William Atkins
Sunday, 03 May 2009 20:41
Science -
Health
Page 1 of 2
A research team from Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States wondered if stressful life events, neurotic traits, and extroverted characteristics could trigger adult asthma. What they found out could make you hysteric!
The researchers stated,
“… only few studies have investigated the association between stressful life events and adult asthma prospectively. Likewise, stress-related personality traits (e.g. neuroticism and extraversion) may increase asthma risk, but this has been examined in only one prospective study.”
They decided to investigate the possible relationship between neuroticism, extroversion, stressful life events and incident adult asthma.
The research team, which includes Adrian Loerbroks, C.J. Apfelbacher, J.F. Thayer, D. Debling, and T. Stürmer, initially studied 5,114 adults without asthma between 1992 and 1995.
Dr. Loerbroks, from
Heidelberg University in Mannheim, Germany, was the lead researcher in the study.
Over a nine year period, 4,010 of those who started the study were evaluated with questionnaires as to such conditions as neuroticism, extraversion, and stressful life events.
The conclusion of their research shows up in the journal
Allergy under the title “
Neuroticism, extroversion, stressful life events and asthma: a cohort study of middle-aged adults.” [online version first available February 27, 2009]
The conclusions are discussed on page two.
