Suppression, but not reappraisal, is associated with inflammation in trauma-exposed veterans.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Emotion dysregulation can elicit inflammatory activity. The current study examined whether specific maladaptive and adaptive emotion regulation strategies were associated with inflammatory markers in trauma-exposed veterans, above and beyond PTSD.

METHODS:

In a cohort study, 606 participants exposed to a Criterion A trauma and recruited from Veteran Health Administration facilities completed fasting blood draws, the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire, and the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale-IV. Inflammation was assessed with high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), white blood cell count (WBC), and fibrinogen levels. An inflammation index was created by summing standardized log-transformed levels of the three biomarkers. Our primary linear regression models were adjusted for sex, age, race, education, income, creatinine, and PTSD.

RESULTS:

Suppression, but not cognitive reappraisal, was significantly associated with higher levels of the inflammatory index (β = 0.14, p = 0.001). Parallel analyses for the individual inflammatory markers also showed suppression, but not reappraisal, was significantly associated with higher hsCRP (β = 0.11, p = 0.01), WBC (β = 0.11, p = 0.01), and fibrinogen (β = 0.10, p = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS:

Emotional suppression is related to elevated systemic inflammation independent of PTSD. Cognitive reappraisal is unrelated to inflammation. Findings suggest over-utilization of maladaptive, rather than under-utilization of adaptive, emotion regulation strategies may be associated with systemic inflammation in trauma-exposed veterans.

• Authors: A J Khan, A O'Donovan, T C Neylan, J J Gross, B E Cohen
• Journal: Psychoneuroendocrinology (Psychoneuroendocrinology) Vol. 122 Pg. 104871 (12 2020) ISSN: 1873-3360 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 33010600 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.)
• Copyright: Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Chemical References

• Biomarkers
• Fibrinogen
• C-Reactive Protein

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Biomarkers (blood)
• C-Reactive Protein (analysis)
• Cognition (physiology)
• Cohort Studies
• Emotional Regulation (physiology)
• Emotions (physiology)
• Female
• Fibrinogen (analysis)
• Humans
• Inflammation (metabolism, physiopathology)
• Leukocyte Count
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic (psychology)
• Veterans (psychology)
• Wounds and Injuries (psychology)