Chronic stress in nonelderly caregivers: psychological, endocrine and immune implications.
OBJECTIVE
This investigation examined whether the immune dysregulation that characterises elderly informal caregivers (e.g., spousal caregivers of dementia patients) extends to a younger caregiver population, specifically spousal carers of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS).


METHODS
MS spousal caregivers (n=41, mean age 43 years, 14 women, 27 men) and noncaregiving controls (n=62, mean age 33 years, 44 women, 18 men) were recruited. Psychological morbidity (i.e., self-reported stress, anxiety and depression), endocrine activity (i.e., salivary cortisol and DHEAs) and immunity (i.e., IgG and HAI responses to influenza vaccination and IFN-gamma and IL-4 levels) were assessed.


CONCLUSIONS
MS caregivers and noncaregivers did not differ significantly in their IgG or HAI responses to influenza vaccination or in levels of IFN-gamma and IL-4. However, it remains unclear whether the "preserved" immune response of these younger caregivers was due to (1) an absence of immune senescence, (2) a relative absence of psychological morbidity, or both.
Vedhara
Kavita
K
MRC Health Services Research Collaboration, Department of Social Medicine, University of Bristol, Canynge Hall, UK. k.vedhara@bris.ac.uk
McDermott
Michael P
MP
Evans
Thomas G
TG
Treanor
John J
JJ
Plummer
Sue
S
Tallon
Deborah
D
Cruttenden
Kim A
KA
Schifitto
Giovanni
G
D000328:Adult; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000534:rehabilitation; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone / Q000032:analysis; D004703:Endocrine System / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology*; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D009017:Morbidity; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D018454:Spouses; D013315:Stress, Psychological
D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D003687:Dehydroepiandrosterone; D006854:Hydrocortisone