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Biological Psychology Commons

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Full-Text Articles in Biological Psychology

Methamphetamine-Induced Modulation Of Anxiety/Depressive-Like Behaviors And Hpa Axis Output : Contributing Factors Within Stress Associated Brain Regions, Jason Jacobskind Jan 2021

Methamphetamine-Induced Modulation Of Anxiety/Depressive-Like Behaviors And Hpa Axis Output : Contributing Factors Within Stress Associated Brain Regions, Jason Jacobskind

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Methamphetamine (MA) is a psychostimulant drug of addiction that induces a wide range ofeffects. Among its many side effects is the potentiation of cellular, physiological, and behavioral changes in the stress response system. Upon exposure, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is initiated. This process entails many factors. Receiving input from other brain regions, the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus secretes corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) and arginine vasopressin into the anterior pituitary gland. These together stimulate the synthesis and release of adrenocorticotropic hormone, which circulates via the blood stream to cause the release of glucocortoicoids, the stress hormone (CORT). Binding of glucocorticoids …


The Impact Of Stress On Steroid Hormones And Cue Reactivity In Smokers And Gamblers, Stephanie Elaine Wemm Jan 2017

The Impact Of Stress On Steroid Hormones And Cue Reactivity In Smokers And Gamblers, Stephanie Elaine Wemm

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Addictions, both substance and behavioral, have been conceptualized as having similar biopsychosocial processes with different opportunistic expressions (Shaffer et al., 2004). Biological processes such as the hormonal response to stress as measured by cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and the ratio of the DHEA/cortisol may be among the variables underlying the disposition to develop an addictive disorder, regardless of whether it is a substance-based or a so-called behavioral addiction. The current study aimed to examine whether physiological and psychological reactions to stress are similar in high-frequency smokers and gamblers. The subjective (urges, cravings) and physiological responses (skin conductance and heart rate) of …


Exploring The Impact Of Meditation On Attentional Allocation To Emotion, Sychopathology, And Acute Stress, In A Community Sample With Mixed Anxiety And Depression, Nicholas Thomas Van Dam Jan 2013

Exploring The Impact Of Meditation On Attentional Allocation To Emotion, Sychopathology, And Acute Stress, In A Community Sample With Mixed Anxiety And Depression, Nicholas Thomas Van Dam

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Attempts to define mindfulness in the clinical and psychological sciences have been marred by contradictions, inconsistencies, and controversies. In this wait-list (WL) controlled mindfulness meditation training (MMT) study, the efficacy and potential mechanisms of MMT was tested in a community sample with undiagnosed, but significant, symptoms of anxiety, depression, and stress. In a pre/post design, which also included 3 month follow-up, participants completed self-report measures, participated in a psychosocial stress task (before and after which they completed self-report mood questionnaires and had physiological and salivary neuroendocrine markers collected), and completed an emotional attentional blink paradigm. Compared to WL (n = …


Effects Of Early Developmental Stress On Adult Physiology And Behavior, Michael James Frederick Jan 2010

Effects Of Early Developmental Stress On Adult Physiology And Behavior, Michael James Frederick

Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)

Events during early development can have long-term effects on physiology and behavior. While extreme developmental stress is known to be associated with a variety of behavioral problems, it is less well understood how milder stress may affect behavior, personality, and reproductive success. This research project assessed a variety of behavioral dimensions in a college age sample, while assessing early development using size at birth, fluctuating asymmetry, and retrospective surveys. Maternal stress during pregnancy was found to reduce adolescent growth spurts and adult handgrip strength in the offspring. In males, lower birth weights were associated with higher scores of impulsivity and …