How Discrimination Gets Under the Skin

[BeckyDem]

How Discrimination Gets Under the Skin: Biological Determinants of Discrimination Associated With Dysregulation of the Brain-Gut Microbiome System and Psychological Symptoms

Abstract

Background
Discrimination is associated with negative health outcomes as mediated in part by chronic stress, but a full understanding of the biological pathways is lacking. Here we investigate the effects of discrimination involved in dysregulating the brain-gut microbiome (BGM) system.

Methods
A total of 154 participants underwent brain magnetic resonance imaging to measure functional connectivity. Fecal samples were obtained for 16S ribosomal RNA profiling and fecal metabolites and serum for inflammatory markers, along with questionnaires. The Everyday Discrimination Scale was administered to measure chronic and routine experiences of unfair treatment. A sparse partial least squares-discriminant analysis was conducted to predict BGM alterations as a function of discrimination, controlling for sex, age, body mass index, and diet. Associations between discrimination-related BGM alterations and psychological variables were assessed using a tripartite analysis.

Results
Discrimination was associated with anxiety, depression, and visceral sensitivity. Discrimination was associated with alterations of brain networks related to emotion, cognition and self-perception, and structural and functional changes in the gut microbiome. BGM discrimination-related associations varied by race/ethnicity. Among Black and Hispanic individuals, discrimination led to brain network changes consistent with psychological coping and increased systemic inflammation. For White individuals, discrimination was related to anxiety but not inflammation, while for Asian individuals, the patterns suggest possible somatization and behavioral (e.g., dietary) responses to discrimination.

Conclusions
Discrimination is attributed to changes in the BGM system more skewed toward inflammation, threat response, emotional arousal, and psychological symptoms. By integrating diverse lines of research, our results demonstrate evidence that may explain how discrimination contributes to health inequalities.

Biological Psychiatry
A Journal of Psychiatric Neuroscience and Therapeutics
https://www.biologicalpsychiatryjournal.com/article/S0006-3223(22)01703-6/fulltext

( Food for thought. )

[stopdiggin]

1. yep. and so is childhood abuse (and deprivation)

and so is stress ...
(that sh*tty job - and your sh*tty boss, in-laws and neighbors - and that adjustable rate mortgage? - really are tearing you apart ... )

[BeckyDem]

2. You are so right, humans are susceptible to these experiences.

The list goes on....

[1WorldHope]

3. If I've said it once, I've said it a thousand times.

How do black and brown people get out of bed everyday in America?

[BeckyDem]

4. +1. We have to. n/t

[1WorldHope]

5. It's unforgivable.

[electric_blue68]

6. Yes to the things that stopdiggin mentions, but racism is another and still too pervasive aspect...

Black, and other POC live with that we white people don't experience.


Looks like a serious under the radar issue.