title: Salivary nerve growth factor response to stress related to resilience.
abstract: Salivary nerve growth factor (sNGF) has recently been shown to respond to psychosocial stress, but little is known about how individual differences in this neurotrophic marker relate to stress vulnerability vs. resilience. This study followed up on these initial findings by examining sNGF responses to interpersonal stress in relation to both well-being and state/trait factors that determine the way a person approaches and is impacted by stress. Young adults (n=40) gave 5 saliva samples over the course of a laboratory session that involved an interpersonal conflict stressor, and all samples were assayed for sNGF. Participants also completed self-report measures of global well-being, stress appraisals before and following the conflict, and agency. Greater sNGF reactivity to conflict related to stronger appraisals of coping ability and agency. Post-conflict sNGF recovery related to lower anticipatory stress appraisals, and to higher agency and well-being. These results support the idea that dynamic sNGF responses are adaptive. Implications for the potential role of the neurotrophic system in stress resilience are discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of Wyoming, Department of Psychology, United States; University of Oregon, Department of Psychology, United States; Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, Arizona State University, United States. Electronic address: hlaurent@uoregon.edu.
authors.forename: Heidemarie K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Laurent
authors.affiliation: University of Wyoming, Department of Psychology, United States; University of Oregon, Department of Psychology, United States.
authors.forename: Sean M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Laurent
authors.affiliation: Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, Arizona State University, United States; Johns Hopkins University, School of Nursing, Bloomberg School of Public Health, United States.
authors.forename: Douglas A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Granger
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D059031:Anticipation, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D055500:Resilience, Psychological; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*; D057566:Self Report; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D020932:Nerve Growth Factor
keywords: Interpersonal conflict; Nerve growth factor; Neurotrophin; Resilience; Stress; Well-being