Title: |
Vaccine-induced inflammation attenuates the vascular responses to mental stress |
Author(s): |
Nicola J. Paine, Christopher Ring, JOS A. BOSCH, Mark T. Drayson, Sarah Aldred and Jet J.C.S. Veldhuijzen van Zanten |
Journal: |
International Journal of Psychophysiology |
Year: |
2014 |
Month: |
September |
Volume: |
93 |
Issue: |
3 |
Pages: |
340-348 |
DOI: |
10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2014.06.016 |
File URL: |
vuams-pubs/paine2014.pdf |
Keywords: |
Interleukin-6; Tumor necrosis factor-alpha; Vascular blood flow; Mental stress |
Abstract: |
Inflammation is associated with poorer vascular function, with evidence to suggest that inflammation can also impair the vascular responses to mental stress. This study examined the effects of vaccine-induced inflammation on vascular responses to mental stress in healthy participants. Eighteen male participants completed two stress sessions: an inflammation condition having received a typhoid vaccination and a control (non-inflamed) condition. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 (p's < .001) increased following vaccination, confirming modest increases in inflammation. Mental stress increased blood flow, blood pressure, heart rate, and cardiac output in both conditions (all p's < .001), but the blood flow response to stress was attenuated having received the vaccination compared to the control condition (p's < .05). These results further implicate the interaction between inflammation and the vasculature as a mechanism through which stress may trigger myocardial infarction. |