title: Sex differences in the interleukin-6 response to acute psychological stress.
abstract: Interleukin-6 (IL-6), an immune regulator that helps coordinate the inflammatory response, may mediate inflammatory disease exacerbation associated with stress. Twenty men and twenty women completed a single session, comprising baseline (20 min), mental arithmetic task (8 min), and recovery (60 min). Blood samples, taken at baseline, immediately after the task, and at +30 and +60 min recovery were analysed for plasma IL-6. Overall, IL-6 increased linearly from baseline to +60 min recovery, and a sex difference was found in the IL-6 response, with men peaking earlier than women. These findings confirm a small delayed IL-6 increase after acute laboratory stress, and reveal sex differences in the profile of the IL-6 response.
authors.affiliation: School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK. kxe222@bham.ac.uk
authors.forename: Kate M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: Victoria E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Burns
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ring
authors.forename: Douglas
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Carroll
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology; D011598:Psychoneuroimmunology; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6