Washington (US), January 1: Stress from traumatic events, job strain, everyday stressors, and discrimination, according to a new USC study, accelerates immune system ageing, potentially increasing a person's risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, and illness from infections like COVID-19.
The study, which was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) on June 13, could help explain disparities in age-related health, including the unequal toll of the pandemic, and identify potential points for intervention.
"As the world's population of older adults increases, understanding disparities in age-related health is essential. Age-related changes in the immune system play a critical role in declining health," said lead study author Eric Klopack, a postdoctoral scholar at the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology.
"This study helps clarify mechanisms involved in accelerated immune ageing."
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People with higher stress levels had older-looking immune profiles, with lower percentages of new disease fighters and higher percentages of worn-out white blood cells, as expected. Even after controlling for education, smoking, drinking, BMI, and race or ethnicity, the link between stressful life events and fewer ready-to-respond, or naive, T cells remained strong.
Some stressors may be impossible to control, but researchers believe there may be a workaround.
"In this study, after statistically controlling for poor diet and low exercise, the connection between stress and accelerated immune ageing wasn't as strong," said Klopack. "What this means is people who experience more stress tend to have poorer diet and exercise habits, partly explaining why they have more accelerated immune ageing."
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