 |
| A couple getting married is seen silhouetted in an undated photo. |
There is even more proof that an unhappy marriage is bad for your health, researchers said.
The stress that comes from discord appears to slow the initial production of a blood protein that is key to healing wounds, the report from Ohio State University said.
Quarreling couples studied in a laboratory setting had a slower wound healing process than when they were not arguing, as measured by how rapidlyblistershealed. The blisters were deliberately inflicted on the test subjects by using a vacuum pump on the arm.
"Couples who demonstrated consistently higher levels of hostile behaviours ... healed at 60 percent of the rate of low-hostile couples," said the report published in the December issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.
The authors said there is already a sizeable body of research showing that marital disagreement causes adverse health impacts ranging from high blood pressure and depression to the ability to cope with heart disease and heart failure.
"Although loss of a spouse can provokeadversemental and physical health changes, the simple presence of a spouse is not necessarily protective. A troubled marriage is itself a prime source of stress," the study said.
The Ohio State study involved 42 married couples, aged 22 to 77. They were tested twice -- first in a social setting and then again when they were told to get into disagreements.
The authors said stress appears to slow the local, wound-site production of proinflammatory cytokines -- protein molecules produced by white blood cells that play a key role in the early stages of healing.
But the study also found that couples with high degrees of conflict had higher levels of the same cytokines generally in the bloodstream the morning after an argument, compared to those who were not in as much disagreement.
While greater early production at wound sites is beneficial, the authors said, a higher systemic level is harmful.
"Elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines have been linked to a variety of age-related disease, including cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, arthritis ... certain cancers, and frailty and functional decline," the study said. "Moreover, inflammatory activation can enhance development of depressive symptoms."
(Agencies)
|
研究者称，新的研究结果进一步证明不愉快的婚姻是健康的一大“杀手”。
根据俄亥俄州立大学的研究报告，由于相处不和谐而产生的压力会减缓血蛋白的形成速度，而这种血液蛋白在伤口愈合中扮演着重要角色。
研究人员在实验室环境下观察长有水泡的夫妻的伤口愈合情况，研究发现夫妻在吵架时伤口的愈合速度要比他们“和平相处”时慢。这些水泡是用真空泵特意“种”在实验参与者的胳膊上的。
在《普通精神病学档案》12月刊上发表的这份研究报告说，“经常争执的夫妇的水泡愈合率只有很少吵架的夫妇的60%。”
报告的作者称，已经有大量的研究表明婚姻不和谐会危害身体健康，导致高血压、抑郁症、心脏病和心力衰竭等疾病。
报告上说，“虽然丧偶可能会导致精神和身体上的疾病，但是有配偶不一定就能够保证健康。糟糕的婚姻本身就是压力产生的根源。”
参加俄亥俄州立大学此项研究的42对夫妇年龄从22岁到77岁不等。他们参与了两次实验，第一次是在社会环境中，另一次则是按照指示，与对方发生争执。
报告中说，压力会减慢伤口处“炎症前期细胞素”的产生速度，这种由白细胞产生的蛋白分子在伤口愈合的早期起至关重要的作用。
但是，研究还发现，经常吵架的夫妇发生争执后第二天早晨血液内的“炎症前期细胞素”含量比没有争吵的夫妇要高出很多。
在伤口处产生大量的细胞素是有好处的，但是如果体内的细胞素含量过高，就会有害了。
研究表明，炎症前期细胞素水平增高与各种老年疾病有关，如心血管疾病、骨质疏松症、关节炎，并有可能引发某些癌症、虚弱和器官功能衰竭等等。而且，发炎活化会使忧郁症进一步加重。
(中国日报网站编译)
|
Updated: 2005-12-14 09:27
