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Heidelberg (pte024/20.02.2003/12:42) - Scientists in Heidelberg http://www.walking-wounded.net are the first to show that psychological stress can cause changes in the molecular composition of humans.
The results of several studies show that years of psycho-social stress can make people more prone to illness. People who are under a lot of pressure at work, have little social support and see few positive things in life have a much higher risk of artherosclerosis, and are therefore more likely to experience heart attack or stroke.
Up to now it has not been clear just how psychological stress changes cells in the body. Researchers at the University of Heidelberg http://www.med.uni-heidelberg.de have now found that stressful situations activate certain protein in the cells. This protein causes and prolongs infections and degeneration, according to the team under Peter Nawroth, medical director of the department of endocrinology and metabolism at Heidelberg University Clinic.
The key molecule in the stress reaction is the transcription factor NF-kappaB, which play an important role in chronic illnesses and ageing. This is not only activated by stress hormones such as adrenaline or noradrenaline, but also through damage to the surface of cells or molecular changes caused by diabetes.
To examine the stress reaction, 19 test subjects under 30 (eight men, 11 women) were given the so-called "Trier Social Stress Test", which involves holding a presentation and solving mathematical problems in front of other people. Blood was drawn before and after the test. The results showed that 17 out of 19 participants had increased NF-kappaB in certain blood cells after the test, accompanied by increased kidney-produced stress hormones.
"We have known for some time that a higher concentration of adrenaline or noradrenaline in the blood can cause damage on the long term. We have now for the first time been able to show the complete chain reaction from psychological stress to the release of hormones and molecular changes in the cell nucleus," said Peter Nawroth.
Researchers are calling this breakthrough the start of a new era in stress research. Nawroth hopes to gain further valuable insights from his research on patients with diabetes, who are continually under stress due to the fluctuations in their metabolism.
The team's findings were published in the recent edition of the professional magazine "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences" (PNAS) http://www.pnas.org.
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