Cited by 977Stress Responses and CortisolCancer, Stress, Anesthesia, and Immune ResponseTryptophan and brain disorders

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 92 of the 92 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Chronic psychological stress and the regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines: A glucocorticoid-resistance model

Abstract

This study examined whether chronic stress impairs the immune system's capacity to respond to hormonal signals that terminate inflammation.Fifty healthy adults were studied; half were parents of cancer patients, and half were parents of healthy children.Parents of cancer patients reported more psychological distress than parents of healthy children.They also had flatter diurnal slopes of cortisol secretion, primarily because of reduced output during the morning hours.There was also evidence that chronic stress impaired the immune system's response to anti-inflammatory signals: The capacity of a synthetic glucocorticoid hormone to suppress in vitro production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 was diminished among parents of cancer patients.Findings suggest a novel pathway by which chronic stress might alter the course of inflammatory disease.

Overview

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1037/0278-6133.21.6.531

Cites

92 of 92 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

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Claims the paper makes

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  • These dysfunctions increase vulnerability to inflammatory or autoimmune diseases due to inadequate glucocorticoid-mediated immune regulation.

    “Additionally, these dysfunctions increase the vulnerability to inflammatory or autoimmune diseases due to inadequate glucocorticoid-mediated immune regulation [21].”
  • Over time, the initial state of hypercortisolism may evolve into other stages, including adrenal gland adaptive changes.

    “Over time, the initial state of hypercortisolism may evolve into other stages: the extreme and persistent demand on the HPA axis present during chronic stress conditions may also lead to adrenal gland adaptive changes [11,21].”
  • Among parents of cancer patients, dexamethasone's ability to suppress IL-6 production was significantly reduced compared to parents of medically healthy children.

    “The results provided preliminary support: among parents of cancer patients, dexamethasone’s ability to suppress IL-6 production was significantly reduced compared to parents of medically healthy children [21].”
  • Prolonged hyperactivity of the HPA-axis could result in blunted anti-inflammatory responses to glucocorticoids, resulting in increased inflammation.

    “prolonged hyperactivity of the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal-axis could result in blunted anti-inflammatory responses to glucocorticoids resulting in increased inflammation.35, 36”
  • Evidence for GCR in response to chronic stress has been found in parents of children with cancer, spouses of brain-cancer patients, and persons reporting high levels of loneliness.

    “Evidence for GCR in response to chronic stress has been found in parents of children with cancer (10), spouses of brain-cancer patients (11) and in persons reporting high levels of loneliness (5).”

Citations

Cites

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Research works printed but not linked: 5

  1. 1994, Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders
  2. Frankenhauser, 1975, Experimental approaches to the study of catecholamines., 209
  3. Lundberg, 1980, Catecholamine and cortisol excretion under psychologically different experimental conditions., 455
  4. McNair, 1971, Profile of Mood States.
  5. Stone, 1992, Selected methodological concepts: Mediation and moderation, individual differences, aggregation strategies, and variability of replicates., 55

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Metadata

Authors
Miller, G. E., Cohen, S., & Ritchey, A. K.
Affiliations
Washington University in St. Louis (US)
Corresponding author
Miller, Gregory E.
Venue
Health Psychology
Published
2002
Volume
21
Issue
6
Pages
531-541
ISSN
  • 0278-6133 (ISSN-L)
  • 1930-7810
OpenAlex
W4242918118
Cited by
769
References
89
Citations by year
2026: 38 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 35 · 2023: 26 · 2022: 38 · 2021: 43 · 2020: 35 · 2019: 45 · 2018: 43 · 2017: 25 · 2016: 42 · 2015: 40 · 2014: 34 · 2013: 32 · 2012: 50
FWCI
4.47
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
Health Psychology (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • American Heart Association
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (HL65111, HL65112)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (MH 50430)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › Cancer, Stress, Anesthesia, and Immune Response
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Biological Psychiatry › Tryptophan and brain disorders
Keywords
chronic psychological stress, inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-6, glucocorticoid resistance, diurnal cortisol rhythm, parents of cancer patients, psychological distress, inflammation, immune regulation

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