http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/stress/ What causes stress and what medical treatments available? Can meditation or medication make a difference? Read the latest medical research on stress. en-us Sat, 06 Sep 2008 20:05:01 EDT Sat, 06 Sep 2008 20:05:01 EDT 60 http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/logosmall.gif http://www.sciencedaily.com/news/mind_brain/stress/ For more science articles, visit ScienceDaily. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080903172156.htm In an effort to better understand how chronic stress affects the human body, researchers have created an animal model that shows how chronic stress affects behavior, physiology and reproduction. Developing the animal model better positions the researchers to understand the neurohormonal causes of such stress and the body reaction in order to develop more effective treatment options for humans. Thu, 04 Sep 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080903172156.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080827100816.htm In the journal Biological Psychiatry, researchers shed new light on one link between stress and illness by describing a mechanism through which stress alters immune function. Wed, 27 Aug 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080827100816.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080825203813.htm While debate continues over the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder, a new study indicates traumatic events and PTSD symptoms may be followed in some cases by a size reduction in a part of the brain called the hippocampus. Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080825203813.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080812160607.htm Younger service members and Reserve and National Guard combat personnel returning from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are at increased risk of new-onset heavy drinking, binge drinking and other alcohol-related problems, according to a new study. Wed, 13 Aug 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080812160607.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080812160609.htm Men and women who experienced sexual violence while fighting in Liberian civil wars report higher rates of symptoms of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and thoughts of suicide than noncombatants or other former combatants who were not exposed to sexual violence, according to a study in the August 13 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on violence and human rights. Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080812160609.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080812160605.htm A school-based intervention for children in communities affected by political violence in Indonesia reduced post-traumatic stress symptoms and helped maintain hope, but did not reduce traumatic stress-related symptoms, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms or functional impairment, according to a new study. Tue, 12 Aug 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080812160605.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080807072125.htm Researchers have just shown how one of the stress hormones regulates brain neurotransmission on the short and long term and enables neuronal connections to adapt. Mon, 11 Aug 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080807072125.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080717230406.htm A new study highlights the fragility of eyewitness identification used within the criminal justice system. The study shows that stress and fear reduce the likelihood of successful identification, bringing into question a victim's ability to identify the perpetrator of a crime. Mon, 21 Jul 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080717230406.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080717091826.htm A person's heart rate can reveal a lot about how they make decisions when feeling stressed. Stress in the workplace isn't necessarily a bad thing, because it is, in fact, a natural reaction that has been given a negative connotation, according to one of the researchers. Thu, 17 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080717091826.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080707081834.htm A new study sheds light on the link between PTSD and heart disease. Vietnam veterans with PTSD suffered higher rates of heart disease death than veterans without PTSD. The more severe the PTSD diagnosis, the greater the likelihood of death from heart disease, the study showed. Tue, 08 Jul 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080707081834.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080701221437.htm We all know people who are tense and nervous and can't relax. They may have been wired differently since childhood. New research indicates that the brains of those suffering from anxiety and severe shyness in social situations consistently respond more strongly to stress, and show signs of being anxious even in situations that others find safe. Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/07/080701221437.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080612172150.htm The increased beating of the heart that one experiences when in a stressful situation is just one part of the body's response, often known as the "fight-or-flight response", to stress. Another component of the fight-or-flight response is the suppression of pain, also known as stress-induced analgesia. New research has now revealed that nerves producing the peptide N/ORQ and nerves producing the peptide Hcrt are key regulators of SIA in mice. Tue, 17 Jun 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080612172150.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080616092116.htm Drink coffee to send a wake-up call to the brain? Or just smell its rich, warm aroma? An international group of scientists is reporting some of the first evidence that simply inhaling coffee aroma alters the activity of genes in the brain. Mon, 16 Jun 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080616092116.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080613101105.htm Lower Manhattan residents developed post-traumatic stress disorder at three times the usual rate in the years following 9/11. The rate among residents matched the rate previously reported among rescue and recovery workers. Fri, 13 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080613101105.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080602160842.htm Exposure-based therapy, in which recent trauma survivors are instructed to relive the troubling event, may be effective in preventing the progression from acute stress disorder to post-traumatic stress disorder, according to a report in the June issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Fri, 06 Jun 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/06/080602160842.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080523163041.htm Lone asylum seeking children are more likely to have experienced high levels of war trauma, combat and torture than those who arrive in a country with adult carers, according to a new study looking at the mental health of asylum seeking children in the UK. The authors are calling on governments to ensure that children who arrive in a country on their own are offered appropriate support. Sun, 25 May 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080523163041.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080518072451.htm Symptoms of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder among caregivers of deceased lung transplant patients are four-to-five times more prevalent than in the average population, according to researchers who analyzed the stress levels of caregivers, as well as their perceptions of the transplant recipients' quality of dying and death. Sun, 18 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080518072451.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080515073004.htm A study among 589 9th graders found that stress at home affects adolescents' school life and vice versa. When adolescents experienced family stress, their learning and attendance problems increased at school the following day. Conversely, attendance and learning problems increased family stress the following day. These "spillover effects" lasted for two days after the initial stressor. Also, adolescents with higher family stress in 9th grade saw declining academic achievement in the 12th grade. Thu, 15 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080515073004.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080511190834.htm Women and men tend to have different types of stress-related psychological disorders. Women have greater rates of depression and some types of anxiety disorders than men, while men have greater rates of alcohol-use disorders than women. A new study of emotional and alcohol-craving responses to stress has found that when men become upset, they are more likely than women to want alcohol. Mon, 12 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080511190834.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505162801.htm Breast cancer patients who have a prior history of mood and anxiety disorders are at a much higher risk of experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder following their diagnosis, new research suggests. A study of 74 breast cancer patients at the Ohio State University Medical Center found that 16 percent of them suffered from PTSD 18 months after diagnosis. Tue, 06 May 2008 11:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505162801.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505162849.htm Children who had a parent who died suddenly have three times the risk of depression than those with two living parents, along with an increased risk for post-traumatic stress disorder according to a new article. Mon, 05 May 2008 00:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080505162849.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080501062745.htm Nearly one in three children admitted to pediatric intensive care will experience delusions or hallucinations, which put them at higher risk for post-traumatic stress symptoms, according to a new study of children's experiences in a pediatric intensive care unit. Thu, 01 May 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080501062745.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080421170211.htm In a study of several hundred New York City social workers after Sept. 11, new research finds that mental health workers themselves can experience a psychological problem known as secondary trauma. The study in Research on Social Work Practice shows a clear link between secondary or vicarious trauma and counseling. Tue, 22 Apr 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080421170211.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080407114627.htm A new study investigating the relationship between stress and the painful symptoms of endometriosis is currently underway. It offers, for the first time, evidence of the negative consequences of stress in the progression of endometriosis, most likely through an effect on the immune system. Thu, 10 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080407114627.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080408160631.htm Post traumatic stress disorder is commonly thought to effect victims of major trauma and those who witness violence, but a new study finds that it also can effect children who have lost a parent expectedly to diseases such as cancer. The finding has major implications for helping children cope with grief. Wed, 09 Apr 2008 23:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080408160631.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080406153354.htm Having a lower social standing increases the likelihood that a monkey faced with a stressful situation will choose cocaine over food, according to a new study. More dominant monkeys undergoing the same stressful situation had fewer changes in brain activity in areas of the brain involved in stress and anxiety and were less likely to choose cocaine. Mon, 07 Apr 2008 08:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080406153354.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080331111029.htm How can pensioners with little if any computer skills successfully cope with a digital information system? According to researchers, the design of an accessible system needs to incorporate large letter types and keys, the mother language, and a touch screen and ABCDE keyboard as input devices. Furthermore, positive feedback is important to reduce the stress experienced by pensioners whilst using the computer. Wed, 02 Apr 2008 02:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080331111029.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080327172124.htm Researchers have found post-traumatic stress disorder is associated with more hospitalizations, longer hospitalizations and greater mental healthcare utilization in urban primary care patients. Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080327172124.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318100955.htm PTSD symptoms were doubled in adults who underwent trauma if they had two key factors: variations in a gene active in the stress-response system and past child abuse. The gene variations and the impact of child abuse appear to affect each other in ways that change the body's stress-hormone system during the crucial developmental years. The study was conducted in the inner city, where PTSD rates are as high as in veterans. Thu, 20 Mar 2008 17:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318100955.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318094525.htm Individuals who experience military combat obviously endure extreme stress, and this exposure leaves many diagnosed with the psychiatric condition of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD. PTSD is associated with several abnormalities in brain structure and function. Wed, 19 Mar 2008 05:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080318094525.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080311182434.htm Short-term stress lasting as little as a few hours can impair brain-cell communication in areas associated with learning and memory, researchers have found. It has been known that severe stress lasting weeks or months can impair cell communication in the brain's learning and memory region, but this study provides the first evidence that short-term stress has the same effect. Thu, 13 Mar 2008 20:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/03/080311182434.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080215151225.htm A woman's daily stress can reduce her ability to fight off a common sexually transmitted disease and increase her risk of developing the cancer it can cause, according to a new study. No such association is seen, however, between past major life events, such as divorce or job loss, and the body's response to the infection. Wed, 20 Feb 2008 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080215151225.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080213090510.htm Post-traumatic stress disorder is an indicator of long-term health problems, similar to biological warning signs such as elevated white blood cell counts. With an in-depth study of Vietnam vets, researchers show that PTSD leaves a distinct biological mark on a person's overall health. Considered a psychological or mental health problem, PTSD should now be viewed as a threat to a person's physical health, according to this research. Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/02/080213090510.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080124140952.htm A stressed-out mouse tends to be a bit timid, tentative, even fearful. For that matter, so does a stressed-out human. Our ability to learn from frightening situations is part of what helps us avoid them in the future. When that learning process goes awry, it can lead to depression and a decreased ability to recognize dangerous situations. Now, research by Rockefeller scientists has pinned down a protein in the hippocampus -- a part of the brain that controls memory, learning and fear -- that's essential for maintaining this stress response. Tue, 29 Jan 2008 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080124140952.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080123100328.htm Acute and chronic stress can have devastating effects on the brain, and researchers have now pinpointed one receptor that plays a key role in that harmful cycle. Uncontrollable stress is a major contributing factor for neuropsychiatric disorders such as major depression and post-traumatic stress disorders, which have been linked to cellular changes in the hippocampus. The hippocampus is a part of the brain that is particularly susceptible to stress. Sat, 26 Jan 2008 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080123100328.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080122203124.htm New research has produced strong evidence of how work stress is linked to the biological mechanisms involved in the onset of heart disease. It is the first large-scale study to look at the cardiovascular mechanisms of work stress in the population and provides the strongest evidence yet of the way it can lead to coronary heart disease, either directly, by activating stress pathways controlled by neuroendocrine mechanisms, or indirectly via its association with unhealthy lifestyles. Tue, 22 Jan 2008 23:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080122203124.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080116193412.htm There has been a threefold increase in new cases of self reported post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms among combat-exposed military personnel since 2001, according to a new study. Concerns have been raised about the health impact of military deployment. Studies have estimated as many as 30% of Vietnam War veterans developed post-traumatic stress disorder at some point following the war and, among 1991 Gulf War veterans, as many as 10% were reported to have post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms years after returning from deployment. Thu, 17 Jan 2008 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080116193412.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080107181348.htm Stress and fear in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks may be making Americans sicker, according to a groundbreaking new study. Participants who reported high levels of acute stress immediately after the attacks were about twice as likely to report being diagnosed with hypertension and about three times as likely to report a diagnosis of heart problems over the following two years. Tue, 08 Jan 2008 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080107181348.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071224124639.htm A new study of combat-exposed Vietnam War veterans shows that those with injuries to certain parts of the brain were less likely to develop post-traumatic stress disorder. The findings, from the National Institutes of Health and the National Naval Medical Center, suggest that drugs or pacemaker-like devices aimed at dampening activity in these brain regions might be effective treatments for PTSD. Wed, 26 Dec 2007 14:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071224124639.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213120937.htm Canada's peacekeepers suffer similar rates of post-traumatic stress disorders as combat, war-zone soldiers, according to new research. Researchers also found that PTSD rates and severity were associated with younger age, single marital status and deployment frequency. Sat, 15 Dec 2007 20:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071213120937.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208092445.htm When treated within a month, survivors of a psychologically traumatic event improved significantly with psychotherapy, according to a new study. The researcher says his results indicate that it is best for survivors to be treated as early as possible. Sun, 09 Dec 2007 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071208092445.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204154710.htm Turns out there might be some truth to the popular wisdom that plump babies are happy babies. A landmark public health study has found that people who had a low birth weight are more likely to experience depression and anxiety later in life. Wed, 05 Dec 2007 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071204154710.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071129153320.htm One version of a gene puts women who are under chronic stress at risk for more severe depressive symptoms. But among men, the same gene variant appeared to be protective against depression. In fact, men with the opposite gene variant were the ones who experienced more depressive symptoms when under chronic stress. The researchers analyzed two independent samples of healthy individuals for the presence of a genetic variant that regulates levels of serotonin -- a neurotransmitter that is linked to health in numerous ways, including emotion regulation. Fri, 30 Nov 2007 11:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071129153320.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071120111530.htm Researchers report that rapes, sudden deaths of loved ones, life-threatening accidents and other such traumas may result in long-term changes in the stress response in some people, even if they don't have post-traumatic stress disorder. Wed, 21 Nov 2007 05:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071120111530.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071119170133.htm How do men and women differ in their neural responses to psychological stress? Different parts of the brain activate with different spatial and temporal profiles for men and women under stress. Women also have twice the rate of depression and anxiety disorders compared to men. These new findings have implications for identifying gender differences in mood disorders. Tue, 20 Nov 2007 08:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071119170133.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071101193415.htm It is well known that being stressed increases our susceptibility to infections by impairing the function of our immune system, but the molecular links between stress and diminished immune function have not been determined. A new study in mice has provided insight into this issue by showing that psychological stress increased production of glucocorticoids and that this decreased the expression of antimicrobial peptides in the skin, making the mice more susceptible to skin infections. Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071101193415.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071115095028.htm Researchers conducted a nationwide survey to identify stressors perceived by pathology residents. Studies in other specialties have found that stress during residency training affects efficiency, productivity, error rates and physician burnout. Immediate effects of stress include increased heart rate and increased white blood cell count. Thu, 15 Nov 2007 00:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071115095028.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071109194053.htm Pending job cuts at the office. Back-to-back final exams. A messy divorce. An unexpected surgery. What do they all have in common? In a word -- stress. While everyone knows that stress can take a toll on a person physically and psychologically, it also can lead to dermatologic problems, such as acne, brittle nails or even hair loss. Mon, 12 Nov 2007 17:00:00 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/11/071109194053.htm