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Exploring the Role of Immunological Biomarkers in the Association Between Mental Health Status and Executive Function in Early Adulthood
Author(s) -
Moore Jessy,
Maguire Aindriu R. R.,
Dempster Kylie S.,
Gag Madison K.,
Henry Megan A.,
O’Leary Deborah D.,
MacNeil Adam J.,
Wade Terrance J.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.2020.34.s1.05290
Subject(s) - anxiety , mental health , depression (economics) , psychology , clinical psychology , mood , association (psychology) , life expectancy , disease , longitudinal study , psychiatry , affect (linguistics) , cognition , medicine , population , environmental health , communication , pathology , economics , psychotherapist , macroeconomics
By the time Canadians reach 40 years of age almost 50% have, or have had, a mental illness, with the majority of mental health problems first manifesting in adolescence and early adulthood. Poor mental health is the leading cause of disability in Canada and the disease burden is higher than all cancers put together, highlighting the importance of understanding this condition. People with higher levels of depressive and anxiety symptomatology, as measures of mental health status tend to have lower life satisfaction, feel less able to handle daily stresses and have a shorter life expectancy. Poor mental health is most prevalent in working‐age Canadians and is known to affect mood, thinking, and behavior. Recent evidence suggests an altered immunological state among individuals with higher depressive symptoms. It has also been found that there may be a link between an altered immune state and cognitive functioning as many cytokines play a role in communicating with the brain. The aim of the current study was to explore a potential immunological link between depressive and anxiety symptomatology with executive function in early adulthood. This study included a sample of young adults from the Niagara Longitudinal Heart Study (NLHS). Participants completed a self‐reported questionnaire that included questions about depression, anxiety, and executive function. Blood samples were collected, and serum was used to analyze levels of various immune biomarkers. Several immune markers, including interleukins and interferons were found to be associated with changes in depression and anxiety from childhood to early adulthood. These same immune biomarkers were strongly correlated with measures of executive function in early adulthood. Furthermore, participants who reported feeling depressed or anxious reported lower levels of executive function. Thus, we propose an association between mental health status, executive function, and an altered immunological state in early adulthood. This represents a potential physiological state which could help explain both poor mental health status and lower levels of executive function. These immune biomarkers may also represent a new target for research aimed at reducing the burden of mental illness and poor mental health status in early adulthood. Support or Funding Information The NLHS is funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR #s 363774, 399332). ARRM is supported by the Ontario Graduate Scholarship (OGS) program. KSD is funded by a CIHR Doctoral Research Award – Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarship (RFN#167014).