| NEWS RELEASE: | |
|
NEW STUDY: PURPOSE IN LIFE, STRONG FRIENDSHIPS MAY HELP PREVENT DISEASES SUCH AS ALZHEIMER'S, ARTHRITIS IN AGING WOMEN
| |
| Contact: Elliot Friedman, Ph.D. Phone: 608-265-4068 Email: friedman1@wisc.edu Embargoed until: March 4, 2005 |
|
|
Vancouver, British Columbia - Older women who are socially engaged and continue to pursue their life's goals may be less likely to develop age-related disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and arthritis, due to lower levels of disease-causing chemicals in their blood, according to a new study released today. The study is the first to demonstrate links between two inflammatory factors, called interleukin 6 (IL-6) and soluble IL-6 receptors (sIL-6R), which are associated with age-related diseases, and psychological well-being. Study investigator Elliot Friedman, Ph.D., a Robert Wood Johnson Health & Society Scholar at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, presented the findings today at the American Psychosomatic Society Annual Meeting in Vancouver, British Columbia. The National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute on Aging, and The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation supported the study. "We've known for some time that psychological stress or depression in older adults can raise IL-6 levels in the blood. This study clearly shows that positive well-being also makes a difference in older women at risk for developing arthritis or Alzheimer's because of their age," Friedman said. "Quite simply, women who are actively and positively engaged in their lives- in terms of what they do day to day and the people with whom they interact - have lower levels of these potentially harmful chemicals in their blood." Study participants included 135 women ages 61 to 91; average participant age was 74. Each woman completed a questionnaire to assess her psychological well-being - encompassing factors such as autonomy, personal growth, positive relations with others, purpose in life, and self-acceptance - as well as overall happiness, health history, and health-related behavior. The women then underwent physical examinations, including blood work. Psychological well-being was the strongest indicator of inflammatory factors after age and physical health. IL-6 levels were lower in women who scored higher on the positive relationships scale, while sIL-6R levels were lower on women scoring higher on purpose in life. Neither inflammatory factor was associated stress or depression. "Although it's too early to say exactly how doctors should act on these findings, our study speaks to the need for doctors to be sensitive to how their patients are doing psychologically," said Friedman. "The presence of positive psychological influences, such as strong social relationships and meaningful engagement in life, and not just the absence of stress or depression, is important for biological health." The researchers are currently examining follow-up data on these women to track who succumbs to what diseases. They are also conducting a similar study that includes the same psychological and biomarker variables, but on a much larger and more diverse sample of both men and women. These findings join an emerging body of literature that points to the possible protective role of positive social relations and engagement in life in helping people stay healthy as they age. | |
|
Psychosomatic Medicine is the official peer-reviewed journal of the American Psychosomatic Society, published bimonthly. For information about the journal, contact Vicki White, Managing Editor for Manuscript Production,
|