Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Sex Differences In Mood And Anxiety-Related Outcomes In Response To Adolescent Nicotine Exposure, Tsun Hay Jason Ng

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Nicotine dependence is causally linked to increased risk of mood/anxiety disorders in later life. Females are reported to experience a higher prevalence of anxiety/depressive disorders and challenges in smoking cessation therapies, suggesting a potential sex-specific response to nicotine exposure and mood/anxiety disorder risk. However, pre-clinical evidence of sex-specific responses to adolescent nicotine exposure is unclear. Thus, to determine any sex differences in anxiety/depressive-related outcomes, adolescent male and female Sprague Dawley rats received nicotine (0.4 mg/kg; 3x daily) or saline injections for 10 consecutive days, followed by behavioural testing, in-vivo electrophysiology and Western Blot analyses. Our results revealed that adolescent nicotine …

Relational Variables Impacting The Healthcare Team, Linda J. Macdougall Ms

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The movement in the healthcare system towards interprofessional collaborative teamwork values the perspectives of various healthcare professionals. Although this system shift has been essential to quality improvement, there have been indications of issues occurring between professionals that include conflict and impaired team performance. Although the current literature on interprofessional collaboration acknowledges the competencies and demonstrated behaviours that indicate successful and difficult collaborative efforts there is a lack of research investigating the relational variables that occur between healthcare professionals.

The purpose of this research was to test a theoretically derived model of healthcare professionals’ relational variables. These variables related to warmth, …

Antidepressants Versus Placebo For Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis, Katarina Kopcalic

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Objectives: To assess the efficacy and acceptability of antidepressants compared to placebo among adults with a primary diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Methods: Five electronic databases and 2 trial registries were searched to identify studies for inclusion. The risk of bias version 1 tool was used to assess the risk of bias. A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan web. Results were presented using forest plots. Results: 38 studies (12,570 participants) were included. Very low-quality evidence showed a benefit for antidepressants over placebo in the rate of treatment response (RR, 1.39: 95% CI: 1.27, 1.52) and no differences in …

Cerebral Hyperemia Is Not A Sole Modulator Of Postexercise Executive Function Benefit: Evidence From Hypercapnia And Passive Exercise, Mustafa Shirzad

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

A single bout of exercise improves executive function (EF); however, the physiological mechanism(s) contributing to this benefit are unclear. One candidate mechanism for the benefit is an exercised-mediated increase in cerebral blood flow (CBF) that improves neural efficiency. In my thesis, I conducted two experiments to assess the relationship between an increase in CBF and EF. In Experiment 1, I examined passive exercise, and in Experiment 2, I examined a 2.5% hypercapnic environment given that both interventions increase CBF independent of the metabolic demands of volitional muscle activity. Experiment 1 indicated that passive exercise increased CBF and was associated with …

Depression As A Prognostic Factor For Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Outcomes, Ariel M. Morales

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a degenerative disease common in older adults and is associated with significantly reduced health-related quality of life and increased disability. Depression has been found to be associated with poorer health-related outcomes in patients with spinal conditions. A systematic review was conducted to examine the literature regarding the prognostic value of depression for LSS outcomes. Findings suggest small to moderate prognostic value of depressive symptoms for postoperative outcomes in patients with LSS, with strong evidence for disability. Next, a secondary analysis of a cohort study was conducted to investigate two objectives. The first objective was to …