Share of Cost, Our immune response to bereavement changes as we age
Young people have a more robust immune response to the loss of a loved one, according to new research from the University of Birmingham, providing insight into how different generations cope with loss.
The study, published in the journal Immunity and Ageing, shows how the balance of our stress hormones during grief changes as we age — meaning elderly people are more likely to have reduced immune function and, as a result, suffer from infections.
It is the first research to compare different generations and display the relationship between stress hormones and immune function across different stages in our life.