TY - JOUR
T1 - Impulsivity-related traits are associated with higher white blood cell counts
AU - Sutin, Angelina R.
AU - Milaneschi, Yuri
AU - Cannas, Alessandra
AU - Ferrucci, Luigi
AU - Uda, Manuela
AU - Schlessinger, David
AU - Zonderman, Alan B.
AU - Terracciano, Antonio
PY - 2012
Y1 - 2012
N2 - A chronically elevated white blood cell (WBC) count is a risk factor for morbidity and mortality. The present research tests whether facets of impulsivity - impulsiveness, excitement-seeking, self-discipline, and deliberation - are associated with chronically elevated WBC counts. Community-dwelling participants (N = 5,652) from Sardinia, Italy, completed a standard personality questionnaire and provided blood samples concurrently and again 3 years later. Higher scores on impulsivity, in particular impulsiveness and excitementseeking, were related to higher total WBC counts and higher lymphocyte counts at both time points. Impulsiveness was a predictor of chronic inflammation: for every standard deviation difference in this trait, there was an almost 25% higher risk of elevated WBC counts at both time points (OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.10-1.38). These associations were mediated, in part, by smoking and body mass index. The findings demonstrate that links between psychological processes and immunity are not limited to acute stressors; stable personality dispositions are associated with a chronic inflammatory state.
AB - A chronically elevated white blood cell (WBC) count is a risk factor for morbidity and mortality. The present research tests whether facets of impulsivity - impulsiveness, excitement-seeking, self-discipline, and deliberation - are associated with chronically elevated WBC counts. Community-dwelling participants (N = 5,652) from Sardinia, Italy, completed a standard personality questionnaire and provided blood samples concurrently and again 3 years later. Higher scores on impulsivity, in particular impulsiveness and excitementseeking, were related to higher total WBC counts and higher lymphocyte counts at both time points. Impulsiveness was a predictor of chronic inflammation: for every standard deviation difference in this trait, there was an almost 25% higher risk of elevated WBC counts at both time points (OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.10-1.38). These associations were mediated, in part, by smoking and body mass index. The findings demonstrate that links between psychological processes and immunity are not limited to acute stressors; stable personality dispositions are associated with a chronic inflammatory state.
KW - Conscientiousness
KW - Impulsivity
KW - Inflammation
KW - Neuroticism
KW - Personality
KW - White blood cells
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U2 - 10.1007/s10865-011-9390-0
DO - 10.1007/s10865-011-9390-0
M3 - Article
C2 - 22190235
AN - SCOPUS:84894886590
SN - 0160-7715
VL - 35
SP - 616
EP - 623
JO - Journal of Behavioral Medicine
JF - Journal of Behavioral Medicine
IS - 6
ER -