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. 2015 Jun 2:3:e959.
doi: 10.7717/peerj.959. eCollection 2015.

The role of multiple negative social relationships in inflammatory cytokine responses to a laboratory stressor

Sunmi Song  1 , Jennifer E Graham-Engeland  2 , Elizabeth J Corwin  3 , Rachel M Ceballos  4 , Shelley E Taylor  5 , Teresa Seeman  6 , Laura Cousino Klein  7
Affiliations

The role of multiple negative social relationships in inflammatory cytokine responses to a laboratory stressor

Sunmi Song et al. PeerJ. .

Abstract

The present study examined the unique impact of perceived negativity in multiple social relationships on endocrine and inflammatory responses to a laboratory stressor. Via hierarchical cluster analysis, those who reported negative social exchanges across relationships with a romantic partner, family, and their closest friend had higher mean IL-6 across time and a greater increase in TNF-α from 15 min to 75 min post stress. Those who reported negative social exchanges across relationships with roommates, family, and their closest friend showed greater IL-6 responses to stress. Differences in mean IL-6 were accounted for by either depressed mood or hostility, whereas differences in the cytokine stress responses remained significant after controlling for those factors. Overall, this research provides preliminary evidence to suggest that having multiple negative relationships may exacerbate acute inflammatory responses to a laboratory stressor independent of hostility and depressed mood.

Keywords: A Trier Social Stress Task; Depressed mood; Hostility; Inflammatory cytokine response; Multiple negative social relationships; Stress.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare there are no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Changes in serum IL-6 levels by the negative relationship groups in the roommate model.
LN, Natural Log transformation.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Changes in serum TNF-α levels by the negative relationship groups in the romantic partner model.
LN, Natural Log transformation.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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