			Home About us Contact

Environmental Experiences (environmental + experience)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	60%

Selected Abstracts

Non-atopic intrinsic asthma and the ,family tree' of chronic respiratory disease syndromes

CLINICAL & EXPERIMENTAL ALLERGY, Issue 6 2009
P. G. Holt
Summary We present a scheme below in which the most common forms of inflammatory diseases of the respiratory tract, notably atopic and non-atopic asthma and COPD, are depicted as separate offshoots from a common ,at-risk' pathway underpinned by genotypes related to aberrations in control of host defence and tissue repair mechanisms. We propose that entrance into this pathway is initially programmed by environmental experience during infancy and early childhood, in particular by severe lower respiratory tract infection, and that further progression towards expression of specific disease phenotype(s) is determined by the nature, timing and frequency of additional environmental insults subsequently encountered. At the one extreme, early sensitization of at-risk subjects to aeroallergens can potentially drive rapid progression towards expression of the atopic asthmatic phenotype under the dual onslaught of inflammatory responses to allergens/pathogens. At the opposite end of the spectrum the drip-feed effects of occasional infections on respiratory function(s) are amplified over a longer time frame by inflammation resulting from exposure to tobacco smoke and/or related chemical pollutants. Non-atopic asthma is envisaged to fit between these two extremes, being driven essentially by the downstream effects of respiratory infections alone in at-risk subjects. An important common factor in all three disease phenotypes is that acute exacerbations are typically driven by infections, the host responses to which display a characteristic T-helper type 2-like footprint, which in our view points to underlying genotype(s) which result in unbalanced host responses to respiratory pathogens. [source]

The Twin Inventory of Relationships and Experiences (TIRE): psychometric properties of a measure of the non-shared and shared environmental experiences of twins and singletons

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF METHODS IN PSYCHIATRIC RESEARCH, Issue 2 2001
Rene Carbonneau
Abstract We examined longitudinally the psychometric properties of the Twin Inventory of Relationships and Experiences (TIRE), an instrument designed to assess non-shared and shared environmental experiences in twins and siblings. A community sample of 1,117 pairs of like-sex monozygotic and dizygotic twins, aged eight to 16, and their parents, was used. Results indicated that the TIRE provided constructs that are consistent across informants, gender and time. These dimensions showed good longitudinal stability within raters, and low to moderate inter-rater agreement; the results are consistent with those of other studies using different instruments to assess family environment. It is concluded that the TIRE may be used to assess dimensions of the non-shared environment of twins and siblings and their influence on children's development. Copyright © 2001 Whurr Publishers Ltd. [source]

Research Review: The neurobiology and genetics of maltreatment and adversity

THE JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY AND ALLIED DISCIPLINES, Issue 10 2010
Eamon McCrory
The neurobiological mechanisms by which childhood maltreatment heightens vulnerability to psychopathology remain poorly understood. It is likely that a complex interaction between environmental experiences (including poor caregiving) and an individual's genetic make-up influence neurobiological development across infancy and childhood, which in turn sets the stage for a child's psychological and emotional development. This review provides a concise synopsis of those studies investigating the neurobiological and genetic factors associated with childhood maltreatment and adversity. We first provide an overview of the neuroendocrine findings, drawing from animal and human studies. These studies indicate an association between early adversity and atypical development of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis stress response, which can predispose to psychiatric vulnerability in adulthood. We then review the neuroimaging findings of structural and functional brain differences in children and adults who have experienced childhood maltreatment. These studies offer evidence of several structural differences associated with early stress, most notably in the corpus callosum in children and the hippocampus in adults; functional studies have reported atypical activation of several brain regions, including decreased activity of the prefrontal cortex. Next we consider studies that suggest that the effect of environmental adversity may be conditional on an individual's genotype. We also briefly consider the possible role that epigenetic mechanisms might play in mediating the impact of early adversity. Finally we consider several ways in which the neurobiological and genetic research may be relevant to clinical practice and intervention. [source]

Practitioner Review: Psychological Management of Anxiety Disorders in Childhood

THE JOURNAL OF CHILD PSYCHOLOGY AND PSYCHIATRY AND ALLIED DISCIPLINES, Issue 8 2001
Mark R. Dadds
Many anxiety problems begin in childhood and are a common form of psychological problem that can be highly distressing and associated with a range of social impairments. Thus, skills for conceptualising, assessing, and treating childhood anxiety problems should be in the repertoire of all child mental health specialists. This paper reviews psychosocial treatments for the most common anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. Developmental models of anxiety disorders emphasise maximum risk in children with shy or inhibited temperaments who are exposed to high family anxiety and avoidance, and/or acutely distressing experiences. As children mature these temperamental and environmental experiences are internalised to low self-competence and high threat expectancy. Both individual or group-based interventions utilising cognitive-behavioural strategies to address multiple risk factors are highly efficacious and family involvement can contribute to positive outcomes. Guidelines for assessment and treatment are presented, and suggestions are made for effectively managing clinical process. [source]