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 Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:05:02 EST Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:05:02 EST 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/2012/02/120215143120.htm Scientists have provided the first evidence of a link between a traumatic brain injury and increased susceptibility to post-traumatic stress disorder. Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:31:31 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120215143120.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209135058.htm Young adults who easily engage in rewarding conversations with their partners are less likely to hold onto anger and stress and more likely to be satisfied with the relationship, according to new research. Researchers are also looking at factors that relate to positive dating relationships or problematic relationships. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:50:50 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/02/120209135058.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130131155.htm Divorce at a younger age hurts people's health more than divorce later in life, according to a new study. Mon, 30 Jan 2012 13:11:11 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120130131155.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125132605.htm Scientists now have a better understanding of the way that stress impacts the brain. New research reveals pioneering evidence for a new mechanism of stress adaptation and may eventually lead to a better understanding of why prolonged and repeated exposure to stress can lead to anxiety disorders and depression. Wed, 25 Jan 2012 13:26:26 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120125132605.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123175659.htm The personality trait narcissism may have an especially negative effect on the health of men, according to a recent study. Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:56:56 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120123175659.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120183040.htm The solvent tetrachloroethylene (PCE) widely used in industry and to dry clean clothes is a neurotoxin known to cause mood changes, anxiety, and depression in people who work with it. To date the long-term effect of this chemical on children exposed to PCE has been less clear, although there is some evidence that children of people who work in the dry cleaning industry have an increased risk of schizophrenia. Fri, 20 Jan 2012 18:30:30 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/01/120120183040.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111227093059.htm Women with celiac disease -- an autoimmune disorder associated with a negative reaction to eating gluten -- are more likely than the general population to report symptoms of depression and disordered eating, even when they adhere to a gluten-free diet, according to researchers. Tue, 27 Dec 2011 09:30:30 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111227093059.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111219150915.htm Acupuncture significantly reduces levels of a protein in rats linked to chronic stress, researchers have found. They say their animal study may help explain the sense of well-being that many people receive from this ancient Chinese therapy. Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:09:09 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/12/111219150915.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111128132658.htm Depression may have more far-reaching consequences than previously believed. Recent data suggests that individuals who suffer from a mood disorder could be twice as likely to have a heart attack compared to individuals who are not depressed. Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:26:26 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111128132658.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111123133346.htm They say time heals all wounds, and new research indicates that time spent in dream sleep can help. Researchers have found that during the dream phase of sleep, also known as REM sleep, our stress chemistry shuts down and the brain processes emotional experiences and takes the painful edge off difficult memories. Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:33:33 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111123133346.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111114093409.htm Just as in humans, there are also the tough types or those with a more delicate personality among mice, researchers confirm. Some adopt an active strategy when faced with stressful situations and somehow try to tackle the problem, whereas others display a passive attitude. Those in the second group are more vulnerable: some of the physiological characteristics resemble those attributed to human depression. Mon, 14 Nov 2011 09:34:34 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111114093409.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111109093729.htm People with recurrent depressions or those exposed to chronic stress exhibits shorter telomeres in white blood cells. Wed, 09 Nov 2011 09:37:37 EST http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/11/111109093729.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111031115101.htm The psychological and emotional traumas experienced over a lifetime -- such as the death of a loved one, divorce, natural disaster, house fire or car accident, physical or mental abuse -- may contribute to adult irritable bowel syndrome, according to the results of a new study. Mon, 31 Oct 2011 11:51:51 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111031115101.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111026091229.htm A nationwide Dutch study of 100 fourth graders sought to determine whether victimization and exclusion by peers were related to increases in cortisol (a stress hormone), and whether friendships moderated this association. The study found that children who were excluded by their classmates had elevated levels of cortisol at school, indicating that exclusion is stressful. Victimization by classmates wasn't associated with increased cortisol levels, suggesting that victimization is not as stressful as exclusion. Wed, 26 Oct 2011 09:12:12 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111026091229.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111020122441.htm A new study concludes that men who experience persistently moderate or high levels of stressful life events over a number of years have a 50 percent higher mortality rate. In general, the researchers found only a few protective factors against these higher levels of stress -- people who self-reported that they had good health tended to live longer and married men also fared better. Moderate drinkers also lived longer than non-drinkers. Thu, 20 Oct 2011 12:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111020122441.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111010104045.htm Two postgraduate students from Northern Ireland have completed the first phase of a pioneering trip to assist in the treatment of psychological distress among child soldiers in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Mon, 10 Oct 2011 10:40:40 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111010104045.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111005122235.htm Parents under long-term stress often find it challenging to tap into the patience, responsiveness, and energy required for effective child rearing. Now research helps to explain why chronic stress and parenting are such a toxic mix. The study finds that ongoing strains, like poverty or depression, disrupt the body's natural stress response, making mothers more likely to engage in a host of problematic parenting behaviors. Wed, 05 Oct 2011 12:22:22 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111005122235.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111004113748.htm New research shows that exposure to stressors in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is associated with alterations in the brain structure and function of very preterm infants. According to the study, infants who experienced early exposure to stress displayed decreased brain size, functional connectivity, and abnormal motor behavior. Tue, 04 Oct 2011 11:37:37 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111004113748.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111003161931.htm Prolonged exposure therapy, cognitive therapy, and delayed prolonged exposure therapy, appear to reduce posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in patients who have experienced a recent traumatic event, according to a new report. Mon, 03 Oct 2011 16:19:19 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111003161931.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111003151826.htm Neuroscientists investigating the 'brain code' claim to have made a significant step forwards in understanding how the brain deals with stress- and mitigates its impact. Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:18:18 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111003151826.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110921120037.htm Administration of cannabinoids (in the form of synthetic marijuana) after experiencing a traumatic event blocks the development of post-traumatic stress disorder-like symptoms in rats, according to a rat study conducted by researchers in Israel. Wed, 21 Sep 2011 12:00:00 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110921120037.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110920173337.htm Experts in regions experiencing humanitarian crises want more research focused on generating and developing practical knowledge that could have tangible benefits in humanitarian settings rather than yet more research on topics, such as the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder, that have to date dominated academic debates and research. Tue, 20 Sep 2011 17:33:33 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110920173337.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110919131602.htm Psychosocial stress could play a role in the etiology of breast cancer aggressiveness, particularly among minority populations, according to a new study. Mon, 19 Sep 2011 13:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110919131602.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110916092946.htm Decreasing expression of a protein associated with susceptibility to depression made old mice resistant to depressive-like behavior while improving their hormonal response to stress, a new study reports. Fri, 16 Sep 2011 09:29:29 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110916092946.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110914122315.htm The consequences of psychological stress, resulting from racial discrimination, may contribute to racial health disparities in conditions such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other age-associated diseases. Wed, 14 Sep 2011 12:23:23 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110914122315.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110914115846.htm Researchers have determined that voting is a stressful event, inducing measurable hormonal changes. Researchers say they were surprised that voting in democratic elections causes emotional reactions accompanied by such physical and psychological stress that can easily influence our decision making. Wed, 14 Sep 2011 11:58:58 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110914115846.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110909074915.htm In the wake of the 10th Anniversary of the September 11th attacks, new research reveals how the attacks impacted the psychological processes of those not directly exposed to the event. The study, which focused on college students in Massachusetts, found that even those who were not directly connected to New York or Washington showed increased stress responses to run of the mill visual images. Fri, 09 Sep 2011 07:49:49 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110909074915.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110905160910.htm A new study suggests that certain variants of a gene that helps regulate serotonin (a brain chemical related to mood) may serve as a useful predictor of risk for symptoms related to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following a trauma. Mon, 05 Sep 2011 16:09:09 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/09/110905160910.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110831081606.htm Does Dad's stress affect his unborn children? According to the results of a new study, it seems the answer may be "yes, but it's complicated." Wed, 31 Aug 2011 08:16:16 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110831081606.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110825105027.htm Job-related stress is catching up with people. A new study has found that increased job stress causes workers to increasingly seek help from health professionals for physical, mental and emotional ailments linked to job stress. Indeed, the number of visits to health-care professionals is up to 26 per cent for workers in high stress jobs, a Canadian study shows. Thu, 25 Aug 2011 10:50:50 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110825105027.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110824122859.htm A new study finds that repeated cocaine use increases the severity of depressive-like responses in a mouse model of depression and identifies a mechanism that underlies this cocaine-induced vulnerability. Wed, 24 Aug 2011 12:28:28 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110824122859.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110817101946.htm Sons of male mice exposed to prenatal stress are more sensitive to stress as adults, according to a new study. These findings suggest experiences in the womb can lead to individual differences in stress response that may be passed across generations. Wed, 17 Aug 2011 10:19:19 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110817101946.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110816114951.htm A co-worker's rudeness can have a great impact on relationships far beyond the workplace, according to a new study. Findings suggest that stress created by incivility can be so intense that, at the end of the day, it is taken home by the worker and impacts the well-being of the worker's family and partner, who in turn takes the stress to his/her workplace. Tue, 16 Aug 2011 11:49:49 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110816114951.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110816111924.htm Rats exposed to stress during early development inherit the effects of that stress to their offspring, largely expressed in behavior impairments but also characteristics of resilience, shows a new study. Providing environmental enrichment to the future mother rats had a remedial role on some of the negative effects. Tue, 16 Aug 2011 11:19:19 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110816111924.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110816083750.htm Facial expressions convey strong cues for someone's emotional state and the ability to interpret these cues is crucial in social interaction. This ability is known to be compromised in many psychiatric and neurological disorders, such as social anxiety or Korsakoff's syndrome. New research has now revealed evidence that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is also characterized by changes in the way the brain processes specific emotions and that certain aspects of this disorder could be understood as a consequence of the altered processing of emotional cues. Tue, 16 Aug 2011 08:37:37 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110816083750.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110810132857.htm Researchers have identified an important part of the pathway through which stress affects mood and motivation for drugs. The finding may prove useful in humans by providing new potential targets for drugs to treat problems related to stress. Wed, 10 Aug 2011 13:28:28 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110810132857.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110802162322.htm Residents of Sri Lanka who were internally displaced during the civil conflict that occurred in their country from 1983 to 2009 have a higher prevalence of war-related mental health conditions that include depression, anxiety and posttraumatic stress disorder, according to a new study. Tue, 02 Aug 2011 16:23:23 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110802162322.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110802162319.htm Patients with military-related, chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and symptoms that were not improved with use of an antidepressant medication did not experience a reduction in PTSD symptoms with use of the antipsychotic medication risperidone, according to a new study. Tue, 02 Aug 2011 16:23:23 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110802162319.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110801160229.htm Researchers have discovered a mechanism in the brain that explains for the first time why people make particularly strong, long-lasting memories of stressful events in their lives. Mon, 01 Aug 2011 16:02:02 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/08/110801160229.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110725123413.htm Researchers have found that risk factors for post-traumatic stress symptomatology (PTSS) among Operation Enduring Freedom/Operational Iraqi Freedom male veterans were relatively similar to what was observed in a prior group of Vietnam veterans. Mon, 25 Jul 2011 12:34:34 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110725123413.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110718155614.htm A simple eight-question survey administered soon after injury can help predict which of the 30 million Americans seeking hospital treatment for injuries each year may develop depression or post-traumatic stress, researchers report. Mon, 18 Jul 2011 15:56:56 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110718155614.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110715163216.htm Acute stress is thought to precipitate alcohol drinking. Yet the ways that acute stress can increase alcohol consumption are unclear. A new study investigated whether different phases of response to an acute stressor can alter the subjective effects of alcohol. Findings indicate bi-directional relationships between alcohol and stress. Fri, 15 Jul 2011 16:32:32 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110715163216.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110712094209.htm Using incense or lighting a candle may seem like good ways to let go of racial stress, but a recent study found that might not be the case in terms of racial tension among women. In fact, some coping strategies employed by African-American women may actually increase their stress instead of alleviate it, according to a recent study. Tue, 12 Jul 2011 09:42:42 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110712094209.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110708084005.htm Is your kid a "dove" -- cautious and submissive when confronting new environments, or perhaps you have a "hawk" -- bold and assertive in unfamiliar settings? These basic temperamental patterns are linked to opposite hormonal responses to stress -- differences that may provide children with advantages for navigating threatening environments, researchers report. Fri, 08 Jul 2011 08:40:40 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/07/110708084005.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110628163331.htm Researchers have found that people get depressed more easily following minor life stressors in part because they have experienced early life adversity or prior depressive episodes, both of which may make people more sensitive to later life stress. Tue, 28 Jun 2011 16:33:33 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110628163331.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110624080332.htm Psychosocial stress appears to enhance the lung-damaging effects of traffic-related pollution in children, according to new research. Fri, 24 Jun 2011 08:03:03 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110624080332.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110623130336.htm A new study suggests that ghrelin -- the so-called "hunger hormone" -- is involved in why some people turn to "comfort foods" when stressed. Thu, 23 Jun 2011 13:03:03 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110623130336.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110620133142.htm When stressful life events, such as a layoff, happen to people with panic disorder, the result is often not an immediate and acute attack. Instead, the stress leads to a gradual but steady increase in symptoms for weeks afterward. Patients, family members and therapists should remain vigilant for the long term, researchers say. Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:31:31 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110620133142.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110607105336.htm Women service members who experience combat are apparently as resilient as the men they serve alongside, according to a new psychological study. Men and women deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan in 2007 and 2008 experienced very similar levels of combat-related stress and post-deployment mental health impacts during the first year following return from deployment, researchers report. Tue, 07 Jun 2011 10:53:53 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110607105336.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110603125103.htm Stress causes men and women to respond differently to risky decision making, with men charging ahead for small rewards and women taking their time, according to a new study. Under stress, men and women also have different brain activation patterns during decision making. Fri, 03 Jun 2011 12:51:51 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110603125103.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110603080109.htm A new study finds that for active-duty male soldiers in the U.S. Army who are happily married, communicating frequently with one’s spouse through letters and emails during deployment may protect against the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms after returning home. Fri, 03 Jun 2011 08:01:01 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110603080109.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110601091143.htm A recently published paper highlights that while the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is more common in those with migraine than those without migraine irrespective of sex, the risk is greater in male migraineurs than female migraineurs. Wed, 01 Jun 2011 09:11:11 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/06/110601091143.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110530190341.htm Contrary to earlier reports, a new study finds that stress does not appear to increase a person's risk of developing multiple sclerosis. Mon, 30 May 2011 19:03:03 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110530190341.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110526064802.htm Recalling painful memories while under the influence of the drug metyrapone reduces the brain's ability to re-record the negative emotions associated with them. Thu, 26 May 2011 06:48:48 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110526064802.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110525181422.htm After 17 years of researching traumatic stress with war-afflicted populations (veterans and civilians) and job stress in the medical profession, a researcher decided to study another high-risk occupation: middle school teachers in seventh and eighth grade. Wed, 25 May 2011 18:14:14 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110525181422.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110516121539.htm Soldiers may benefit from virtual reality applications for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A new study reviews how virtual reality applications are being designed and implemented across various points in the military deployment cycle, to prevent, identify and treat combat-related PTSD. Mon, 16 May 2011 12:15:15 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110516121539.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110512132514.htm Researchers have found that stress related to pregnancy uniquely affects the health of expectant fathers, which in turn, influences the health of expectant mothers and their infants. Health services should incorporate counseling and assessments for men and women to reduce stressors and promote positive pregnancy outcomes, experts say. Thu, 12 May 2011 13:25:25 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110512132514.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110511092403.htm Perceptions learned in an aversive context are not as sharp as those learned in other circumstances, new research suggests. Wed, 11 May 2011 09:24:24 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110511092403.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110509113727.htm Although most commonly associated with military combat, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can occur in civilians, too -- and with consequences that are just as serious, according to a new review article. PTSD is a type of anxiety disorder that occurs after a person experiences a traumatic event involving physical injury, and occurs in 20 to 51 percent of patients with an orthopedic injury. Mon, 09 May 2011 11:37:37 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110509113727.htm http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110505103343.htm Children whose mother or father is affected by bipolar disorder may need to keep their stress levels in check. A new international study suggests the stress hormone cortisol is a key player in the mood disorder. The findings are the first to show that cortisol is elevated more readily in these children in response to the stressors of normal everyday life. Thu, 05 May 2011 10:33:33 EDT http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110505103343.htm