Trajectories of relationship stress and inflammatory processes in adolescence
Open accessAbstract
Researchers have identified cross-sectional links between interpersonal stress and inflammation. Little is known, however, about how these dynamics unfold over time, what underlying immune pathways might exist, or whether moderators such as race could alter the strength of the connection between interpersonal stress and inflammatory processes. We examined whether adolescent girls whose relationship trajectories were characterized by chronic stress would exhibit a proinflammatory phenotype marked by systemic inflammation, heightened cytokine responses to bacterial challenges, and resistance to the anti-inflammatory properties of cortisol. Significant Stress × Race interactions revealed that family stress trajectories predicted glucocorticoid sensitivity and peer stress trajectories predicted cytokine production for White but not Asian girls. Relationship stress trajectories were not associated with systemic inflammation, however. These findings suggest that particular subgroups of adolescent girls who face chronic and elevated stress in their close relationships may be at risk for disruptions to the immune system.
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Chronic family stress is related to decreased glucocorticoid receptor sensitivity in immune cells among adolescent females.
“For example, chronic peer stress has been related to enhanced cytokine production in response to bacterial challenge and chronic family stress was related to decreased glucocorticoid receptor sensitivity in immune cells among adolescent females (Ehrlich et al., 2016).”
From Developmental psychoneuroendocrine and psychoneuroimmune pathways from childhood adversity to disease (2017) · cites this paper as Ehrlich et al., 2016
Chronic peer stress is related to enhanced cytokine production in response to bacterial challenge among adolescent females.
“For example, chronic peer stress has been related to enhanced cytokine production in response to bacterial challenge and chronic family stress was related to decreased glucocorticoid receptor sensitivity in immune cells among adolescent females (Ehrlich et al., 2016).”
From Developmental psychoneuroendocrine and psychoneuroimmune pathways from childhood adversity to disease (2017) · cites this paper as Ehrlich et al., 2016
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- Authors
- Ehrlich, K. B., Miller, G. E., Rohleder, N., & Adam, E. K.
- Affiliations
- Northwestern University (US)
- Brandeis University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Ehrlich, Katherine B.
- Venue
- Development and Psychopathology
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2015-04-08
- Volume
- 28
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 127-138
- ISSN
- 0954-5794 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-2198
- PMC
- PMC9188665
- OpenAlex
- W2319536627
- Cited by
- 28
- References
- 71
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 1 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 4
- FWCI
- 2.07
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Development and Psychopathology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research (67191)
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (F32HD076563, HD058502, HD76563, R01HD058502)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
- Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
- Keywords
- relationship stress, interpersonal stress, adolescent girls, systemic inflammation, cytokine production, glucocorticoid sensitivity, cortisol, family stress, peer stress, racial differences, Asian adolescents, chronic stress, immune system, stress trajectories
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Asian, C-Reactive Protein, Cross-Sectional Studies, Family Relations, Female, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Inflammation, Interpersonal Relations, Lipopolysaccharides, Monocytes, Peer Group, Stress, Psychological, Interleukin-6, White People, Young Adult
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