title: Attachment anxiety is linked to alterations in cortisol production and cellular immunity.
abstract: Although evidence suggests that attachment anxiety may increase risk for health problems, the mechanisms underlying these effects are not well understood. In the current study, married couples (N = 85) provided saliva samples over 3 days and blood samples on two occasions. Participants with higher attachment anxiety produced more cortisol and had fewer numbers of CD3(+) T cells, CD45(+) T cells, CD3(+)CD4(+) helper T cells, and CD3(+)CD8(+) cytotoxic T cells than participants with lower attachment anxiety. Higher cortisol levels were also related to fewer numbers of CD3(+), CD45(+), CD3(+)CD4(+), and CD3(+)CD8(+) cells, which is consistent with research showing that cortisol alters the cellular immune response. These data suggest that attachment anxiety may have physiological costs, and they provide a glimpse into the pathways through which social relationships affect health. The current study also extends attachment theory in an important new direction by demonstrating the utility of a psychoneuroimmunological approach to the study of attachment anxiety, stress, and health.
authors: The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Institute for Behavioral Medicine Research, 460 Medical Center Dr., Columbus, OH 43210, USA. lisa.jaremka@osumc.edu
authors: Lisa M
authors: LM
authors: Jaremka
authors: Ronald
authors: R
authors: Glaser
authors: Timothy J
authors: TJ
authors: Loving
authors: William B
authors: WB
authors: Malarkey
authors: Jeffrey R
authors: JR
authors: Stowell
authors: Janice K
authors: JK
authors: Kiecolt-Glaser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009769:Object Attachment; D012463:Saliva; D018454:Spouses / Q000523:psychology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone