This dissertation assesses whether intense visual stimulation can act as a stressor to migraine sufferers between attacks, and whether subjective and psychophysiological reactions to these stimuli can clarify how migraine attacks may be triggered. / The first study assessed thresholds of light-induced discomfort and pain in migraine sufferers and non-migrainous controls during a non-headache period. Two instruction sets were compared to assess whether information presented to participants would affect thresholds. The results showed that migraineurs had significantly lower thresholds for light-induced pain. However, this effect was most apparent in those who had heard the negatively biased instructions reinforcing the need to control contextual factors when assessing subjective phenomena such as visual discomfort. / The second study assessed subjective and psychophysiological responses of female migraine sufferers and female controls during exposure to visual stimuli incorporating spatial and temporal characteristics that are most likely to be bothersome to migraineurs. Two control stimuli were included to assess responses during similar, but theoretically less aversive conditions. Migraine sufferers had higher heart rate and more frequent electrodermal responses than controls at all points of the study, including baseline and recovery. However, while migraineurs reported higher anxiety during the intense conditions, and reported more visual and somatic complaints than controls during various viewing conditions, they did not show heart rate, heart rate variability or electrodermal changes that would suggest clear changes in autonomic function in response to aversive visual stimulation. / The third study assessed ambulatory electrocardiograms to investigate whether autonomic changes would be evident in the period leading up to, during or following a migraine. Three individuals were assessed on a day when they experienced a naturally occurring headache, and on a day when they were not. No obvious pattern of autonomic change was detected before or after headache, although there was some evidence that a pattern of increased heart rate and decreased vagal tone may accompany headache. / In summary, the results confirm that migraine sufferers are more sensitive to intense visual stimulation than controls, but do not support the contention that exposure results in widespread autonomic changes. Since interictal visual discomfort is a common in migraine, further research is needed to clarify how it can be incorporated into models of migraine pathophysiology.

Linking brain regions or neural circuits to specific affective symptoms could help elucidate the neural mechanisms of affective states as well as antidepressant treatment effects. Much research has implicated the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), mid-dorsolateral frontal cortex (MDLFC), and a "frontocingulate" (i.e., MDLFC-ACC) circuit in sad affect and depression as well as the mood response to antidepressant treatment, including 10-Hz repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) applied over the MDLFC. While the empirical support for a direct role of the MDLFC in affect is unclear, a wealth of research supports the ACC as an interface between action and emotion (Paus, 2001). In a series of experiments using behavioural, brain imaging and brain stimulation techniques we investigated the involvement of the ACC and an MDLFC-ACC (i.e., frontocingulate) circuit in an "action and emotion" relevant behaviour, namely, paralinguistic aspects of speech production. (e.g., speech pitch and loudness). In Experiment 1, we examined the relationship between affect and paralinguistic aspects of speech and in Experiment 2 we investigated the role of the ACC in mediating this phenomenon. Next, applying our knowledge of the role of the ACC in affect-relevant behaviour, we combined rTMS with a speech task (Experiment 3) and with PET (Experiment 4) in order investigate further the possibility that influencing brain activity in a frontocingulate circuit may contribute to the known mood effects of rTMS applied over the MDLFC. Taken together, our results demonstrated a role for the ACC in pitch variation during affective states and suggested that changes in affect and pitch variation following 10-Hz rTMS applied over the left MDLFC may involve changes in neural activity in a network of brain regions widely implicated in affect, including a frontocingulate circuit. The findings of this collection of studies take us a step further toward understanding the r

Over the last decade a substantial body of research has focused on the consequences of sleep disordered breathing (SDB) in children. This dissertation presents the results of two large laboratory-based studies. / Thesis (PhD)--University of South Australia, 2008.

The aim of this thesis is to develop a quantitative measure of postural defects known as lordosis and kyphosis. The measurement of these defects is an important part of their identification and treatment. This work will be of primary interest to the physiotherapist involved in the research and treatment of conditions associated with faulty posture. / Thesis (MAppSc)--University of South Australia, 1999

Thesis (MPsych(Clin))--University of South Australia, 1998

Previous researchers have proposed that Multi-impulsive Bulimia (MIB), a constellation of self-destructive impulsive behaviours including theft, self-harm, suicide attempts, sexual disinhibition, and substance use, may be a distinct sub-type of Bulimia Nervosa (BN). Prior to this study, the validity of MIB as a subtype of BN had not been empirically examined. In the current study, taxometric procedures were used to address the question of whether MIB represents a distinct subtype or occurs on one or more continua. Participants were women (N = 419) diagnosed with BN seeking treatment at a residential eating disorders facility. Taxometric procedures used were mean above below minus a cut, maximum covariance, and latent mode analyses. Indicators were bulimic behaviours (bingeing and purging), theft, suicide attempts, self-harm and alcohol use. Analyses included comparisons with simulated taxonic and dimensional data. Results were inconsistent across analyses, perhaps due to problems with indicator validity. However there was some evidence of taxonicity.

Thesis (M.S.)--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2007. / Typescript. Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Michael E. Hahn. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 45-48).

Thesis (M.S.L.T)--University of Canterbury, 2007. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 84-105). Also available via the World Wide Web

Dissertation (Ph.D.) -- The Institute for Clinical Social Work, 2003. / A dissertation submitted to the faculty of the Institute of Clinical Social Work in partial fulfillment for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy.

Thesis (M. Communication Pathology)--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Summary in English and Afrikaans. Includes bibliographical references.