Chronic Stress Experience Research Articles

Mechanisms of adaptation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in male mice under chronic social defeat stress

The hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) plays an important role in the mechanisms of adaptation to chronic stress. A model of chronic social defeat stress (CSDS), based on the experience of defeat in daily agonistic interactions, causes the development of a depressive-like state in mice, which is often accompanied by an increase in blood corticosterone levels. In this work, we assessed what changes occur in the central (hypothalamus) and peripheral (adrenal glands) parts of the HPA axis under the influence of chronic social stress, which can affect the regulation of corticosterone synthesis and its level in the blood. The experience of chronic social stress causes an increase in the relative weight of the adrenal glands, an increase in the expression level of Crh gene in the hypothalamus and the expression of the genes for the corticosterone synthesis enzymes Star, Cyp11a1, Cyp11b1 in the adrenal glands. At the same time, in the hypothalamus the expression of Fkbp5 and Nr3c1 decreases and the expression of Crhbp increases, and in the adrenal glands the expression of the Mc2r and Hsd11b1 genes decreases, which is ultimately aimed at reducing the amount of corticosterone secreted by the adrenal glands, and thus limiting the glucocorticoid response. Thus, chronic stress leads to an imbalance of the activating and stabilizing mechanisms of HPA axis regulation and a possible inadequate response to additional stress stimuli.

Environmental Impacts on Behavioral Health Interventions: The Moderating Effect of Neighborhood Deprivation on a Mobile Health Treatment for Depression

Relatively little scholarly attention has been given to incorporating geographic principles into investigations of behavioral health intervention efficacy—where, and why, a behavioral health intervention might be more effective in one place versus another. We address this research gap by leveraging data from a randomized controlled trial in a post-hoc analysis to investigate whether socioeconomic deprivation in the residential neighborhood moderates the efficacy of a text-message-delivered (mHealth) depression intervention targeted toward young adults. Ninety-seven participants were recruited from social media sources, randomly assigned to the treatment or control condition, and assessed for depression symptoms and related outcomes at baseline, one month, two months (immediately following treatment completion), and three months. We find that intervention effects for reducing depression symptoms were stronger among participants residing in neighborhoods with higher, as compared to lower, socioeconomic deprivation (β = −0.208, p = 0.013, 95 percent CI [−0.372, −0.044]). Similarly, stronger intervention effects for enhancing behavioral activation (β = 0.150, p = 0.028, 95 percent CI [0.016, 0.284]) and for reducing cognitive distortion (β = −0.476, p = 0.002, 95 percent CI [−0.777, −0.175]), malleable behaviors and thinking processes intended to lessen depression, were found for residents of higher deprivation neighborhoods. We speculate these results reflect an enhanced ability to intervene in processes of self-regulation among those living in higher deprivation neighborhoods, which might stem from the experience of chronic stress in such settings, thus resulting in greater receptivity to intervention components that reduce depressive symptoms. These findings could facilitate geographic targeting to enhance intervention efficacy and guide geographically informed health interventions tailored to specific environmental conditions.

Heightened lateral habenula activity during stress produces brainwide and behavioral substrates of susceptibility.

Some individuals are susceptible to the experience of chronic stress and others are more resilient. While many brain regions implicated in learning are dysregulated after stress, little is known about whether and how neural teaching signals during stress differ between susceptible and resilient individuals. Here, we seek to determine if activity in the lateral habenula (LHb), which encodes a negative teaching signal, differs between susceptible and resilient mice during stress to produce different outcomes. After, but not before, chronic social defeat stress (CSDS), the LHb is active when susceptible mice are in the proximity of the aggressor strain. During stress itself, LHb activity is higher in susceptible mice during aggressor proximity, and activation of the LHb during stress biases mice towards susceptibility. This manipulation generates a persistent and widespread increase in the balance of subcortical versus cortical activity in susceptible mice. Taken together, our results indicate that heightened activity in the LHb during stress produces lasting brainwide and behavioral substrates of susceptibility.

Вплив стресу на стан м’язової системи пацієнтів з ушкодженнями опорно-рухового апарату

The article examines the impact of stress and psychological disorders in the context of military actions in Ukraine on the human muscular system, as well as their effect on the physical condition of patients with injuries and disorders of the musculoskeletal system. It also explores how stress and psychological disorders in wartime conditions contribute to the spread of pathological pain sensations and the occurrence of muscle spasms. A brief historical overview is provided, and scientific publications on the use of various methods in treating different pathologies, including pain syndromes caused by musculoskeletal muscle spasms, are analyzed. The article discusses types of somatic muscle spasms and pain syndromes, as well as mechanisms of local physiological influences and methods of psychological correction for conditions that cause pain and spasms in muscles, fascia, and joints. The positive impact of physiological procedures combined with psychological correction on pain associated with stressful situations and psychological disorders in people who have experienced moral humiliation and physical abuse during wartime and occupation is demonstrated. Various manifestations of stress and their effects on the functioning of muscles, fascia, and joints in individuals who are currently experiencing or have experienced military actions are described. Additionally, the article examines how psychological disorders resulting from military actions in Ukraine affect patients with musculoskeletal injuries. Methods proposed by modern rehabilitation therapy to alleviate and improve the condition of such patients are presented. These methods, such as various types of massage, heat treatments, taping, and psychological correction, are considered techniques for relieving pain that can be used both simultaneously and sequentially, without causing negative side effects during therapy and requiring minimal effort. It is established that the consequences of chronic stress and prolonged experiences of anxiety, nervousness, and panic attacks cause significant harm to the health of adults and children. The accumulated stress over the long period of war causes varying degrees of harm to each individual, with chronic forms of internal organ diseases and inflammatory processes becoming more pronounced. However, the primary target of chronic stress is the muscles. Only a comprehensive approach to this problem is an important factor in overcoming the consequences. Key words: stress, psychological disorders, human muscular system, musculoskeletal system, military actions

Specific challenges of researching stress in the context of quiet political repression

Political repression beneath the threshold of criminal prosecution is a phenomenon of past and present, predominantly authoritarian, regimes. This so-called quiet repression includes measures such as the limitation of freedom of speech, surveillance of (perceived) political opponents, or the spreading of rumors to socially isolate targets. Such experiences of chronic stress show significant psychological and physiological health consequences in affected individuals. However, societal awareness of quiet repression measures remains limited, hindering victims' access to support and complicating healthcare interventions. In the current paper, we present the design of a study conducted with individuals who endured quiet repression measures in the former German Democratic Republic (GDR), a socialist state closely aligned with the former Soviet Union. We discuss the challenges encountered over the course of the study, and present the solutions found. Although every study population has their unique challenges and needs, we wish to inform future sensitive research within the realm of quiet political repression. Given the limited understanding of the phenomenon, there is a pressing need for further investigation aiming to improve acceptance and care for past and future victims.

Input-output specific orchestration of aversive valence in lateral habenula during stress dynamics.

Stress has been considered as a major risk factor for depressive disorders, triggering depression onset via inducing persistent dysfunctions in specialized brain regions and neural circuits. Among various regions across the brain, the lateral habenula (LHb) serves as a critical hub for processing aversive information during the dynamic process of stress accumulation, thus having been implicated in the pathogenesis of depression. LHb neurons integrate aversive valence conveyed by distinct upstream inputs, many of which selectively innervate the medial part (LHbM) or lateral part (LHbL) of LHb. LHb subregions also separately assign aversive valence via dissociable projections to the downstream targets in the midbrain which provides feedback loops. Despite these strides, the spatiotemporal dynamics of LHb-centric neural circuits remain elusive during the progression of depression-like state under stress. In this review, we attempt to describe a framework in which LHb orchestrates aversive valence via the input-output specific neuronal architecture. Notably, a physiological form of Hebbian plasticity in LHb under multiple stressors has been unveiled to incubate neuronal hyperactivity in an input-specific manner, which causally encodes chronic stress experience and drives depression onset. Collectively, the recent progress and future efforts in elucidating LHb circuits shed light on early interventions and circuit-specific antidepressant therapies.

Early Adverse Family Experiences and Elevated Adrenocorticotropic Hormone Predict Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Females with Non-Psychotic Mental Disorders and Suicidal Ideation.

Nonsuicidal self-injurious behavior (NSSI), prevalent in patients with non-psychotic mental disorders (NPMD), is associated with numerous adverse outcomes. Despite active research into the clinical and psychological aspects of NSSI, the underlying biological mechanisms remain obscure. Early adverse experiences are believed to induce long-lasting changes in neuroendocrine mechanisms of stress control playing a key role in NSSI development. The aim of the study was to evaluate parameters potentially predicting development of NSSI in female patients with NPMD and suicidal ideation. Eighty female patients over 18 years with NPMD and suicidal ideation (40 with and 40 without NSSI) and 48 age matching women without evidence of mental illness (healthy controls) were enrolled. Diagnostic interviews and self-report measures were used to assess childhood maltreatment, presence, frequency, and characteristics of suicidal and self-injurious thoughts and behaviors, the Beck Depression Inventory scale to assess severity of depression. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis markers, hormones, and neurotrophic factors were measured in blood serum. The likelihood of developing NSSI in patients with NPMD and suicidal ideation was associated with early adverse family history and elevated adrenocorticotropic hormone levels. Dysregulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis as a result of early chronic stress experiences may represent critical biological mechanism promoting the development of NSSI behaviors in patients with NPMD.

Abstract 17819: Latent Class Analysis of Heart Health in a Marginalized Black Community

BACKGROUND Mounting evidence associates Black American’s experiences of chronic stress with younger age hypertension (HTN) onset, higher prevalence rates, and poorer treatment outcomes. Epigenetic research findings attribute these trends to DNA methylation, commonly referred to as stress related premature biological aging. Guided by the current American Heart Association (AHA) Science Statement on heart health, this health equity study aims to examine positive Black identity as a measure of positive psychological health in Black adults. METHODS Our community-engagement survey measured self-reports of: (1) environmental wellbeing, positive self-regard, spirituality, chronic stress, Black identity, anxiety, depression, anger, and five AHA essential cardiovascular health (CVH) factors: (2) physical activity, fruit, vegetables, smoking tobacco, and sleep. Multivariable linear regressions examined psychological health and CVH as predictors of systolic blood pressure. Latent class analysis (LCA), using ordinal indicators, assessed for latent sample profiles as statistical probabilities of similar responses and sample heterogeneity. RESULTS In a community sample (N=201) of Black adults (age M=46.7, SD=15.9), primarily female (N=141, 69.5%), increases in systolic blood pressure (Mean=134, SD=20.9) were associated with more chronic stress and less environment wellbeing; decreases were associated with less expressed anger. The LCA results show a four-class statistical solution with greater heterogeneity in spirituality, anger, anxiety, and depression. Among the four profiles, two theoretical latent classes for high and low systolic blood pressure were distinct. Low systolic blood pressure is associated with higher levels of environmental wellbeing, physical activity, and self-regard, both more and less spirituality, more positive Black identity, moderate anger, anxiety, and depression, and checking your BP. CONCLUSION In addition to emotion regulation, physical activity, and self-care, our findings support CVH promotion strategies in marginalized communities of Black Americans designed to reduce chronic stress, improve environmental wellbeing, and support positive Black identity.

Chronic psychosocial stress triggers microglial-/macrophage-induced inflammatory responses leading to neuronal dysfunction and depressive-related behavior.

Chronic environmental stress and traumatic social experiences induce maladaptive behavioral changes and is a risk factor for major depressive disorder (MDD) and various anxiety-related psychiatric disorders. Clinical studies and animal models of chronic stress have reported that symptom severity is correlated with innate immune responses and upregulation of neuroinflammatory cytokine signaling in brain areas implicated in mood regulation (mPFC; medial Prefrontal Cortex). Despite increasing evidence implicating impairments of neuroplasticity and synaptic signaling deficits into the pathophysiology of stress-related mental disorders, how microglia may modulate neuronal homeostasis in response to chronic stress has not been defined. Here, using the repeated social defeat stress (RSDS) mouse model we demonstrate that microglial-induced inflammatory responses are regulating neuronal plasticity associated with psychosocial stress. Specifically, we show that chronic stress induces a rapid activation and proliferation of microglia as well as macrophage infiltration in the mPFC, and these processes are spatially related to neuronal activation. Moreover, we report a significant association of microglial inflammatory responses with susceptibility or resilience to chronic stress. In addition, we find that exposure to chronic stress exacerbates phagocytosis of synaptic elements and deficits in neuronal plasticity. Importantly, by utilizing two different CSF1R inhibitors (the brain penetrant PLX5622 and the non-penetrant PLX73086) we highlight a crucial role for microglia (and secondarily macrophages) in catalyzing the pathological manifestations linked to psychosocial stress in the mPFC and the resulting behavioral deficits usually associated with depression.

Automatic Detection of Twitter Users Who Express Chronic Stress Experiences via Supervised Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing.

Americans bear a high chronic stress burden, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although social media have many strengths to complement the weaknesses of conventional stress measures, including surveys, they have been rarely utilized to detect individuals self-reporting chronic stress. Thus, this study aimed to develop and evaluate an automatic system on Twitter to identify users who have self-reported chronic stress experiences. Using the Twitter public streaming application programming interface, we collected tweets containing certain stress-related keywords (eg, "chronic," "constant," "stress") and then filtered the data using pre-defined text patterns. We manually annotated tweets with (without) self-report of chronic stress as positive (negative). We trained multiple classifiers and tested them via accuracy and F1 score. We annotated 4195 tweets (1560 positives, 2635 negatives), achieving an inter-annotator agreement of 0.83 (Cohen's kappa). The classifier based on Bidirectional Encoder Representation from Transformers performed the best (accuracy of 83.6% [81.0-86.1]), outperforming the second best-performing classifier (support vector machines: 76.4% [73.5-79.3]). The past tweets from the authors of positive tweets contained useful information, including sources and health impacts of chronic stress. Our study demonstrates that users' self-reported chronic stress experiences can be automatically identified on Twitter, which has a high potential for surveillance and large-scale intervention.

Experience-dependent information routing through the basolateral amygdala.

The basolateral amygdala (BLA) is an emotional processing hub and is well-established to influence both positive and negative valence processing. Selective engagement of a heterogeneous cell population in the BLA is thought to contribute to this flexibility in valence processing. However, how this process is impacted by previous experiences which influence valence processing is unknown. Here we demonstrate that previous positive (EE) or negative (chronic unpredictable stress) experiences differentially influence the activity of specific populations of BLA principal neurons projecting to either the nucleus accumbens core or bed nucleus of the stria terminalis. Using chemogenetic manipulation of these projection-specific neurons we can mimic or occlude the effects of chronic unpredictable stress or enriched environment on valence processing to bidirectionally control avoidance behaviors and stress-induced helplessness. These data demonstrate that previous experiences influence the responsiveness of projection-specific BLA principal neurons, biasing information routing through the BLA, to govern valence processing.

The Impact of Mild Chronic Stress and Maternal Experience in the Fmr1 Mouse Model of Fragile X Syndrome.

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a pervasive developmental disorder and the most common monogenic cause of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Female heterozygous (HET) carriers play a major role in the transmission of the pathology and present several FXS- and ASD-like behavioral alterations. Despite their clear genetic origins, FXS symptoms are known to be modulated by environmental factors, e.g., exposure to chronic stress, especially during critical life periods, such as pregnancy. Pregnancy, together with pups' care, constitutes maternal experience, i.e., another powerful environmental factor affecting several neurobehavioral functions in females. Here we investigated the impact of maternal experience on the long-term effects of stress in Fmr1-HET female mice. Our findings demonstrated that the behavioral abnormalities of HET females, i.e., hyperactivity and memory deficits, were unaffected by stress or maternal experience. In contrast, stress, independently of maternal experience, induced the appearance of cognitive deficits in WT mice. Maternal experience increased anxiety levels in all mice and enhanced their corticosterone levels, concomitantly promoting the effects of stress on social communication and adrenal glands. In translational terms, these results advance our understanding of the environmental modulation of the behavioral alterations observed in FXS female carriers and highlight the long-term impact of maternal experience and its interactions with chronic stress.

The Impact of Unspecified Anxiety during Pregnancy on the Fetus Development and Childbirth Complications

Introduction: The high levels of chronic psychosocial stress and traumatic experiences faced by the general population of Kosovo in recent decades resulted in a high prevalence of unspecified anxiety (45.17%) among women at the reproductive age. On this psychological ground there are objective hypotheses that fetal growth and childbirth process may be affected. Objective: The purpose of the study is to research the correlation of unspecified anxiety during pregnancy with the intrauterine development of the fetus and complications during childbirth. Method: The research is prospective randomized and after fulfilling the selective criteria included three hundred (300) pregnant women in the second trimester and at the beginning of the third trimester of pregnancy in the general population of women on Kosovo. Scale of unspecified anxiety was determined with the Hopkins Symptom Check List (HSCL-25). Statistical package for results analysis included software SPSS 12, ANOVA analyses, frequencies, Chi square test, and linear regression analysis. Results: Findings proved that there is no significant correlation between the emotional state of pregnant women and the slowing down of the intrauterine fetal development. However, the study proved the significant correlation between the degree of unspecified anxiety during early and mid-term pregnancy with the degree of cervix effacement at the beginning of the birth act, and with tachycardia in the newborn baby. Discussion: Based on the study results and the data from the literature, these clinical correlations occur based on the interference of unspecified anxiety during pregnancy with neuroendocrine trajectories of pregnancy, fetus and placental functions. Conclusion: Unspecified anxiety during early and mid-term pregnancy may initiate cervix effacement and may cause fetal tachycardia at birth. The obtained results suggest the need for greater care for the emotional state of the woman during pregnancy.

Chronic pain, chronic stress and substance use: overlapping mechanisms and implications.

Chronic pain is among the most common reasons adults in the U.S. seek medical care. Despite chronic pain's substantial impact on individuals' physical, emotional, and financial wellness, the biologic underpinnings of chronic pain remain incompletely understood. Such deleterious impact on an individuals' wellness is also manifested in the substantial co-occurrence of chronic stress with chronic pain. However, whether chronic stress and adversity and related alcohol and substance misuse increases risk of developing chronic pain, and, if so, what the overlapping psychobiological processes are, is not well understood. Individuals suffering with chronic pain find alleviation through prescription opioids as well as non-prescribed cannabis, alcohol, and other drugs to control pain, and use of these substances have grown significantly. Substance misuse also increases experience of chronic stress. Thus, given the evidence showing a strong correlation between chronic stress and chronic pain, we aim to review and identify overlapping factors and processes. We first explore the predisposing factors and psychologic features common to both conditions. This is followed by examining the overlapping neural circuitry of pain and stress in order to trace a common pathophysiologic processes for the development of chronic pain and its link to substance use. Based on the previous literature and our own findings, we propose a critical role for ventromedial prefrontal cortex dysfunction, an overlapping brain area associated with the regulation of both pain and stress that is also affected by substance use, as key in the risk of developing chronic pain. Finally, we identify the need for future research in exploring the role of medial prefrontal circuits in chronic pain pathology. Critically, in order to alleviate the enormous burden of chronic pain without exacerbating the co-occurring substance misuse crisis, we emphasize the need to find better approaches to treat and prevent chronic pain.

Health status, resources, and job demands in geriatric nursing staff: A cross-sectional study on determinants and relationships

BackgroundAccording to current estimates, the number of people needing care will double in the next 40 years. It is expected that between 130,000 and 190,000 additional nurses will be needed by 2030 in Germany. Physical and psychological burdens associated with nursing in long-term care facilities can develop into serious health risk factors and significantly impact occupational factors such as absenteeism, especially when linked to difficult working conditions. However, demands and resources specific to the nursing profession have not been analyzed extensively to preserve and promote nurses' workability and health adequately. ObjectiveOur study aimed to examine the extent to which perceived health among geriatric nursing staff in Germany is predicted by personal resources, job demands, and job resources. In addition, we analyzed the impact of different behavior and experience patterns on these relationships. Design, setting, and participantsAn observational study was conducted between August 2018 and February 2020 in 48 nursing home facilities with 854 staff members in Germany as part of the project ‘PROCARE – Prevention and occupational health in long-term care’. MethodsThe survey contained instruments that measure workplace exposure, musculoskeletal complaints, physical and mental well-being, chronic stress, and work-related behavior and experience patterns. In addition, health-related information on physical activity and nutrition was collected. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. ResultsThe combined physical and mental workload for geriatric nurses is very high, with 75 % showing chronic stress. In the overall model, job and personal resources have a stronger association with mental health than physical health, while job demands have an equal impact on mental and physical health. Coping behavior also plays an important key role that should be assessed and considered. A behavior and experience risk pattern (health-endangering) is more strongly associated with a lower health status than a health-promoting behavior pattern. Results of the multigroup test showed that work-related behavior and experience patterns significantly moderate the relationship between physical health and mental health (χ2 = 392/p ≤ .001/df = 256/RMSEA = 0.028/CFI = 0.958/TLI = 0.931). Only 43 % show a health-friendly coping pattern. ConclusionsOur findings underline the importance of holistic health promotion, which not only aims at changes at the behavioral level and the development of coping strategies but also takes on the task of reducing the workload and including measures to improve the working climate. Trial registration numberDRKS.de (DRKS00015241); August 9, 2018. Tweetable abstractHealthier coping patterns can benefit geriatric nurses' health. However, this is not a substitute for improving working conditions.

Interventions to Reduce Stress and Burnout among Teachers: A Scoping Review.

Background: Teaching is recognized as a highly challenging profession. Experience of chronic stress is a risk factor for poor mental and physical well-being, and burnout. There is limited knowledge regarding optimal interventions to address stress and burnout among teachers. Objective: To undertake a scoping review of the literature in the last five years to determine various psychological interventions to address stress and burnout among teachers. Method: The PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews was followed. Relevant search terms were used to determine different interventions adopted to reduce teachers' stress and burnout. Articles published between 2018 and 2022 were identified using five bibliographic databases. Relevant articles were extracted, reviewed, collated, and thematically analyzed, and findings s were summarized. Results: Forty studies conducted in Asia, North America, Oceania, Europe, and Africa, met the inclusion criteria. Sixteen kinds of burnout and stress-reduction interventions were identified. The most popularly studied intervention were Mindfulness-Based Interventions alone or in combination with yoga or Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), followed by Rational Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT). Mindfulness-Based Interventions led to decreased overall Teacher Stress Inventory (TSI) and emotional exhaustion subscale scores. REBT, primarily used with special education teachers, especially in Africa, has also shown positive results. Other interventions reporting positive outcomes include Inquiry-Based Stress Reduction (IBSR), the Stress Management and Resiliency Training Program (SMART), Cyclic Meditation, Group Sandplay, Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Autogenic Training, Sport-Based Physical Activity, Emotional Intelligence Ability Models and Christian Prayer and Prayer-Reflection. Conclusions: Stress and burnout can have a negative impact on teachers and, very often, on the students they teach. Implementing suitable school-based interventions is necessary to improve teachers' stress-coping ability, reduce the likelihood of burnout and improve general well-being. Policymakers, governments, school boards and administrators should prioritize the implementation of school-based awareness and intervention programs.

Longitudinal associations between allostatic load, pet ownership, and socioeconomic position among U.S. adults aged 50+

It is hypothesized that pets provide benefits to human health by buffering the deleterious effects of stress, but varying exposure to chronic stress via social position is rarely considered in these conceptual and empirical models. Allostatic load is an index of biological and physical measures that represents cumulative wear and tear on the body via chronic stress exposure. In this study, we use the 2006–2016 waves of the Health and Retirement Study, a nationally representative, longitudinal panel survey of adults aged 50+ in the United States, to test whether and to what extent pet ownership has an impact on allostatic load, and whether pet ownership moderates the effects of socioeconomic position on allostatic load. Linear mixed effects regression models revealed that pet owners had significantly lower allostatic load scores than those who do not own pets; however, after adjusting for socioeconomic position (i.e., wealth, education, race, ethnicity, gender, marital status), the effect of pet ownership was no longer significant. We estimated a series of models stratified by sociodemographic groups to test moderation effects. Among those who had a high school education, pet owners had lower allostatic load scores, whereas among those who had attended some college, pet owners had higher scores. Among those who were aged 80+, pet owners had higher scores than those who did not own pets. These findings suggest that the magnitude of the effect of pet ownership on allostatic load may not be sufficient to counteract experiences of high chronic stress as experienced by lower-status groups. Supporting the human-animal bond may contribute to improving older adult population health if paired with efforts to address the underlying causes of population health disparities.

Хронический стресс и временная саморегуляция у менеджеров по продажам

Background. Time factor plays a signiacant role in creating unfavorable conditions for work activity. Temporal characteristics of labor oben become one of the main factors in the emergence of organizational stress (Vodopyanova, 2009; Artamonova, Leonova, 2009). ce activities of sales managers considered in the work are characterized by a signiacant severity of stress tension with time and deadline pressure leading among the numerous stressors in this professional activity. ce problem of lack of time for personal life and the lack of balance between work and life stem from temporary tension. Temporal aspects of work, being aware of them, subjective assessment and time management require separate consideration from the perspective of professional development and overcoming stress for sales managers. Objective. ce study focuses on the multi-level indicators of temporal self-regulation in chronic stress in the hard work of representatives of managerial professions. To achieve the goal, the task of conducting an empirical study aimed at identifying the features of self-organization, self-management and experiencing time at work, as well as anding the place and role of time aspects in the chronic stress development among sales managers was set. Sample. ce sample is represented by 154 sales managers (mean age 34 years, 56 men, 95 women) working in large wholesale and several small wholesale trade and industrial organizations in diderent cities of Russia. Methods. Data collection was carried out electronically using Google forms questionnaires. ce study was conducted in 2019–2020. To study the level of occupational stress, the methodology “Questionnaire for assessing the level of experiences of acute and chronic stress” was used (Leonova, Kachina, 2007). In order to study the assessment of working time and its experience, the “Time Perspective Questionnaire” (Zimbardo, Sword, Sword, 2017), “Manager’s Time Syndrome” (Vodopyanova, 2018), “Questionnaire for Self-Organization of Activities” (Mandrikova, 2010) and the questionnaire “Overall indicator of the edectiveness of the system of self-management of working time”, specially developed by our group, were used. Results. We have obtained numerous interrelations between indicators of chronic stress and temporal self-regulation. Such predictors of chronic stress as temporal orientation to the negative past, lack of expressiveness of aspirations to the future and hedonistic present were identiaed. ce presence of chronic stress and the experience of lack of time were predictors for a decrease in the edectiveness of self-management of working time (time management) among sales managers. Conclusion. ce multi-level indicators of temporal self-regulation considered, including temporal orientations, experience of lack of time, self-organization of activities and time management, can on the one hand, be predictors of chronic stress, while on the other hand, act as a resource for overcoming it in the activities of sales managers.

Language Preference and its Moderating Role in Coping with Stress: The Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos.

Stress and stressful events are widely accepted risk factors for cardiometabolic diseases, including coronary heart disease and diabetes. As language plays a seminal role in development and regulation of emotions and appraisals of stressful situations, it may contribute to documented differences in the stress-cardiometabolic disease association across ethnic groups. We investigated associations between language preferences (Spanish vs English) and downstream health consequences of stress. Using data from the Sociocultural Ancillary Study of the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos, we assessed the relationship between reported stress and risk factors (alcohol use, smoking, body mass index, depressive symptoms) and prevalence of self-reported (coronary heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [COPD]) and clinically assessed chronic conditions (diabetes, hypertension) among 5154 Hispanic/Latino adults living in the US. Factor analysis was used to calculate a composite stress variable from participants' self-reported chronic stress, perceived stress, and adverse childhood experiences. Sampling weights and survey methodology were integrated in all analyses to account for this study's complex survey design. After controlling for sociodemographic factors (Hispanic/Latino background, study site, years in the US, social acculturation, education, income, age, sex), higher composite stress scores were associated with elevated risk factors and greater prevalence of coronary heart disease, diabetes, and COPD. Furthermore, the relationship between stress and COPD was significantly stronger among Hispanic/Latino adults who preferred to be interviewed in Spanish (compared to English). Stronger connections between stress and likelihood of drinking alcohol among English-preferring persons also emerged. These results are interpreted in light of the Hispanic health paradox and the role of cultural processes in the development of health risk factors and chronic conditions. Our findings can be integrated into relevant approaches to address health disparities within and across Hispanic/Latino populations in the US.

Oxytocin Reduces Sensitized Stress–Induced Alcohol Relapse in a Model of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Alcohol Use Disorder Comorbidity

BackgroundThere is high comorbidity of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol use disorder with few effective treatment options. Animal models of PTSD have shown increases in alcohol drinking, but effects of stress history on subsequent vulnerability to alcohol relapse have not been examined. Here we present a mouse model of PTSD involving chronic multimodal stress exposure that resulted in long-lasting sensitization to stress-induced alcohol relapse, and this sensitized stress response was blocked by oxytocin (OT) administration. MethodsMale and female mice trained to self-administer alcohol were exposed to predator odor (TMT) + yohimbine over 5 consecutive days or left undisturbed. After reestablishing stable alcohol responding/intake, mice were tested under extinction conditions, and then all mice were exposed to TMT or context cues previously associated with TMT before a reinstatement test session. Separate studies examined messenger RNA expression of Oxt and Oxtr in hypothalamus following chronic stress exposure. A final study examined the effects of systemic administration of OT on stress-induced alcohol relapse in mice with and without a history of chronic stress experience. ResultsChronic stress exposure produced long-lasting sensitization to subsequent stress-induced alcohol relapse that also generalized to stress-related context cues and transcriptional changes in hypothalamic OT system. OT injected before the reinstatement test session completely blocked the sensitized stress–induced alcohol relapse effect. ConclusionsCollectively, these results provide support for the therapeutic potential of OT, along with highlighting the value of utilizing this model in evaluating other pharmacological interventions for treatment of PTSD/alcohol use disorder comorbidity.