Key result
Exposure to everyday psychosocial stressors in young adults with major depressive disorder was associated with more severe impairments in endothelium-dependent dilation (69% vs 81%; P=0.04).
Why the study?
No studies had examined the relation between naturally occurring psychosocial stressors and directly measured microvascular function in adults with major depressive disorder.
Does exposure to everyday psychosocial stressors impair endothelium-dependent dilation in young adults with major depressive disorder?
Cross-Sectional (n=43)
Does exposure to everyday psychosocial stressors impair endothelium-dependent dilation in young adults with major depressive disorder?
Everyday psychosocial stressors are associated with greater impairments in microvascular endothelial function in young adults with major depressive disorder, highlighting a potential mechanism for increased cardiovascular risk.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Supports stress-endothelial link in young MDD adults; leaves open causality and whether stress reduction improves vascular function.
Background Despite the epidemiological associations between psychological stress, depression, and increased cardiovascular disease risk, no studies have examined the relation between naturally occurring psychosocial stressors and directly measured microvascular function in adults with major depressive disorder ( MDD ). We tested the hypothesis that young adults with MDD exposed to everyday psychosocial stressors would exhibit more severe impairments in endothelium‐dependent dilation ( EDD ) compared with: (1) healthy nondepressed adults ( HCs ); and (2) adults with MDD without acute psychosocial stress exposure. Methods and Results Twenty HCs (22±1 years) and 23 otherwise healthy adults with MDD (20±0.3 years) participated in the study. Participants completed a psychosocial experiences survey to document their exposure to any of 6 stressors over the preceding 24 hours (eg, arguments, work stressors). Red cell flux (laser Doppler flowmetry) was measured during graded intradermal microdialysis perfusion of acetylcholine (10 −10 to 10 −1 mol/L). EDD was expressed as a percentage of maximum vascular conductance (flux/mm Hg). Multiple linear regression was used to determine the associations between stress, EDD , and MDD . Adults with MDD reported a greater number and severity of psychosocial stressors compared with HCs (all P <0.05). EDD was blunted in adults with MDD ( HCs : 91±2 versus MDD : 74±3%; P <0.001). Exposure to any stressor was related to more severe impairments in EDD in patients with MDD (no stressor: 81±3 versus 1+ stressors: 69±5%; P =0.04) but not in HCs ( P =0.48). Conclusions These data indicate that exposure to everyday psychosocial stressors is associated with greater impairments in endothelial function in patients with MDD , suggesting a potential mechanistic link between daily stress and depression in increased cardiovascular risk.
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Greaney et al. (2019) conducted a cross-sectional in Major Depressive Disorder (n=43). Everyday psychosocial stressors vs. No stressor was evaluated on Endothelium-dependent dilation (EDD) (p=0.04). Exposure to everyday psychosocial stressors in young adults with major depressive disorder was associated with more severe impairments in endothelium-dependent dilation (69% vs 81%; P=0.04).
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