Chronic Physiological Dysregulation and Changes in Depressive Symptoms: Testing Sex and Race as Vulnerability Factors

Depression is a growing public health concern that affects approximately 5% of adults in their lifetime (WHO in Depression, 2021). Understanding the biological correlates of depression is imperative for advancing treatment. Of particular interest is allostatic load, a multisystem indicator of chronic physiological dysregulation (McEwen and Seeman in, Ann N Y Acad Sci, 1999). The current longitudinal study examined the association between allostatic load, depressive symptoms, and the moderating roles of sex and race. Participants consisted of 150 young adults (M_age = 18.81) who reported their demographics and depressive symptoms at T1 and T2, a year and a half later. Allostatic load was computed using indicators of metabolic, cardiovascular, and neuroendocrine functioning. Allostatic load was found to predict changes in depressive symptoms. Moreover, interaction effects models revealed that the associations between allostatic load and depressive symptoms at follow-up were further influenced by sex, such that the relationship was significant for males, with pronounced effects for Black males in particular. Black males may be particularly vulnerable to the mental health consequences of biological dysregulation.