in two ways. First, individuals with lower childhood SES may not attain as high levels of pulmonary function in early adulthood relative to individuals with higher childhood SES. Second, pulmonary function may decline earlier and faster for individuals with lower childhood SES.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2004

Estrogen and/or calcium plus vitamin D increase mandibular bone mass.

BACKGROUND: We have previously reported that estrogen/hormone replacement therapy (E/HRT) has beneficial effects on oral bone density over 3 years and that calcium and vitamin D supplementation has a lesser effect. Here we report on mandibular bone mass for 49 women (of the original cohort of 135) who continued in an additional 2-year, open-label extension. METHODS: Postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to receive calcium and vitamin D plus E/HRT, or calcium and vitamin D only. Regression analysis of mandibular bone mass over time was performed for each woman. RESULTS: Twenty-two of 26 women who took calcium and vitamin D plus E/HRT for 5 years had small mandibular bone mass increases (0.35 +/- 0.38%, P<0.001). Seventeen of 19 women who took only calcium and vitamin D for 3 years had increases in mandibular bone mass (0.74 +/- 0.89%, P<0.002). The largest gains in mandibular bone mass occurred during the first 3 years of the study. CONCLUSIONS: The data of this study indicate that E/HRT and/or calcium and vitamin D may result in increases of mandibular bone mass in postmenopausal women. Because of the long-term risks associated with E/HRT, caution should be exercised in prescribing E/HRT for prevention of chronic menopausal conditions.

Alveolar Bone Loss↗
PubMed2004

Community violence and asthma morbidity: the Inner-City Asthma Study.

OBJECTIVES: We examined the association between exposure to violence and asthma among urban children. METHODS: We obtained reports from caretakers (n = 851) of violence, negative life events, unwanted memories (rumination), caretaker-perceived stress, and caretaker behaviors (keeping children indoors, smoking, and medication adherence). Outcomes included caretaker-reported wheezing, sleep disruption, interference with play because of asthma, and effects on the caretaker (nights caretaker lost sleep because of child's asthma). RESULTS: Increased exposure to violence predicted higher number of symptom days (P =.0008) and more nights that caretakers lost sleep (P =.02) in a graded fashion after control for socioeconomic status, housing deterioration, and negative life events. Control for stress and behaviors partially attenuated this gradient, although these variables had little effect on the association between the highest level of exposure to morbidity, which suggests there are other mechanisms. CONCLUSIONS: Mechanisms linking violence and asthma morbidity need to be further explored.

Arizona↗
PubMed2003

Sociability and susceptibility to the common cold.

There is considerable evidence that social relationships can influence health, but only limited evidence on the health effects of the personality characteristics that are thought to mold people's social lives. We asked whether sociability predicts resistance to infectious disease and whether this relationship is attributable to the quality and quantity of social interactions and relationships. Three hundred thirty-four volunteers completed questionnaires assessing their sociability, social networks, and social supports, and six evening interviews assessing daily interactions. They were subsequently exposed to a virus that causes a common cold and monitored to see who developed verifiable illness. Increased sociability was associated in a linear fashion with a decreased probability of developing a cold. Although sociability was associated with more and higher-quality social interactions, it predicted disease susceptibility independently of these variables. The association between sociability and disease was also independent of baseline immunity (virus-specific antibody), demographics, emotional styles, stress hormones, and health practices.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Alveolar and postcranial bone density in postmenopausal women receiving hormone/estrogen replacement therapy: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: We conducted a 3-year, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study to determine whether the positive effects of hormone/estrogen replacement therapy (H/ERT) on postcranial bone density are accompanied by similar positive effects on oral bone mass. METHODS: A total of 135 postmenopausal women (aged 41-70 years) with no evidence of moderate or severe periodontal disease were randomized to receive daily oral conjugated estrogen (Premarin; 0.625 mg) alone or in combination with medroxyprogesterone acetate (Prempro; 0.625 and 2.5 mg, respectively) or placebo. All subjects received calcium carbonate (1000 mg/d) and cholecalciferol (400 [corrected] IU/d) supplements. The primary efficacy end points were the changes in alveolar crest height and alveolar bone density. Alveolar crest height was measured on bite-wing radiographs, and changes in alveolar bone mass were assessed by means of digital-subtraction radiography. Postcranial bone density was measured in the lumbar spine and left proximal femur by means of dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. RESULTS: Hormone/estrogen replacement therapy significantly increased alveolar bone mass compared with placebo (+1.84% vs +0.95% [P =.04]), and tended to improve alveolar crest height (+4.83% vs +3.46% [P =.34]). Bone mineral density of the proximal femur significantly increased in the H/ERT compared with the placebo group (total proximal femur, +3.59% vs +0.22% [P =.001]; neck, +2.05% vs -0.34% [P =.02]; trochanter, +3.49% vs +0.08% [P<.001]), but not the lumbar spine (+1.01% vs +0.17% [P =.39]). Changes in alveolar bone mass correlated with bone density changes in the total femur (r = 0.28 [P =.02]) and femoral trochanter (r = 0.25 [P =.04]) in the H/ERT but not in the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS: Postcranial and oral bone mass were increased in postmenopausal women receiving H/ERT. Improvement in oral bone health constitutes an additional benefit of H/ERT.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗