| Publication Abstract Display | | Type: Published Abstract | | Title: Cellular adhesion molecule density in Alzheimer caregivers and non-caregiving controls at rest and following acute psychological stress. | | Authors: Mills PJ, Dimsdale JE, Ziegler MG, Archuleta CC, Patterson TL, Grant I | | Year: 2004 | | Publication: Psychosomatic Medicine | | Volume: 66 Issue: 1 Pages: A49 | | Abstract:The cellular adhesion molecules CD11a and CD54 form an important ligand/receptor pair regulating leukocyte trafficking to sites of inflammation and
infection. This study examined the effects of being an Alzheimer caregiver on the expression of these adhesion molecules at rest and in response to acute
psychosocial stress. Forty-one spousal Alzheimer caregivers and 18 noncaregivers of similar age (mean age 71 years, SD=8.3) and gender distribution (39 women; 20 men) prepared and delivered two three-minute back-to-back
speeches while being tested at their homes. Blood was sampled via catheter following a 15-minute seated rest and then again following the speeches. The densities of CD11a and CD54 on leukocyte subsets were assessed by four-color flow cytometry. Data were analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA. Across all subjects, the speech tasks led to a significant increase in the density of CD11a on lymphocytes, monocytes and granulocytes (p's<0.001) and the density of
CD54 on monocytes and granulocytes (p's<0.01). At rest, caregivers had a significantly lower density of CD11a on monocytes (p=0.01) and CD54 on
lymphocytes (p=0.02) and monocytes (p=0.002). The lower adhesion molecule densities seen at rest between caregivers and non-caregivers were maintained in response to the stressors. The findings suggest that the chronic stress of
caregiving is associated with a loss of cellular adhesion molecules that are important to immune cell trafficking to sites of inflammation and infection, and may help explain prior reports of increased incidence of infectious illness in
caregivers. |
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