D A Granger1, A Booth, D R Johnson. 1. Department of Biobehavioral Health, Pennsylvania State University, University Park 16802, USA. dag11@psu.edu
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: A pattern of clinical, behavioral, and experimental findings suggests that individual differences in aggressive behavior may be related to immunologic processes. We evaluated two conflicting models of the relationship: 1) A positive association stems from an adaptive mechanism protecting aggressive individuals from increased exposure to immune stimuli and 2) a negative association is due to potential immunosuppressive effects of high testosterone levels. METHODS: We investigated the models using enumerative measures of cellular and humoral immunity in a sample of 4415 men aged 30 to 48 years who were interviewed and underwent a medical examination. RESULTS: Analysis revealed positive (and curvilinear) associations between aggressive behavior and enumerative measures of helper/inducer and suppressor/cytolytic T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes. The aggression-immunity relationship was independent of testosterone level, age, current health status, and negative health behaviors and was most pronounced for helper/inducer T cells. There was no evidence of a negative association between testosterone and any immune measure. CONCLUSIONS: In a large sample of men, individual differences in aggressive behavior were positively associated with enumerative measures of cellular immunity.
OBJECTIVE: A pattern of clinical, behavioral, and experimental findings suggests that individual differences in aggressive behavior may be related to immunologic processes. We evaluated two conflicting models of the relationship: 1) A positive association stems from an adaptive mechanism protecting aggressive individuals from increased exposure to immune stimuli and 2) a negative association is due to potential immunosuppressive effects of high testosterone levels. METHODS: We investigated the models using enumerative measures of cellular and humoral immunity in a sample of 4415 men aged 30 to 48 years who were interviewed and underwent a medical examination. RESULTS: Analysis revealed positive (and curvilinear) associations between aggressive behavior and enumerative measures of helper/inducer and suppressor/cytolytic T lymphocytes and B lymphocytes. The aggression-immunity relationship was independent of testosterone level, age, current health status, and negative health behaviors and was most pronounced for helper/inducer T cells. There was no evidence of a negative association between testosterone and any immune measure. CONCLUSIONS: In a large sample of men, individual differences in aggressive behavior were positively associated with enumerative measures of cellular immunity.
Authors: F J Vaz-Leal; L Rodríguez-Santos; M J Melero; M I Ramos; M Monge; B López-Vinuesa Journal: Eat Weight Disord Date: 2007-06 Impact factor: 4.652
Authors: I La Fratta; R Tatangelo; G Campagna; A Rizzuto; S Franceschelli; A Ferrone; A Patruno; L Speranza; M A De Lutiis; M Felaco; A Grilli; M Pesce Journal: Sci Rep Date: 2018-02-14 Impact factor: 4.379