Don't Let Your Stress Go to Your Genes

As the author explains, humans at one time had to worry about being run down by predators such as lions and tigers. Evolution supports that the stress response related directly to how our immune system responds, “triggering the deployment of white blood cells and increased expression of the inflammatory gene interleukin-6 (IL-6) into the blood stream.”

Brandeis researchers recently discovered, and published the study in “Brain, Behavior and Immunity,” findings that say that the perception of stress “directly impacts how genes express stress.”

As announced on the Brandeis University website, this study was written by graduate student Christine McInnis and professor Nicolas Rohleder, and co-authored by Danielle Gianferante, Luke Hanlin, Xuejie Chen and Myriam Thoma.

“Researchers have long known that IL-6 proteins increase in blood plasma after stress but this is the first time scientists have observed increased activation of the IL-6 gene in white blood cells as a stress response,” reported Leah Burrows. “The size and duration of the increase is closely tied to perception and mood, according to the study. The more a person stresses out, the more IL-6 is expressed.”

Essentially, the research finds that the more you can control your stress, the less it will manifest itself in your genes.