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Depression, Aging, Stress and Heart Health Study
Sponsor: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Summary
Depression is a known risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and this comorbidity contributes significantly to the morbidity and mortality of women. The menopausal transition or perimenopause is a period of vulnerability for both depression and CVD, making it a key time to study this critical public health issue. This research will preliminarily explore whether disruption in two novel stress pathways 1) the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) and autonomic nervous system (ANS) and their relationship may underlie the link between these illnesses. Findings will provide important insight into potential mechanisms by which depression during perimenopause may increase risk for CVD in midlife women, which will inform potential risk reduction and treatment strategies that can improve health outcomes in this population.
Official title: The Comorbidity of Depression and Cardiovascular Disease in Midlife Women: Investigating Novel Biological Pathways of Risk
Key Details
Gender
FEMALE
Age Range
44 Years - 55 Years
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Enrollment
30
Start Date
2022-11-16
Completion Date
2026-06-30
Last Updated
2025-12-22
Healthy Volunteers
Yes
Interventions
Trier Social Stress Test
The TSST has both social-evaluative and arithmetic components. During the social-evaluative component, the participant is asked to prepare and then deliver a brief speech to the research team. After this component there is a surprise arithmetic problem. This challenge paradigm has been well-established to rapidly and robustly induce psychological stress as well as physiological indices of stress (e.g., cortisol response, heart rate response). This task takes approximately 15 minutes to complete.
Locations (1)
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States