2023-05-26 09:00:00
“Stress during childhood, adolescence and adulthood could impact the current and future health and well-being of people with multiple sclerosis. However, a lifespan approach and nuanced data on stressors are scarce,” said researchers from Michigan (USA). They therefore decided to examine the links between stressful life events, disability and changes in relapse load.
MS: stressful events responsible for health deterioration
As part of a study, they recruited 713 people who had to answer a questionnaire on the sources of their anxieties. Most of the respondents were women, 79% suffered from multiple sclerosis and their average age was 49 years old. According to the results, stressful events occurring during childhood and adulthood, such as poverty, abuse or divorce, are associated with deterioration of health and functional outcomes in patients affected by multiple sclerosis. . “Only stressors in adulthood contributed significantly to the increased burden of relapses after the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic,” read the results published in the journal. Brain and Behavior.
A potential impact on immune, inflammatory and behavioral processes
According to the authors, research focusing on stress and multiple sclerosis that does not take into account the entire lifespan of patients could miss essential information or overestimate the link between life stressors. childhood and health effects. “Adverse childhood experiences and other stressors at this age may impact immune, inflammatory and behavioral processes throughout life, and reduce resilience to stress in adulthood,” explained Carri Polick, lead author of the work, in a statement.
“This knowledge is needed to inform multiple sclerosis research as well as clinical care. Referral to resources could help reduce the impact of stress and improve well-being”, said Tiffany Braley. Now scientists will study the mechanisms of sleep, smoking and mental health, by which stressful events can worsen symptoms of multiple sclerosis, including “increased disability, pain and fatigue.”
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