Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Binzmühlestr. 14/14, CH-8050 Zurich, Switzerland.
Department of Psychology, Humboldt University Berlin, Rudower Chaussee 18, 12489 Berlin, Germany.
Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2021 Feb;124:105082. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.105082. Epub 2020 Dec 1.
Prior research with predominantly younger to middle-aged samples has demonstrated that couples' cortisol levels covary throughout the day (cortisol synchrony). Not much is known about cortisol synchrony in old age, and its potential broader societal correlates. The current study investigates associations between the socio-political context and cortisol synchrony as observed in older couples' daily lives. 160 older German couples (M = 72 years, range: 56-89) provided salivary cortisol samples 7 times daily for a 7-day period. Socio-political context was quantified using state-specific voting data from the 2017 German federal election along the left-right political spectrum. Multilevel models controlling for diurnal cortisol rhythm, food intake, sex, age, body mass index, education, and individual-level political orientation revealed evidence for synchrony in partners' cortisol fluctuations (b = 0.03, p < .001). The extent of cortisol synchrony was moderated by left-right political context, such that older couples living in a federal state placed further right exhibited greater cortisol synchrony than couples living in a federal state placed further left (b = 0.01, p = .015). Findings point to the importance of considering the socio-political context of health-relevant biopsychosocial dynamics in old age. Future research needs to investigate mechanisms underlying such associations, including how politics shape opportunities and motivation for interdependencies that promote better or worse health.
先前的研究主要集中在年轻到中年的样本上，这些研究表明夫妻的皮质醇水平在一天中是相互关联的（皮质醇同步）。关于老年人的皮质醇同步及其潜在的更广泛的社会相关性，我们知之甚少。本研究调查了在老年人的日常生活中，社会政治环境与皮质醇同步之间的关联。160 对德国老年夫妇（M = 72 岁，范围：56-89 岁）在 7 天内每天提供 7 次唾液皮质醇样本。社会政治环境是通过 2017 年德国联邦选举中各州特定的投票数据，沿着左右政治光谱来量化的。控制昼夜皮质醇节律、饮食摄入、性别、年龄、体重指数、教育和个体政治取向的多层次模型显示，伴侣皮质醇波动存在同步性的证据（b = 0.03，p < 0.001）。皮质醇同步的程度受到左右政治环境的调节，例如，生活在联邦州位置较右的老年夫妇比生活在联邦州位置较左的夫妇表现出更大的皮质醇同步性（b = 0.01，p = 0.015）。研究结果表明，在老年时期考虑健康相关的生物心理社会动态的社会政治背景非常重要。未来的研究需要调查这种关联的潜在机制，包括政治如何塑造促进更好或更差健康的相互依存的机会和动机。
