Effects of inhaled Linalool in anxiety, social interaction and aggressive behavior in mice

Aromatherapy uses essential oils (EOs) for several medical purposes, including relaxation. The association between the use of aromas and a decrease in anxiety could be a valuable instrument in managing anxiety in an ever increasing anxiogenic daily life style. Linalool is a monoterpene commonly found as the major volatile component of EOs in several aromatic plant species. Adding to previously reported sedative effects of inhaled linalool, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of inhaled linalool on anxiety, aggressiveness and social interaction in mice. Additionally, we investigated the effects of inhaled linalool on the acquisition phase of a step-down memory task in mice. Inhaled linalool showed anxiolytic properties in the light/dark test, increased social interaction and decreased aggressive behavior; impaired memory was only seen the higher dose of linalool. These results strengthen the suggestion that inhaling linalool rich essential oils can be useful as a mean to attain relaxation and counteract anxiety. (C) 2009 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Manoeuvring between anxiety and control : Patients experience of learning to live with diabetes: a lifeworld phenomenological study

Research shows that people with diabetes want their lives to proceed as normally as possible, but some patients experience difficulty in reaching their desired goals with treatment. The learning process is a complex phenomenon interwoven into every facet of life. Patients and healthcare providers often have different perspectives in care which gives different expectations on what the patients need to learn and cope with. The aim of this study, therefore, is to describe the experience of learning to live with diabetes. Interviews were conducted with 12 patients afflicted with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The interviews were then analysed with reference to the reflective lifeworld research approach. The analysis shows that when the afflicted realize that their bodies undergo changes and that blood sugar levels are not always balanced as earlier in life, they can adjust to their new conditions early. The afflicted must take responsibility for balancing their blood sugar levels and incorporating the illness into their lives. Achieving such goals necessitates knowledge. The search for knowledge and sensitivity to changes are constant requirements for people with diabetes. Learning is driven by the tension caused by the need for and dependence on safe blood sugar control, the fear of losing such control, and the fear of future complications. The most important responsibilities for these patients are aspiring to understand their bodies as lived bodies, ensuring safety and security, and acquiring the knowledge essential to making conscious choices.

Habitual visualizer/verbalizer cognitive style: the impact of anxiety and depression

Imagery and verbal cognitive abilities appear to be differentially affected by psychopathology, yet research has failed to consider Paivio's proposition that people have habitual cognitive styles. The aim of this study was to establish habitual cognitive style (verbalizer/visualizer) among depressed, anxious, and control respondents and compare these to their imagery and verbal abilities in the state mode. A comparison of these groups confirmed that there were no differences in preferred habitual cognitive style. In the state mode, the anxious group demonstrated the highest imagery vividness and the depressed group the lowest. Both clinical groups demonstrated attenuated verbal reasoning and high levels of confusion. Within-groups comparison confirmed the attenuation of verbal ability for both clinical groups while the control group remained stable. All three groups demonstrated enhanced state imagery ability over habitual visual preference. This change was greatest for the anxious group followed by the control and then the depressed groups. The therapeutic implications of these findings are discussed .

Cognitive functioning in chronic fatigue syndrome and the role of depression, anxiety and fatigue

Objective: This study was designed to investigate the role of depression, anxiety, and fatigue in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) sufferers' objective and subjective cognitive performance. Methods: Twenty-three CFS sufferers and 23 healthy control participants were compared on objective and subjective assessments of cognitive performance. Depression, anxiety, and fatigue were also evaluated. Results: CFS sufferers did not demonstrate any impairment in objective cognitive functioning compared to the control group, and objective performance was not related to their higher levels of depression or their level of fatigue. Depression scores only accounted for a small amount of the variance in CFS sufferers' lower subjective assessment of their cognitive performance compared to control participants. There were no differences between the groups on anxiety scores. Conclusion: The results are discussed in terms of the heterogeneity of the CFS population and the complex interaction of symptomatological factors that characterise CFS.

The psychological impact of a cancer diagnosis on families: the influence of family functioning and patients' illness characteristics on depression and anxiety

A diagnosis of cancer is a very stressful event for the patients and their families. Patients, partners and other family members can suffer from clinical levels of depression and severe levels of anxiety and stress reactions. The similarity in levels of distress between patients and partners and patients and offspring suggests that there are common factors that impact on families' distress levels. The current study examined levels of depression and anxiety in newly diagnosed adult patients (n = 48) and their adult relatives (n = 99). Family functioning and patients' illness characteristics were identified as factors that might impact on families' depression and anxiety. Results from multilevel models indicated that family functioning was important. Families that were able to act openly, express feelings directly, and solve problems effectively had lower levels of depression. Direct communication of information within the family was associated with lower levels of anxiety. Aside from differences anxiety due to cancer type, patients' illness characteristics appear to be risk factors in patients' but not relatives' depression and anxiety. The results from the current study suggest that researchers and clinicians need to be family-focused as cancer affects the whole family, not just the patient.

The reliability, validity, discriminant and predictive properties of the social Phobia Inventory (SoPhI)

This paper reports on the psychometric properties of the Social Phobic Inventory (SoPhI) a 21-item scale that was designed to measure social anxiety according to the criteria of DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association, APA (1994) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder , 4th Edn., Washington). Factor analysis of the SoPhI using data from a clinical sample of respondents with social phobia revealed one factor which explained approximately 59% of variance and which demonstrated strong internal reliability ( agr= 0.93). The SoPhI demonstrated concurrent validity with the SPAI ( r = 0.86) and convergent validity with the Fear of Negative Evaluations-Revised ( r = 0.68). The predictive utility of the scale was demonstrated in a sample of university students classified as extroverted, normal, shy/introverted, and phobic/withdrawn ( -2 57%). Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) revealed that the combined university sample differed from the clinical sample on the summated scores on the SoPhI and that 43% ( -2 ) of this difference was attributable to group membership. This figure rose to 58% attributable to group membership when these same groups were compared for differences on the 21 individual items. Scores of the SoPhI that are indicative of concern and of possible diagnostic criteria, as well as suggestions for future research, are discussed.

Australia, Asia and cultural anxiety : inaugural AHA Anniversary Public Lecture, given at the Grand Hotel, Mildura on 29 September (2003).

My theme tonight is the recurrent idea that Australia could be expected to have an Asian future. From the 1880s there developed a speculative literature around the notion that Asia ('generic Asia' as I prefer to call it) would exert an increasing influence, possibly a determining influence, on the development and settlement of the Australian continent. There is a certain pathos about this story of a young, newly formed community on the threshold of nationhood finding Asia blocking its path. Would the ensuing contest be the making of white Australia; would the young nation define its national purpose and assert its right to exist or would it succumb to a force more powerful? Would white Australia become nothing more than a faint historical memory, a failed experiment in the complex and uncertain business of nation building? In short, would white Australia fail?

The role of performance anxiety in the development and maintenance of sexual dysfunction in men and women

The current study evaluated the association between attitudes toward sex, stress, relationship quality, performance anxiety, and sexual dysfunction among 157 men (114 dysfunctional, 43 functional) and 186 women (84 dysfunctional, 102 functional). The results demonstrate that the main factors related to all types of sexual dysfunction among men were attitudes toward sex, conflict in their relationship, and performance anxiety. For women, the main factors related to all types of sexual dysfunction were attitudes toward sex, relationship quality, and performance anxiety. These results demonstrate the central role of performance anxiety in either the development or maintenance of sexual dysfunction among both men and women. Clearly, this is an area that has to be considered in any treatment program for sexual dysfunction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserve

The impact of social phobia on quality of life: the advantages of anxiety support groups

Social phobia is the least well known of the anxiety disorders and it is perhaps also the least well understood. The lifetime prevalence rates for social phobia, which range from 3% to 13%, clearly indicate that social phobia is a widespread mental health problem. Those affected by social phobia often live their lives around the limitations of the disorder including avoidance of social situations, depression and loneliness. Thus for these individuals, social phobia becomes an impairing disorder which can have long-term negative impacts on work performance and social relationships. Anxiety support groups offer an important resource to sufferers of social phobia. Support groups provide a potentially safe and confidential environment in which to interact with others. Support groups also have the potential to help to de-stigmatize the disorders for sufferers as all members share similar concerns that are often not well understood by others. The practical benefits to be derived from anxiety support groups are presented through the discussion of two case studies.

A preliminary investigation of the relationship between parental empathy and social anxiety and children's social anxiety

This study investigated the association between parents' social anxiety and empathy, and their children's social anxiety, Twenty-one mothers, 12 fathers and 24 children aged between 7 and 12 years were recruited from state primary schools in the eastern metropolitan region of Melbourne, Australia. Parents completed self-report questionnaires assessing their parental empathy and level of social anxiety. Children completed a modified version of the social anxiety questionnaire. All parent variables, except for maternal anxiety, were related to children's social anxiety. Overall, parental empathy was found to have a considerable association with child social anxiety, which is consistent with arguments that micro-level family mechanisms are important influences on child social anxiety. Future studies of parental empathy with clinical populations and data collection from multiple sources are recommended.