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Research Interests: Electroencephalography, Transcription Factors, Synaptic Plasticity, Protein synthesis, Brain, and 15 moreSleep Deprivation, Animals, Corticosterone, Male, Electromyography, Phosphorylation, Rats, Analysis of Variance, Rat, RNA-binding proteins, LTP, Protein Expression, Body Weight, Rem, and Gene Expression Regulation
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Background: Omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have modulating effects in several chronic infl amma- tory conditions. The aim of the present study was to test whether prior short-term dietary supplementation with n-3 (fi sh... more
Background: Omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have modulating effects in several chronic infl amma- tory conditions. The aim of the present study was to test whether prior short-term dietary supplementation with n-3 (fi sh or seal oil) or n-6 (soy oil) PUFA rich oils would protect the development of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in rats. Methods: Forty-eight male Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups: no intervention, sham, DSS, seal oil + DSS, fi sh oil + DSS and soy oil + DSS. Following 7 days of acclimatisation, 1 mL oil (seal, fi sh or soy) or distilled water (sham) was administered by gavage day 8 to 14. Colitis was induced by 5% DSS in drinking water from day 15 to 21. Rats were sacri- fi ced on day 23. Histological colitis (crypt and infl ammation) scores, faecal granulocyte marker protein (GMP) and quan- titative fatty acid composition in red blood cells were measured. Results: Pretreatment with fi sh or seal oils did not signifi cantly infl u...
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An impressive body of research has investigated whether sexual abuse is associated with sleep disturbances. Across studies there are considerable differences in methods and results. The aim of this paper was to conduct the first... more
An impressive body of research has investigated whether sexual abuse is associated with sleep disturbances. Across studies there are considerable differences in methods and results. The aim of this paper was to conduct the first systematic review of this area, as well as to clarify existing results and to provide guidelines for future research. We conducted searches in the electronic databases PsycINFO and PubMed up until October 2010 for studies on sleep disturbances in sexually abused samples. Thirty-two studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria (reported empirical data, included sexually abused subjects, employed some form of sleep measurement, English language and published in peer reviewed journals). Across the studies included, sleep disturbances were widespread and more prevalent in sexually abused subjects as compared to in non-abused samples. Symptoms reported more frequently by sexually abused samples included nightmare related distress, sleep paralysis, nightly awakenings,...
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Background: Omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have modulating effects in several chronic infl amma- tory conditions. The aim of the present study was to test whether prior short-term dietary supplementation with n-3 (fi sh... more
Background: Omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have modulating effects in several chronic infl amma- tory conditions. The aim of the present study was to test whether prior short-term dietary supplementation with n-3 (fi sh or seal oil) or n-6 (soy oil) PUFA rich oils would protect the development of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis in rats. Methods: Forty-eight male Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups: no intervention, sham, DSS, seal oil + DSS, fi sh oil + DSS and soy oil + DSS. Following 7 days of acclimatisation, 1 mL oil (seal, fi sh or soy) or distilled water (sham) was administered by gavage day 8 to 14. Colitis was induced by 5% DSS in drinking water from day 15 to 21. Rats were sacri- fi ced on day 23. Histological colitis (crypt and infl ammation) scores, faecal granulocyte marker protein (GMP) and quan- titative fatty acid composition in red blood cells were measured. Results: Pretreatment with fi sh or seal oils did not signifi cantly infl u...
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In humans, some individuals develop a syndrome after trauma (post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD) characterized by increased startle responses and lower than normal cortisol secretion. We explored a rat model using the acoustic startle... more
In humans, some individuals develop a syndrome after trauma (post-traumatic stress disorder, PTSD) characterized by increased startle responses and lower than normal cortisol secretion. We explored a rat model using the acoustic startle response (ASR) as a behavioral indicator of the effect of a short series of shocks. Because gastrointestinal disorders have been associated with prior stress, we also studied the rats' vulnerability to a chemically-induced colitis. After initial blood sampling, 12 rats were exposed to ten 1 mA 5 s foot-shocks while 12 rats served as controls. Nineteen days later the rats were tested for ASR. Thirty trials (10 trials at each of 95, 105, and 115 dB, pseudo-randomized) were given. After exposure for 6 days to dextran sulphate sodium in their drinking water, the rats were killed and the colons examined for erosions. Shocked rats showed greater startle responses and more colonic erosion than unshocked rats, but the shock effects were significant only for animals with low initial plasma corticosterone levels. Shocked rats also showed higher levels of granulocyte marker protein (GMP) in their faeces. These results suggest that low corticosterone secretion may represent a marker for vulnerability to long term effects of shocks as indicated by increased startle responses and colonic pathology.
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In this study, we investigated the effects of three neonatal conditions on adult corticosterone (CORT) levels, acoustic startle responses (ASRs), and vulnerability to colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) and how these early... more
In this study, we investigated the effects of three neonatal conditions on adult corticosterone (CORT) levels, acoustic startle responses (ASRs), and vulnerability to colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) and how these early manipulations might interact with a brief stress exposure in adulthood on the same measures. Infant animals were subjected daily to either 180-min maternal separation [prolonged maternal separation (LMS)], 10-min maternal separation [brief maternal separation (BMS)], or nonhandling (NH) conditions during postnatal days 1-14. As adults, half of the animals were exposed to a series of 10 uncontrollable foot shocks. Animals were tested for CORT levels prior to and 10 days following shock/nonshock procedures before being tested for ASRs. Finally, all animals were exposed to 4% DSS in their drinking water for 6 days. LMS animals showed enhanced vulnerability to DSS-induced colitis when previously exposed to shock and enhanced stress reactivity responses as shown by elevated startle and CORT levels. Among the nonshocked animals, NH animals showed most colonic damage. Taken together, the results support previous findings suggesting that BMS has a protective effect on adult stress exposure. Additionally, BMS protects the animals from chemically induced colitis. The NH condition has clearly an effect on sensitizing mucosal response to DSS exposure.
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In this study of victims of sexual abuse, the aim was to investigate the role of perceived social support and abuse characteristics in self-reported insomnia, nightmare frequency, and nightmare distress. Four hundred sixty Norwegian... more
In this study of victims of sexual abuse, the aim was to investigate the role of perceived social support and abuse characteristics in self-reported insomnia, nightmare frequency, and nightmare distress. Four hundred sixty Norwegian victims of sexual abuse completed a questionnaire assessing perceived social support, abuse characteristics, insomnia, nightmare frequency, and nightmare distress. Results show that higher levels of perceived social support were related to lower scores on all symptom outcome measures. Abuse involving oral, genital, or anal penetration was related to more insomnia symptoms. Longer duration of abuse and threatening conducted by the perpetrator were related to higher nightmare frequency, while threats and abuse involving penetration were related to higher degrees of distress associated with nightmares. In conclusion, the present study provides preliminary data indicating that perceived social support may affect the nature of sleep difficulties in sexual abuse victims. Also, more severe forms of sexual abuse are related to higher levels of sleep difficulties.
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The inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) are multifac-torial diseases. Clinical reports indicate that emotional stress may contribute to the onset, progression and remission of these... more
The inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis) are multifac-torial diseases. Clinical reports indicate that emotional stress may contribute to the onset, progression and remission of these diseases. Using an experimental animal model of ulcer-ative ...