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Tollenaar MSM, Pittner KK, Buisman RSMR, Knipping KK, Garssen JJ, Nimphy CAC, van den Berg LJML, Bolijn JEA, Alink LRAL, Elzinga BMB, Bakermans-Kranenburg MJM, IJzendoorn MHM. Salivary immune markers are not associated with self-reported childhood maltreatment or psychopathology in adults. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 144:105867. [PMID: 35863154 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 07/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Psychological stress has repeatedly been found to be associated with pro-inflammatory markers in blood, and neuro-inflammation may play a role in the development of psychopathology after early life stress. Salivary immune testing is a novel method to non-invasively assess immune functioning. We examined a large range of salivary immune markers in relation to self-reported childhood maltreatment and psychopathology in an adult sample. METHODS Participants (N = 118, 51% female, mean age = 46.6 yrs, range 22-64) were drawn from a cross-sectional three-generation study, and supplied 2 ml of saliva via passive drool. They reported on childhood maltreatment experiences and on psychopathological symptoms in the last 6 months. Hair cortisol was additionally assessed in a subsample (n = 68). Levels of IL1ß, IL6, IL8, IFNγ, TNFα, tIgE, sIgA, FLCƛ, and FLCƙ were assessed. RESULTS Linear mixed model analyses showed that several salivary immune markers were associated with age (sIgA and IgE), BMI (sIgA, IL1ß, and IL6), sex (FLCs and IgE), and bad health (IL6, IL8, TNFα). No associations with (anti-inflammatory) medication use or oral health problems were found. Notably, no associations between the immune markers and self-reported childhood maltreatment, psychopathology, or hair cortisol were found. CONCLUSIONS Salivary immune measures were found to be sensitive to individual differences in age, sex, health and BMI. However. in the current sample there was no indication of inflammation in relation to chronic psychological stress. Larger studies, including participants with higher stress levels, are needed to further examine associations between salivary immune markers and psychological stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- M S Marieke Tollenaar
- Institute of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - K Katharina Pittner
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands; Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - R S M Renate Buisman
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands; Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - K Karen Knipping
- Danone Nutricia Research, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| | - J Johan Garssen
- Danone Nutricia Research, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Division of Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Utrecht University, the Netherlands
| | - C A Cosima Nimphy
- Institute of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - L J M Lisa van den Berg
- Institute of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - J E Annelies Bolijn
- Institute of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - L R A Lenneke Alink
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands; Institute of Education and Child Studies, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - B M Bernet Elzinga
- Institute of Psychology, Clinical Psychology Unit, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - M J Marian Bakermans-Kranenburg
- Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition (LIBC), Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands; Faculty of Behavioural and Movement Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands; Centre for Attachment Research, The New School, New York, United States
| | - M H Marinus IJzendoorn
- Department of Psychology, Education and Child Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
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