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For older men, feelings
of depression may weaken the immune system, new
research suggests. And anger seems to have a similar effect
in both men and women caring for a spouse with Alzheimer's
disease.
People have traditionally looked at depression
and stress with a one-size-fits-all mentality. This view suggests
that all stressors will apply equally to all people. But there
are certain groups, such as older men and caregivers, who
are more vulnerable to stress and depression.
The researchers studied the relationship
between anger, depressed feelings and the immune system in
82 elderly individuals who cared for a spouse with Alzheimer's
disease. Caregivers were compared with a "control"
group of 83 married noncaregivers who were matched for age
and sex.
At the start of the study and 18 months
later, the investigators evaluated the participants' physical
and psychological health, as well as their physical activity.
Investigators also measured how vigorously participants' immune
systems responded to substances that trigger the activation
of cells called lymphocytes.
In men, feelings
of depression were linked to a diminished immune response.
Most of the depressed feelings of men in the study arose not
from actual clinical depression but from feelings of loneliness,
the report indicates. Older men may be more reluctant to talk
about their problems and tend to have fewer friends than older
women.
Caregiving is not a traditional male role,
which may affect how men cope with this responsibility. Some
research has suggested that men's bodies are better equipped
for dealing with short-term challenges than long-term challenges.
Men typically
experience bursts of stress hormones when faced with a challenge,
but this type of response may not be effective for dealing
with chronic sources of stress, such as caregiving.
Although the relationship between depressed
mood and immunity differed by gender, higher levels of anger
were linked to reduced immune function at the end of the study
in both male and female caregivers.
The combination of anger and chronic stress
can result in reduced immune function.
Journal of
Behavioral Medicine 2001;24:537-555
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