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Role Of Chronic Stress-Induced Neuroinflammation In Rodent Locus Coeruleus Physiology And Anxiety-Like Behaviors, Arthur Anthony Alfonso Reyes

Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences Theses and Dissertations

The locus coeruleus (LC), the primary site of brain norepinephrine (NE), is a key anatomical brain region implicated in the stress response. Stress is a neuroendocrine physiologic response to a stressor that promotes organism survival through adaptive change and restoration of homeostasis. The central stress response, which drives behavioral and physiological change, is primarily mediated by activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. While advantageous in the short term, chronic stress exposure can lead to HPA axis and LC dysregulation, which are thought to contribute to the etiology of anxiety disorders. Previous studies demonstrate the effects of acute stress in increasing LC …

Effect Of Age And Sex On Psychological Readiness And Patient-Reported Outcomes 6 Months After Primary Acl Reconstruction, Matthew D Milewski, Jessica L Traver, Ryan P Coene, Kathryn Williams, Dai Sugimoto, Dennis E Kramer, Mininder S Kocher, Lyle J Micheli, Yi-Meng Yen, Melissa A Christino

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Successful return to sport after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction (ACLR) can be affected by a patient's physical and psychological state throughout the rehabilitation process.

PURPOSE: To prospectively compare differences in patients at 6 months after primary ACLR with the ACL-Return to Sport after Injury (ACL-RSI), International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) or pediatric (Pedi)-IKDC, Hospital for Special Surgery Pediatric Functional Activity Brief Scale (Pedi-FABS), and Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System-Psychological Stress Experiences (PROMIS-PSE) scores.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.

METHODS: Patients enrolled were 8 to 35 years old who underwent primary ACLR and had their …

Stress Reactivity After Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury: Relation With Behavioral Adjustment, Taiane De Azevedo Cardoso, Ritele H Silva, Jessica L Fernandes, Camila O Arent, Graziela Amboni, Laura A Borba, Alex Paulo Z Padilha, Maria Eduarda M Botelho, Amanda L Maciel, Tatiana Barichello, Rodrigo Morales, Silvio José B Soares, Margarete D Bagatini, Claudia Dallagnol, Marta Elisa Brighenti, Zuleide Maria Ignácio, João Quevedo, Luciane B Ceretta, Gislaine Z Réus

Faculty, Staff and Student Publications

BACKGROUND: Although many studies have pointed out a possible relationship between COVID-19 and the presence of psychiatric disorders, the majority of the studies have significant limitations. This study investigates the influence of COVID-19 infection on mental health.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study included an age- and sex-matched sample of adult individuals positive (cases) or negative (controls) for COVID-19. We evaluated the presence of psychiatric conditions and C-reactive protein (CRP).

RESULTS: Findings showed greater severity of depressive symptoms, higher levels of stress, and greater CRP in cases. The severity of depressive and insomnia symptoms, as well as the CRP were more remarkable …

Understanding The Relationship Between Working Memory And Long-Term Memory, Kelly Cotton

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

How lasting memories are created is a question that has driven much research into human cognition. An area of renewed research interest concerns the relationship between working memory and long-term memory. Recent research has investigated how the processing that occurs while information is held in working memory influences successful long-term memory creation. Both working memory consolidation and maintenance have been identified as critical in long-term retention, but the mechanisms underlying the working memory/long-term memory relationship remain unclear. The present dissertation examined different working memory mechanisms and their impact on long-term memory in a broader context by addressing two questions: 1) …

Increasing Life Skills While Decreasing Depression, Anxiety, And Stress In Transitional Aged Youth: A Person-Centered Mentorship Approach, Allanah Roberts-Headley

Dissertations

Transitional Aged Youth (TAYs) are young adults between 18-24 who have recently aged out of the foster care system and are now a part of the Extended Foster Care system (EFC). Unfortunately, this population is not guaranteed familial or social support. They have to rely on basic knowledge and skills obtained while in the foster care system to help with navigate their world. Most TAYs end up homeless, unemployed, and incarcerated. There is also a high pregnancy rate among TAYs. Due to the limited assistance they receive upon entering EFC, they are at a higher risk of experiencing mental health …

"My Dog Is In Teletherapy With Me": The Impact Of A Pet Dog On Their Owner's Teletherapy Session, Carlette Anne Layne

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The connection between humans and animals has led to practices such as animal-assisted therapy, equine therapy, service animals, and pet ownership. Strong bonds and attachments can form between pet owners and their pets. It is no wonder that owning a pet is commonplace in the United States. Many pet owners identify their pet as a member of their family. In addition to companionship, research has indicated that pet ownership can have health benefits, reduce stress, increase empathy, and facilitate openness. In a therapeutic setting, the presence of a pet may comfort its owner simply by being near them. The ease …

An Investigation Of Oconus Military Spouses Coping Responses During Deployment, Clare Maura Bush

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological qualitative research study was to understand the coping responses of military spouses residing OCONUS during a deployment. Although coping is exhibited, deployments and OCONUS relocations can impact military spouses' physical and emotional well-being. The theory guiding this study was Lazarus and Folkman’s (1984) transactional model of stress and coping related to the central research question: How do OCONUS military spouses describe their coping experiences during deployment? The sub-questions addressed: How do OCONUS military spouses describe the role of self-care practices, social connections, and availability of resources during deployment? Criterion sampling was used to select …

The Benefits Of Art Therapy On Stress And Anxiety Of Oncology Patients During Treatment, Helen Shiepe

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Within the last ten years research on art therapy and its positive impact on oncology patients’ stress and anxiety during treatment has been minimal. Oncology patients whether they are children or adults when diagnosed experience similar reactions due to their diagnosis, treatment, and in some cases end of life care. The current question is whether or not art therapy does have a positive impact on decreasing the stress and anxiety with oncology patients while undergoing treatment. Deane, Fitch & Carmen (2000), discussed art therapy as a healing art that is “intended to integrate physical, emotional, and spiritual care by facilitating …

Physiological And Behavioral Stress-Induced Responses Of Dogs During Veterinary Examinations, Jessica Ellen Vester

Honors Projects

This study investigated whether stress responsiveness in dogs is more significant when the owner is present or absent during a veterinary examination. The study consisted of two experimental groups: "owner absent" and "owner present." Both groups consisted of 25 dogs each, totaling 50 dogs observed. A veterinarian and veterinary assistant recorded the dog's behavioral and physiological stress responses. Each group's behavioral and physiological stress-induced responses were compared using a Fischer Exact test and an Analysis of Covariance. The findings showed that dogs whose owners are present during the veterinary examination display fewer stress responses than dogs whose owners are absent …

From Dread To Aliveness — Bottom-Up Creative Arts Therapies For Resilience In The Face Of Existential Stress: A Literature Review, Anna Olinova

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Existential stress results from persistent, uncontrollable personal circumstances or broader systemic factors. Such prolonged stressors constitute “little-t trauma” and take a toll on the body, mind, and spirit. As such, approaches for building resilience against such stressors should be integrative. Because stress implicates the nervous system, bottom-up therapies are foundational in support of building a felt sense of safety. Thereafter, top-down methods for increasing one’s subjective sense of meaning and aliveness can follow. However, traditional psychotherapy approaches to resilience—including those utilized in positive psychology—are often cognitive in nature and disregard the body and nervous system. Literature on bottom-up therapies commonly …

Voluntary Wheel Running Promotes Resilience To The Behavioral Effects Of Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress In Male And Female Mice., Elias Elias, Ariel Y Zhang, Abigail G White, Matthew J Pyle, Melissa T Manners

College of Science & Mathematics Departmental Research

Besides significant benefits to physical health, exercise promotes mental health, reduces symptoms of mental illness, and enhances psychological development. Exercise can offset the impact of chronic stress, which is a major precursor to the development of mental disorders. The effects of exercise on chronic stress-induced behaviors are contradictory in preclinical studies, primarily due to the lack of data and sex-specific investigations. We sought to evaluate the effects of exercise on chronic stress-induced behavioral changes in both male and female mice. Mice were subjected to an Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress (UCMS) paradigm with accessibility to running wheels for 2 h daily. …

Demystifying The Mind-Body Connection: The Neuroscience Behind How Thoughts Impact Physical Health, Sofia Pantis

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The beliefs, emotions, and experiences that constitute a mindset shape numerous aspects of one’s reality, but in particular, health. Health is defined by not only the physical state of one’s body, but also the content of one’s mind. The integration of the mind and body is often associated with naturopathic medicines or pseudoscience, and thus is usually left out of Western medicinal practices. This review aims to demystify the mind-body connection in health and wellness by introducing it within an empirical, neuroscientific landscape. This research supports the hypothesis that mind over matter rings true even at the biochemical level. Activation …

Therapeutic Gardening For Addiction Recovery, Hugo A. Rivera Lopez

Master's Projects and Capstones

Problem: The use of evidence-based alternative forms of therapy like horticulture therapy and therapeutic gardening is underutilized in substance use recovery programs in the United States. As the country continues to struggle with addiction, it is important that recovery programs look to and incorporate these alternative therapies into official curricula. Currently, 46.3 million individuals living in the United States are living with a substance use disorder (U.S Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2022).

Context: The intervention was implemented at an all-male substance use treatment facility in San Jose, CA that houses up …

Enhancing Nurse Manager Resilience With A Resilience-Enhancing Toolkit, Rosarina A. J. Pelikan

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Projects

Background: Nurse managers have one of the most stressful jobs in nursing leadership. They experience more burnout and are more likely to leave the job or leave the nursing profession altogether, leading to vacancies or burned-out leaders.

Local Problem: The organization experienced high nurse manager turnover. Of 12 positions, four have more than two years of experience, three have less than two years, and five are filled with interims.

Context: Strategies to address burnout are decreasing stressors or arming leaders with skills to withstand stressors. The organization offers programs that address burnout but are designed to be used outside of …

Mental Health Among D1 Female College Athletes: Prevalance And Links To Athletic And Academic Performance, Mary Goebel

Honors Theses

Background. NCAA Division I female student-athletes are underrepresented in mental health research; existing research among female athletes tends to focus only on disordered eating and body appearance. This study aims to 1) describe the prevalence of mental health issues (i.e., anxiety, depression, and stress) among female Division I college athletes, and 2) assess the association between mental health issues and the student-athlete experience (i.e., athletic and academic performance).

Methods. This was a quantitative, cross-sectional study that used a self-administered online survey. The participants were NCAA Division I female student-athletes, mainly from the University of Mississippi. Demographics and sample characteristics were …

Assessment Of Caregiver Burdens: A Screening Tool Development For The Improvement Of Caregiver Health, John M. White

Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate - Innovations in OT Symposium: Transforming Possibilities into Practice

No abstract provided.

The Influence Of Nutrition On The Gut Microbiota And Psychiatric Disorders: A Review, Megha Bhagavan, Francis Jenney

Research Day

The symbiotic harboring of gut microorganisms within the gastrointestinal tract has a profound influence on host physiology, well-being, and disease pathology. More specifically, the gut bacteria are able to interact with dietary components from foods chosen by the host and consequently relay their beneficial or precarious effects locally and systemically. The gut bacteria have the capacity to maintain a healthy gut microbiome or perpetuate intestinal imbalance, known as gut dysbiosis. Gut dysbiosis has both local effects in gastrointestinal pathologies, such as intestinal bowel syndrome (IBS) and intestinal bowel disorder (IBD), as well as systemic pathologies, such as type II diabetes, …

Early Executive Control Buffers Risk For Adolescent Psychopathology During The Covid‐19 Pandemic, Lauren M. Laifer, Cara C. Tomaso, Olivia D. Chang, Eric Phillips, Tiffany D. James, Jennifer Nelson, Kimberly Andrews Espy, W. Alex Mason, Timothy D. Nelson

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic has had a global impact on youth mental health, and there is a critical need for research examining individual factors that contribute to increased psychopathology during the pandemic. The current study explored whether executive control (EC) abilities in early childhood interact with COVID‐related stress to attenuate risk for adolescent psychopathology during the first 6 months of the pandemic.

Methods: Participants were 337 youth (49% female) living in a small midwestern city in the United States. Participants completed EC tasks when they were approximately 4.5 years old as part of a longitudinal …

Examining The Benefits Of Adding Mindfulness-Based Programs In The Curriculum Of Undergraduate And Graduate Social Work Programs: A Review Of Literature, Sarah M. Dickerson

Honors Thesis

Undergraduate and graduate students are often enveloped in an array of stress and anxiety, and it is no surprise that undergraduate and graduate social work students are faced with high amounts of stress due to vicarious trauma as a result of exposure to via coursework and experiential learning. It also comes as no surprise that social work professionals are exposed to numerous stressors causing the burnout rate for social workers to be high. Mindfulness techniques are used in various cultures and religions around the world with the purpose of synching mind and body. Using mindfulness techniques, individuals can be fully …

Dance Movement Therapy And Families With Children With Disabilities: Working And Moving Together: A Literature Review, Gabriella Cohen

Expressive Therapies Capstone Theses

Dance/movement therapy is an evidence-based therapeutic treatment that is available to a vast variety of populations. Research proves that children under the age of 12 diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and/or attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) experience challenges with communication and social skills, abnormalities in body language and regulation, repetitive motor movements (fidgeting), difficulties in play or social activities, and sensitivity to sensory inputs. While literature suggests that dance/movement therapy can provide an effective reduction of the related symptoms seen in developmentally disabled children (ASD/ADHD), there is less emphasis on how dance/movement therapy can offer similar relief for the …

Serotonin And Its Effects On The Chronic Stress Response In Crayfish Following Nonylphenol Exposure, Tara M. Olen

Masters Theses

Current research suggests that stress in both vertebrates and invertebrates is modulated in part by the neurotransmitter serotonin. It has been shown that crayfish can function as a good neurophysiological model, as they have less complex neurological systems than vertebrates, so mechanistic causes for stress can be more readily studied and understood. One potential stressor for aquatic species such as crayfish would be nonylphenol, a hydrophobic chemical used in agricultural products that can make its way into the water supply due to agricultural runoff. Nonylphenol can lead to physiological and behavioral impairments in crayfish and these impairments likely induce stress …

Social Support And Perceptions Of Covid-19-Related Emotional Impact On Mental Health Among Early Adolescents In Appalachia, Hannah M. Layman, Michael J. Mann, Megan L. Smith, Steven M. Kogan, Alfgeir L. Kristjansson

Public and Population Health Faculty Publications and Presentations

Background: Young people who experience higher levels of social support from their schools and families have been shown to be less likely to develop symptoms of negative mental health outcomes such as depression and anxiety.1–4 This raises questions concerning how young people's stress and psychological changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic as well as social support during this time have affected their overall mental health. The aim of this study was to assess the association between sources of parental- and school-level social support and youth perceptions of COVID-19-related emotional impact on mental health among early adolescent girls and boys in …

Mindfulness-Based Gratitude: Curriculum Guide For An Online Six-Week Course, Anne Marie Pfeiffer

Mindfulness Studies Theses

This is a two-part paper. The first part of the paper presents research on how both mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) and gratitude interventions (GIs) offer a promising way to help mitigate the physiological and psychological effects caused by chronic stress by increasing one’s overall sense of well-being (Keng et al., 2011; Wood et al., 2010). Individually, mindfulness and gratitude practices may enhance positive effect and well-being, which suggest that combining both practices may further increase positive outcomes (Hicks et al., 2017) due to their complementary nature. However, research should be approached with caution as there are many methodological limitations that need …

Exploring Physician Assistant Students' Perceptions Of Stress And Help Seeking Behavior, Kayla Cetrone

Educational Studies Dissertations

Physician Assistant (PA) students, similar to other students enrolled in medical education, experience a variety of stressors throughout their education and training that can inhibit their academic and clinical success and affect patient care outcomes. The purpose of this mixed-methods research study was to explore PA students' and alumni's perceived stressors, their experiences of the stressors, and the help-seeking behaviors they employ and perceive as useful to address them. Following an explanatory sequential design, all PA students and alumni (n = 288) from one program in the northeast were invited to complete an anonymous online survey assessing their perceptions and …

Examining The Effects Of A Zoom Interview On Cortisol, Bennett Perkins

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

The stress response is an essential physiological process that facilitates survival in threatening conditions. Stress impacts numerous bodily systems, and prior work has focused on cortisol, a steroid derived from cholesterol, as a key biomarker for assessing biological stress reactivity in humans. Social stressors are known to contribute to marked increased in cortisol levels, but to date little work has examined whether social situations known to be stressful in person can influence cortisol when those situations occur remotely. In this study, I investigated the effects of a Zoom-based social stressor on salivary cortisol. Participants were randomly assigned to the Zoom-stress …

Does A Single Night Of Mindfulness Meditation Improve Sleep And Stress In Female College Students?, Koushik Thudi

Psychological Science Undergraduate Honors Theses

Several recent studies have shown that mindfulness-based practices have been effective in treating sleep problems. However, these studies have primarily looked at multi-component interventions that take place over several weeks or months. No studies have evaluated the efficacy of short-term mindfulness-based practices on sleep the same night. This study aims to do just that. The sample consisted of 10 students attending the University of Arkansas. All participants slept in a sleep laboratory on two consecutive weekday nights. During one night, they completed a mindfulness-based exercise. The other night, they completed a similar control task (counterbalanced). Polysomnography-based sleep data were collected …

Workplace Factors That Contribute To Teacher Intent To Leave The Profession, Teresa Blount Gibbons

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

There is a nationwide shortage of qualified teachers, with 90% of all teacher shortages caused by teacher attrition (Carver-Thomas & Darling-Hammond, 2019). This study surveyed public school K-12 teachers in South Carolina to gain an understanding of workplace factors that contribute to teacher intentions to quit/ teacher attrition. The current design measures teacher stress perceptions of workplace factors as the relational theoretical lens to determine teacher intention to leave or likelihood of attrition. The results of a study suggest that student stressors and workload are the most important factors in teacher attrition. A qualitative analysis of student stressors found that …

Paying Attention To Prior Reinforcement: How Acetylcholine, Norepinephrine, And Adolescence Influence Anterior Cingulate Cortex Function, Madison K. Clement

Doctoral Dissertations

Converging evidence supports the need to understand the unique contributions of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) in attention. The ACC has been implicated in filtering distractors, determining the relevance of stimuli, generating prediction errors, conflict monitoring, and goal-oriented behavioral changes. Unfortunately, much of this work has used broad definitions of ACC, which have often captured activity or deficits in regions outside of the ACC. Specific attention to the ACC, without concomitant damage to other regions of the prefrontal cortex is necessary to illuminate the specific role of the ACC in attention. Dysfunction of the ACC in humans is implicated in …

The Effects Of Meditation On Stress In High School Students, Cara Szeghy, Cara Szeghy

Mindfulness Studies Theses

Abstract

Young people today face many challenges including stress from social relationships, academic pressures at school, racism, social injustice, and the pandemic. This paper examines the efficacy of using practical and accessible meditation techniques to help decrease stress in high school students. Prior research on some of the causes of stress within this age group, including the history of mindfulness, the attention economy, incorporation of techniques into classroom curricula, and teaching meditation techniques to the high school age population, is explored. Further research on the benefits of teaching meditation to high school students, including a thorough examination of the complex …

What Cognitive Processes Drive Attentional Bias, And How Does Stress Affect Them?, Colton L. Hunter

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Attentional biases toward or away from emotionally evocative stimuli have been well documented and related to clinical outcomes such as social anxiety. Some work has suggested that stress modulates attentional biases, but there are a number of inconsistencies in this literature regarding the direction of that modulation, highlighting a need to examine moderators of that effect. Sex differences in stress effects could potentially explain this inconsistency, as acute stress can affect males and females differently. It is also possible that stress differentially influences multiple component processes underpinning attentional bias, but these processes have not been well character, and to date …