Skip to main content
PMC home page
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America logoLink to Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
. 1996 Apr 2;93(7):3043–3047. doi: 10.1073/pnas.93.7.3043

Chronic stress alters the immune response to influenza virus vaccine in older adults.

J K Kiecolt-Glaser 1, R Glaser 1, S Gravenstein 1, W B Malarkey 1, J Sheridan 1
PMCID: PMC39758  PMID: 8610165

Abstract

To determine whether a chronic stressor (caregiving for a spouse with a progressive dementia) is associated with an impaired immune response to influenza virus vaccination, we compared 32 caregivers' vaccine responses with those of 32 sex-, age-, and socioeconomically matched control subjects. Caregivers showed a poorer antibody response following vaccination relative to control subjects as assessed by two independent methods, ELISA and hemagglutination inhibition. Caregivers also had lower levels of in vitro virus-specific-induced interleukin 2 levels and interleukin 1beta; interleukin 6 did not differ between groups. These data demonstrate that down-regulation of the immune response to influenza virus vaccination is associated with a chronic stressor in the elderly. These results could have implications for vulnerability to infection among older adults.

Full text

PDF
3043

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Clouse K. A., Bach F. H., Orosz C. G. Detection of HSV-1-induced lymphokine production in human cells by a direct indicator cell addition assay. J Immunol. 1984 Jun;132(6):2961–2967. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Cohen S., Tyrrell D. A., Smith A. P. Psychological stress and susceptibility to the common cold. N Engl J Med. 1991 Aug 29;325(9):606–612. doi: 10.1056/NEJM199108293250903. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Cooper J. K., Gardner C. Effect of aging on serum albumin. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1989 Nov;37(11):1039–1042. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1989.tb06917.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Dura J. R., Stukenberg K. W., Kiecolt-Glaser J. K. Chronic stress and depressive disorders in older adults. J Abnorm Psychol. 1990 Aug;99(3):284–290. doi: 10.1037//0021-843x.99.3.284. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Esterling B. A., Kiecolt-Glaser J. K., Bodnar J. C., Glaser R. Chronic stress, social support, and persistent alterations in the natural killer cell response to cytokines in older adults. Health Psychol. 1994 Jul;13(4):291–298. doi: 10.1037//0278-6133.13.4.291. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Fillenbaum G. G., Smyer M. A. The development, validity, and reliability of the OARS multidimensional functional assessment questionnaire. J Gerontol. 1981 Jul;36(4):428–434. doi: 10.1093/geronj/36.4.428. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Glaser R., Kiecolt-Glaser J. K., Bonneau R. H., Malarkey W., Kennedy S., Hughes J. Stress-induced modulation of the immune response to recombinant hepatitis B vaccine. Psychosom Med. 1992 Jan-Feb;54(1):22–29. doi: 10.1097/00006842-199201000-00005. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Govaert T. M., Thijs C. T., Masurel N., Sprenger M. J., Dinant G. J., Knottnerus J. A. The efficacy of influenza vaccination in elderly individuals. A randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trial. JAMA. 1994 Dec 7;272(21):1661–1665. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Gravenstein S., Drinka P., Duthie E. H., Miller B. A., Brown C. S., Hensley M., Circo R., Langer E., Ershler W. B. Efficacy of an influenza hemagglutinin-diphtheria toxoid conjugate vaccine in elderly nursing home subjects during an influenza outbreak. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1994 Mar;42(3):245–251. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1994.tb01746.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Hay J. W., Ernst R. L. The economic costs of Alzheimer's disease. Am J Public Health. 1987 Sep;77(9):1169–1175. doi: 10.2105/ajph.77.9.1169. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Herbert T. B., Cohen S. Depression and immunity: a meta-analytic review. Psychol Bull. 1993 May;113(3):472–486. doi: 10.1037/0033-2909.113.3.472. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. House J. S., Landis K. R., Umberson D. Social relationships and health. Science. 1988 Jul 29;241(4865):540–545. doi: 10.1126/science.3399889. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Jabaaij L., Grosheide P. M., Heijtink R. A., Duivenvoorden H. J., Ballieux R. E., Vingerhoets A. J. Influence of perceived psychological stress and distress on antibody response to low dose rDNA hepatitis B vaccine. J Psychosom Res. 1993 May;37(4):361–369. doi: 10.1016/0022-3999(93)90138-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Kiecolt-Glaser J. K., Dura J. R., Speicher C. E., Trask O. J., Glaser R. Spousal caregivers of dementia victims: longitudinal changes in immunity and health. Psychosom Med. 1991 Jul-Aug;53(4):345–362. doi: 10.1097/00006842-199107000-00001. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Kiecolt-Glaser J. K., Marucha P. T., Malarkey W. B., Mercado A. M., Glaser R. Slowing of wound healing by psychological stress. Lancet. 1995 Nov 4;346(8984):1194–1196. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(95)92899-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Lee B. W., Bey R. F., Baarsch M. J., Emery D. A. Subtype specific ELISA for the detection of antibodies against influenza A H1N1 and H3N2 in swine. J Virol Methods. 1993 Dec 15;45(2):121–136. doi: 10.1016/0166-0934(93)90097-b. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Levine M., Beattie B. L., McLean D. M., Corman D. Characterization of the immune response to trivalent influenza vaccine in elderly men. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1987 Jul;35(7):609–615. doi: 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1987.tb04335.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Lowry S. F. Cytokine mediators of immunity and inflammation. Arch Surg. 1993 Nov;128(11):1235–1241. doi: 10.1001/archsurg.1993.01420230063010. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Patriarca P. A. A randomized controlled trial of influenza vaccine in the elderly. Scientific scrutiny and ethical responsibility. JAMA. 1994 Dec 7;272(21):1700–1701. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Phair J., Kauffman C. A., Bjornson A., Adams L., Linnemann C., Jr Failure to respond to influenza vaccine in the aged: correlation with B-cell number and function. J Lab Clin Med. 1978 Nov;92(5):822–828. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Schleifer S. J., Keller S. E., Bond R. N., Cohen J., Stein M. Major depressive disorder and immunity. Role of age, sex, severity, and hospitalization. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1989 Jan;46(1):81–87. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1989.01810010083011. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Schwab R., Walters C. A., Weksler M. E. Host defense mechanisms and aging. Semin Oncol. 1989 Feb;16(1):20–27. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Sheridan J. F., Feng N. G., Bonneau R. H., Allen C. M., Huneycutt B. S., Glaser R. Restraint stress differentially affects anti-viral cellular and humoral immune responses in mice. J Neuroimmunol. 1991 Mar;31(3):245–255. doi: 10.1016/0165-5728(91)90046-a. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Sprenger M. J., Mulder P. G., Beyer W. E., Van Strik R., Masurel N. Impact of influenza on mortality in relation to age and underlying disease, 1967-1989. Int J Epidemiol. 1993 Apr;22(2):334–340. doi: 10.1093/ije/22.2.334. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Vauthay L. G., Capalbo E., Celeste F., de Bonaparte Y. P. Mast cells in female mouse lymph nodes. Brain Behav Immun. 1991 Dec;5(4):383–387. doi: 10.1016/0889-1591(91)90033-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Wilckens T. Glucocorticoids and immune function: physiological relevance and pathogenic potential of hormonal dysfunction. Trends Pharmacol Sci. 1995 Jun;16(6):193–197. doi: 10.1016/s0165-6147(00)89021-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America are provided here courtesy of National Academy of Sciences

RESOURCES