Effects of partial sleep deprivation on food consumption and food choice

Abstract Sleep deprivation alters food consumption in animals; however, little is known of the effects of partial sleep deprivation on food consumption and choice in humans. We examined 50 undergraduate students who recorded sleep quality, food consumption, and food choice in daily diaries for four days. On the second night of the study, participants were instructed to sleep for 4 h or less, which served as a partial sleep deprivation manipulation. Following sleep loss, participants reported consuming fewer calories. They also reported altering food choice following deprivation, choosing foods less for health and weight concerns. The results provide initial evidence that sleep deprivation impacts food consumption and choice, which may have subsequent health implications

Changes in depressive symptoms, distress, and HPA and HPG axis hormones during cognitive-behavioral stress management in symptomatic HIV-positive gay men

This study examined 82 mildly symptomatic, HIV-positive gay men randomly assigned to either a 10-week cognitive-behavioral stress management (CBSM) intervention (n = 46) or to a modified wait-list control group (n = 36). Baseline and post-treatment assessments were conducted to determine if changes in distress and depressive symptoms are related to changes in stress and sex hormonal measures during CBSM. Four stress hormones of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis (total cortisol, free cortisol, corticosteroid binding globulin (CBG), dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S)) and two hormonal measures of the hypothalamic pituitary gonadal (HPG) axis (total testosterone, free testosterone) were analyzed in plasma using radioimmunoassay techniques. Psychological distress measures included the Beck Depression Inventory total score (BDI-T) and cognitive-affective subscale (BDI-C), the Profile of Mood States total score (POMS-T) and Confusion (POMS-C) and Depression (POMS-D) subscales, and the Perceived Stress Scale total score (PSS-T). The results indicated significant group by time interactions for CBG, DHEA-S, total testosterone, free testosterone, BDI-T, BDI-C, POMS-T, and POMS-C. Follow-up analyses revealed a buffering effect of CBSM on CBG, DHEA-S, total testosterone, and free testosterone levels. The CBSM intervention also enhanced levels of both total and free testosterone, as well as decreased BDI-T, BDI-C, POMS-T, and POMS-C scores. Changes in both free and total testosterone were inversely related to changes in BDI-T, BDI-C, POMS-T, and POMS-C scores over time. Furthermore, change in free testosterone served to mediate the relationship between CBSM assignment and post-treatment BDI-T and BDI-C scores. This study shows that in HIV-positive gay men, stress and sex hormones may potentially serve as biological markers for the changes in distress and depressive symptoms observed during CBSM

Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic (MBMD) Predicts Health-related Quality of Life (HrQoL) Over Time Among Men Treated for Localized Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer treatment presents multiple challenges that can negatively affect health-related quality of life (HrQoL), and which may be further compromised by maladaptive personality styles and psychological adjustment difficulties. This study examined the utility of a comprehensive psychosocial screening tool to identify psychosocial traits that prospectively predict HrQoL status among men treated for localized prostate cancer. The Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic (MBMD) was administered to 66 men (mean age 68 years, 59% Caucasian) treated by either radical prostatectomy or radiotherapy along with standard measures of general and prostate cancer-specific quality of life assessed at a 12-month follow-up. Higher scores on both summary MBMD Management Guides (Adjustment Difficulties and Psych Referral) and higher scores on personality styles characterized by avoidance, dependency, depression, passive aggressiveness and self-denigration predicted lower HrQoL (β range = −.21 to −.50). Additionally, higher scores on the MBMD Depression, Tension-Anxiety and Future Pessimism scales predicted lower HrQoL. Finally, higher scores on the MBMD Intervention Fragility and Utilization Excess scale, also consistently predicted poorer mental and physical health functioning over time. These results point to the utility of the MBMD to help screen for potential impairments in mental and physical health functioning in men undergoing treatment for prostate cancer

Reductions in Salivary Cortisol Are Associated with Mood Improvement During Relaxation Training Among HIV-Seropositive Men

This study examined salivary cortisol and mood during relaxation training in 30 symptomatic, HIV+ gay men participating in a 10-week, group-based cognitive-behavioral stress management intervention. Cortisol levels and mood were assessed within these sessions just before and after 45-min relaxation exercises given as part of each session. Participants also recorded their stress level and compliance with daily home relaxation practice. Presession cortisol levels decreased across the 10-week period and were related to decreases in global measures of total mood disturbance and anxious mood. Reductions in presession cortisol levels were also associated with decreases in self-reported stress level during home practice. Greater reductions in cortisol during the first three sessions were associated with more frequent relaxation practice at home. These findings suggest that salivary cortisol represents an objective neuroendocrine marker for changes in anxiety and distress observed during relaxation training in symptomatic, HIV-seropositive men

Using the Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic (MBMD) to Evaluate the Need for Mental Health Services in Association with Biomarkers of Disease Status Among HIV Positive Men and Women

Psychological distress states have been related to rate of disease progression among HIV-positive individuals. However, the measures that have been used in this research as well as the treatment context of the populations studied are highly variable, making it challenging for clinicians to incorporate such measures into screening batteries. The present study examined the association of two summary scales of the Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic (MBMD; Millon et al., Millon Behavioral Medicine Diagnostic. NCS Assessments, Minneapolis, 2001), with markers of HIV disease status (CD4 and CD8 cell counts, viral load) among an ethnically diverse sample of 147 HIV-positive individuals (52 men who have sex with men, 34 men who have sex with women, and 51 women) who had recently initiated Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART). After controlling for age and months since HIV diagnosis, we found that higher scores on the overall MBMD Psych Referral Summary Scale, reflecting a need for mental health treatment, were related to greater HIV viral load but did not relate to CD4 or CD8 cell counts. Subgroup analyses revealed that Psych Referral scores were related to greater HIV viral load only for the men who have sex with men (MSM) subgroup. These results suggest that the MBMD may help in identifying psychosocial characteristics associated with some markers of disease status in persons with HIV and perhaps may also be useful in identifying individual differences in response to treatment and eventual disease outcome

Cognitive-behavioral intervention effects on mood and cortisol during exercise training

The purpose of the present study was to assess the effect of a time limited cognitive-behavioral stress management program (CBSM) on mood state and serum cortisol among men and women rowers (N=34) undergoing a period of heavy exercise training. After controlling for life-event stress (LES), CBSM was hypothesized to reduce negative mood state and cortisol among rowers during a period of heavy training; mood and cortisol changes over the intervention period were hypothesized to be positively correlated. LES was positively associated with negative affect at study entry. After covariance for LES, rowing athletes randomly assigned to the CBSM group experienced significant reductions in depressed mood, fatigue, and cortisol when compared to those randomized to a control group. Decreases in negative affect and fatigue were also significantly associated with cortisol decrease. These results suggest that CBSM may exert a positive effect on athletes' adaptation to heavy exercise training

Biobehavioral Bases of Disease Processes

There is considerable evidence that within the context of our genetic endowment, constitutional factors, sociocultural variables, and the physical environment, important psychosocial and biological processes interact to influence health outcomes. Adverse health effects can be exacerbated by such harmful behaviors as smoking, poor diet, excessive alcohol consumption, and a sedentary lifestyle. In addition, psychosocial stressors may affect disease processes through their impact on the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis. During recent years there has been increasing awareness that common pathways appear to link genetic predispositions, adverse environments, and psychosocial variables with various disease outcomes. Although the mediating variables and their interactions have not all been identified, an outline of the pathways is becoming clearer. In this chapter we focus on some of the biobehavioral pathways that may link certain psychosocial variables to coronary heart disease (CHD), several infectious diseases, and some cancers. A large body of research has examined the biobehavioral factors associated with an increased risk for CHD. Therefore, we begin by summarizing the role of specific health behaviors and psychological factors in CHD and examine some of the possible biological pathways that may be involved in the disease process. Then we proceed to examine biobehavioral pathways in the manifestation or progression of infectious diseases, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Finally, we review the effects of psychosocial stressors on cancer, particularly breast cancer and malignant melanoma. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved

Psychosocial factors related to long‐term survival with HIV/AIDS

Only a few studies of long‐term survivors of AIDS (those who survive more than twice the median expected time) have been done but these reveal a constellation of psychological characteristics including, but not limited to, those with active coping, social support, life involvement, ability to communicate, and active collaboration with one's doctor. Another related literature consists of longitudinal studies following people infected with the HIV virus to determine whether psychological characteristics are related to disease progression. These studies have focused on coping, depression, negative expectancies and social support as predictors. This article reviews and integrates the two bodies of literature combining the variables identified into four psychosocial strategies related to longer survival with HIV/AIDS: following healthy self care; maintaining connectedness; having a sense of meaning or purpose in life; and maintaining perspective. Affect, beliefs, and behaviour are all seen as important. Biological variables, SES and psychological resources that the person brings to the situation and external stresses are seen as important variables to consider in prediction studies. The pathways through which these four strategies may operate (both psychological and biological) to impact on health are discussed. Psychological pathways include distress and behavioural disengagement, while biological pathways involve the sympathetic nervous system, neuroendocrine and immune mediation. Finally suggestions for future research are given