Attachment Anxiety Is Linked to Alterations in Cortisol Production and Cellular Immunity

Summary & key facts

Researchers studied 85 married couples who gave saliva samples over 3 days and blood on two occasions. People with higher attachment anxiety had higher cortisol levels and lower numbers of several types of T cells (CD3+, CD45+, CD3+CD4+ helper T cells, and CD3+CD8+ cytotoxic T cells). Higher cortisol was also linked to lower numbers of those T cells. The findings show associations that could help explain how close-relationship worry relates to the body, but they do not prove that attachment anxiety causes these immune changes and come from a specific group (married couples).

Key facts:

• The study sample was 85 married couples who provided saliva samples across 3 days and blood samples on two occasions.
• Higher attachment anxiety was associated with higher cortisol production (measured in saliva).
• Higher attachment anxiety was associated with fewer CD3+ T cells, CD45+ T cells, CD3+CD4+ helper T cells, and CD3+CD8+ cytotoxic T cells.
• Higher cortisol levels were also associated with fewer CD3+, CD45+, CD3+CD4+, and CD3+CD8+ cells, consistent with cortisol’s known effects on cellular immunity.
• The results are correlational (linked associations) and come from married couples, so they do not prove cause and may not apply to all groups.

Abstract

Although evidence suggests that attachment anxiety may increase risk for health problems, the mechanisms underlying these effects are not well understood. In the current study, married couples (N = 85) provided saliva samples over 3 days and blood samples on two occasions. Participants with higher attachment anxiety produced more cortisol and had fewer numbers of CD3(+) T cells, CD45(+) T cells, CD3(+)CD4(+) helper T cells, and CD3(+)CD8(+) cytotoxic T cells than participants with lower attachment anxiety. Higher cortisol levels were also related to fewer numbers of CD3(+), CD45(+), CD3(+)CD4(+), and CD3(+)CD8(+) cells, which is consistent with research showing that cortisol alters the cellular immune response. These data suggest that attachment anxiety may have physiological costs, and they provide a glimpse into the pathways through which social relationships affect health. The current study also extends attachment theory in an important new direction by demonstrating the utility of a psychoneuroimmunological approach to the study of attachment anxiety, stress, and health.

Topics

Attachment and Relationship Dynamics Maternal Mental Health During Pregnancy and Postpartum Work-Family Balance Challenges

Categories

Psychology Social Psychology Social Sciences

Tags

Affect (linguistics) Anxiety Attachment theory Biochemistry CD3 CD8 Cellular immunity Chemistry Clinical psychology Communication Cytotoxic T cell Developmental psychology Immune system Immunology In vitro Medicine Psychiatry Psychology Psychoneuroimmunology

Conditions & symptoms

Anxiety Anxiety or worry