Price of Adaptation--Allostatic Load and Its Health Consequences: MacArthur Studies of Successful Aging Export

@article{citeulike:5846876, abstract = {BackgroundExponential growth in the population of older adults presents clinicians with special concerns about factors affecting risks for declines in cognitive and physical functioning. ObjectivesTo examine the hypothesis that risks for such declines and for disease outcomes, such as cardiovascular disease, are related to differences in allostatic load, the cumulative physiologic toll exacted on the body over time by efforts to adapt to life experiences. To present an operational definition of allostatic load, along with preliminary evidence of its predictive validity in relation to salient outcomes of aging. MethodsData from a longitudinal, community-based study of successful aging were used to develop a measure of allostatic load based on 10 parameters reflecting levels of physiologic activity across a range of important regulatory systems. Allostatic load is the sum of the number of parameters for which the subject was rated in the highest-risk quartile. ResultsHigher allostatic load scores were associated with poorer cognitive and physical functioning and predicted larger decrements in cognitive and physical functioning as well as being associated with an increased risk for the incidence of cardiovascular disease, independent of sociodemographic and health status risk factors. ConclusionsFindings are consistent with the conceptualization of allostatic load as an index of wear and tear on the body, with elevations in allostatic load predicting an increased risk for a decline in cognitive and physical functioning as well as cardiovascular disease in a cohort of older men and women. From a clinical perspective, the concept of allostatic load may provide the basis for a more comprehensive assessment of major risks in the aging process. Arch Intern Med. 1997;157:2259-2268 10.1001/archinte.1997.00440400111013}, author = {Seeman, Teresa E. and Singer, Burton H. and Rowe, John W. and Horwitz, Ralph I. and McEwen, Bruce S.}, citeulike-article-id = {5846876}, citeulike-linkout-0 = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archinte.1997.00440400111013}, citeulike-linkout-1 = {http://archinte.ama-assn.org/content/157/19/2259.abstract}, citeulike-linkout-2 = {http://archinte.ama-assn.org/content/157/19/2259.full.pdf}, citeulike-linkout-3 = {http://view.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9343003}, citeulike-linkout-4 = {http://www.hubmed.org/display.cgi?uids=9343003}, day = {27}, doi = {10.1001/archinte.1997.00440400111013}, journal = {Arch Intern Med}, keywords = {aging, allostatic, cortisol, health, outcomes, stress}, month = {October}, number = {19}, pages = {2259--2268}, posted-at = {2009-09-28 12:34:03}, priority = {2}, title = {Price of Adaptation--Allostatic Load and Its Health Consequences: MacArthur Studies of Successful Aging}, url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archinte.1997.00440400111013}, volume = {157}, year = {1997} }

TY - JOUR ID - citeulike:5846876 L3 - citeulike-article-id:5846876 N2 - BackgroundExponential growth in the population of older adults presents clinicians with special concerns about factors affecting risks for declines in cognitive and physical functioning. ObjectivesTo examine the hypothesis that risks for such declines and for disease outcomes, such as cardiovascular disease, are related to differences in allostatic load, the cumulative physiologic toll exacted on the body over time by efforts to adapt to life experiences. To present an operational definition of allostatic load, along with preliminary evidence of its predictive validity in relation to salient outcomes of aging. MethodsData from a longitudinal, community-based study of successful aging were used to develop a measure of allostatic load based on 10 parameters reflecting levels of physiologic activity across a range of important regulatory systems. Allostatic load is the sum of the number of parameters for which the subject was rated in the highest-risk quartile. ResultsHigher allostatic load scores were associated with poorer cognitive and physical functioning and predicted larger decrements in cognitive and physical functioning as well as being associated with an increased risk for the incidence of cardiovascular disease, independent of sociodemographic and health status risk factors. ConclusionsFindings are consistent with the conceptualization of allostatic load as an index of wear and tear on the body, with elevations in allostatic load predicting an increased risk for a decline in cognitive and physical functioning as well as cardiovascular disease in a cohort of older men and women. From a clinical perspective, the concept of allostatic load may provide the basis for a more comprehensive assessment of major risks in the aging process. Arch Intern Med. 1997;157:2259-2268 10.1001/archinte.1997.00440400111013 IS - 19 JF - Arch Intern Med EP - 2268 TI - Price of Adaptation--Allostatic Load and Its Health Consequences: MacArthur Studies of Successful Aging VL - 157 SP - 2259 KW - aging KW - allostatic KW - cortisol KW - health KW - outcomes KW - stress AU - Seeman, Teresa AU - Singer, Burton AU - Rowe, John AU - Horwitz, Ralph AU - McEwen, Bruce PY - 1997/10/27/ UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archinte.1997.00440400111013 ER -