Antisocial Lifestyle, Weathering, and Health: Risk and Danger Increase Inflammation and Accelerate Biological Aging

• In Event: The Intersection of Public Policy and Service Needs Among Vulnerable Populations

Abstract

Exposure to social adversity is a robust predictor of inflammation and, in turn, accelerated aging, chronic illness, and early death. These effects are thought to be a consequence of programmed changes that stress produces in the immune system, viz., adversity (threat or danger) leads to increased expression of the inflammatory immune program, coupled with decreased expression of the antiviral program, as the organism prepares for possible attack, injury, and infection. This line of research suggests a possible explanation for the finding that formerly incarcerated individuals are at high risk for health problems. The present study goes beyond testing this hypothesis, however, to investigate more generally whether the threat and danger associated with an antisocial lifestyle increases chronic inflammation and accelerated aging. Using blood draws and longitudinal data, we examine the extent to which factors such as fighting, aggressive friends, victimization, and incarceration foster increases in: a) inflammation measured with an index of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and b) accelerated aging assessed with an index of mRNA transcriptional sites. Further, we test whether it is childhood stress (early calibration model), adult stressors, or a combination of the two that best accounts for biological embedding of these health risks among antisocial individuals.

Authors

• Ronald L Simons, University of Georgia

• Eric T. Klopack, University of Georgia

• Man-Kit Lei, University of Georgia