This thesis contributes to the growing body of gender-specific health research by integrating both psychological and neuroendocrine data to assess the impacts of stress and violence on women's health. Women seeking support for intimate partner violence (IPV) were compared with women seeking support for non-interpersonal stressors (stress associated with immigration). Psychological measures included perceived stress and entrapment and mental defeat (EMD) scores as well as assessment of Axis I disorders. Neuroendocrine measures included basal levels of salivary cortisol and percent suppression of cortisol after the low-dose dexamethasone suppression test (DST). Positive relationships were found between experiences of IPV and perceived stress, EMD and Axis I diagnosis. The neuroendocrine measures did not differentiate IPV from non-interpersonal stressors and both groups showed hypersuppression of cortisol after the DST. IPV influences women's perceptions about EMD and perceived stress. By integrating neuroendocrine and psychological measures, further development of gender-specific stress models may occur.

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 228-257). / xxii, 257 leaves : ill. ; 30 cm. / Title page, contents and abstract only. The complete thesis in print form is available from the University Library. / Aims to determine the impact of maternal undernutrition during late gestation and during the periconceptional and gestational periods on fetal growth, fetal blood pressure and the fetal hypothalamo-pituitary adrenal axis in the sheep. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Physiology, 2001

Maintenance of normal health requires an intact stress system capable of mounting the metabolic, autonomic, behavioural and motor responses required for coping with or avoiding physiological and pathological challenges. The neuroendocrine component of this response principally involves the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and sympatho-adrenomedullary (SAM) axes. Impaired regulation of these axes has been implicated in the pathogenesis and expression of numerous disease states, however, it has proved very difficult to reproducibly activate the HPA and SAM axes and no single test exists that can reliably and safely be used to study these systems in man. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the principal regulator of respiration, acid-base balance and behavioural-state arousal in humans. Paradigms of CO2 inhalation have been used in psychiatric research to investigate panic and anxiety disorders, but evaluation of other components of the stress response to CO2 has not previously been performed. I hypothesised that a single breath of 35% CO2 would be a simple and reliable tool for the evaluation of the stress response in humans. A single breath of four doses of CO2 (5%, 25%, 35% and 50%) was administered to 9 healthy volunteers in a randomised, single blind fashion. Subjective symptoms of anxiety increased in a dose-dependent manner. Inhalation of a single breath of 35% CO2 stimulated significant ACTH (p = 0.006), noradrenaline (p < 0.0001), cortisol (p = 0.02) and prolactin (p = 0.002) release. It also provoked an acute pressor response and an associated bradycardia (p < 0.0001 for both). No significant habituation of psychological, HPA or cardiovascular responses was seen when this dose was repeated after one week (n = 10) or 6 months (n = 5). It was apparent that a single breath of 35% CO2 reliably and safely produced SAM and HPA axis activation and further studies were then undertaken to assess the mechanism by which the observed responses occurred and its potential clinical implications. Administration of naltrexone (an opiate antagonist) to 10 normal volunteers disinhibited the HPA axis (p < 0.0004), whilst administration of metyrapone (a cortisol synthesis inhibitor) significantly reduced baseline cortisol (p < 0.03) levels. However, this alteration in HPA axis activity had no effect on either cardiovascular or psychological responses. Further, in a study of 8 breastfeeding mothers (a state associated with physiological suppression of the HPA axis) suckling significantly reduced plasma cortisol levels compared with control (p = 0.002) and bottle-feeders (p = 0.003). Despite this cortisol, systolic blood pressure (SBP), heart rate and psychological responses to 35% CO2 were not affected

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file. Includes bibliographical references (p. 114-134).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Michigan State University. Dept. of Zoology & Environmental Toxicology, 2008. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Mar. 30, 2009) Includes bibliographical references. Also issued in print.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- University of Adelaide, School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, 2008. / "March 2008" Bibliography: leaves xxvi-xliii. Also available in print form.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Vita. "December 2006" Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1997. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 45-56). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 1997. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 45-56). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.Sc.) - Carleton University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 66-91). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.