ArticlePsychopharmacology2016
Increased percentages of regulatory T cells are associated with inflammatory and neuroendocrine responses to acute psychological stress and poorer health status in older men and women.
Article in Psychopharmacology, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers.
What it found
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 37 citations in OpenAlex.
- Elucidating Immune Cell Mediated Causal Pathways Linking Blood Metabolites to Major Depressive Disorder: A Mediation Mendelian Randomization Analysis.Brain and behavior · 2026Article
- The emerging role of T cells in depression.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Review
- Megasphaera Elesdenii Dysregulates Colon Epithelial Homeostasis, Aggravates Colitis-Associated Tumorigenesis.Advanced science (Weinheim, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany) · 2025Article
- The multifaceted impact of stress on immune function.Molecular biology reports · 2025Review
- A TNature aging · 2023Article
- Pediatric Pan-Central Nervous System Tumor Methylome Analyses Reveal Immune-Related LncRNAs.Frontiers in immunology · 2022Article
- An Overview of the Heterogeneity of Major Depressive Disorder: Current Knowledge and Future Prospective.Current neuropharmacology · 2020Review
- The role of dispositional mindfulness in a stress-health pathway among Parkinson's disease patients and caregiving partners.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2019Article
- Psychosocial Stress and Immunity-What Can We Learn From Pig Studies?Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience · 2018Article
- T Cell Phenotype and T Cell Receptor Repertoire in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder.Frontiers in immunology · 2018Article
- Altered populations of natural killer cells, cytotoxic T lymphocytes, and regulatory T cells in major depressive disorder: Association with sleep disturbance.Brain, behavior, and immunity · 2017Article
- Stress-Related Immune Markers in Depression: Implications for Treatment.The international journal of neuropsychopharmacology · 2016Review
- Innate and adaptive immunity in the development of depression: An update on current knowledge and technological advances.Progress in neuro-psychopharmacology & biological psychiatry · 2016Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
8 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
rationaleThe percentage of regulatory T cells (TRegs)-a subtype of T lymphocyte that suppresses the immune response-appears to be reduced in a number of stress-related diseases. The role of the TReg in stress-disease pathways has not yet been investigated.
objectivesThe aim of the study was to investigate the association between biological responsivity to acute psychosocial stress and the percentage of TRegs in healthy older adults. The secondary purpose was to measure the associations between TReg percentage and psychological and physical well-being in the participants.
methodsSalivary cortisol and plasma interleukin (IL)-6 samples were obtained from 121 healthy older men and women from the Whitehall II cohort following acute psychophysiological stress testing. Three years later at a follow-up visit, we measured TReg percentages and psychological and physical well-being were recorded using the Short Form 36 Health Survey and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale.
resultsBlunted cortisol responses (p = 0.004) and elevated IL-6 responses (p = 0.027) to acute psychophysiological stress were associated with greater TReg percentage independently of age, sex, BMI, smoking status, employment grade, time of testing, and baseline measures of cortisol and IL-6, respectively. Percentage of TRegs was associated cross-sectionally with lower physical (p = 0.043) and mental health status (p = 0.008), and higher levels of depressive symptoms (p = 0.002), independently of covariates.
conclusionsIncreased levels of TRegs may act as a defence against increased inflammation and may be a pre-indication for chronically stressed individuals on the cusp of clinical illness.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.