The study by principal researcher Tara Haas of 91亚色鈥檚 School of Kinesiology & Health Science and Muscle Health Research Centre in the Faculty of Health in collaboration with 91亚色 kinesiology Professor Michael Riddell was published online in the peer-reviewed journal in October.

Tara Haas

鈥淐ortisol is a steroid hormone normally present in our body in small amounts, but a continuous increase in cortisol levels is linked with the development of obesity and Type 2 diabetes,鈥� says Haas.聽 The research by her team looked at the effects of sustained increases in the levels of the stress hormone corticosterone (the form of cortisol found in rodents) on the smallest blood vessels, capillaries, within skeletal muscles.

What they found, says Haas, 鈥渨as a substantial reduction, by 30 per cent, in the number of capillaries within the muscle.鈥� As capillaries bring oxygen and nutrients to the muscle cells, this reduction could have significant consequences for muscle function and perhaps even blood sugar disposal.

鈥淭his is important as a reduction in the number of capillaries could influence the ability of a person to be active, which could cause their condition to worsen,鈥� says Haas. The finding may help to explain why people with Type 2 diabetes have difficulty growing new capillaries in other tissues, such as the heart.

Michael Riddell

The researchers then took a closer look at the mechanisms involved in the reduced capillary growth by using cultured endothelial cells 鈥� those cells that form capillaries 鈥� chronically treated with the stress hormone. They found that corticosterone repressed several major intracellular signal pathways involved in controlling cell proliferation and migration, which likely contributes to the lack of capillary growth.

鈥淭his research is significant because it highlights that a chronic elevation of stress hormone can have significant negative consequences to the small blood vessels within skeletal muscle that are in charge of providing much needed oxygen and nutrients,鈥� says Haas. 鈥淚t also points the way to identifying how cortisol, through its effects on blocking appropriate blood vessel growth, may contribute to cardiovascular complications of diabetes or obesity.鈥�

Skeletal muscle endothelial cells in culture

Haas says the findings warrant further research to determine if treatment with synthetic steroid hormones carries similar risks. The capillaries in the skeletal muscles studied were affected using a low, but continuous exposure, to the stress hormone. The amount of synthetic steroid hormones, such as hydrocortisone, people are usually prescribed to block inflammation in the body, can be 25 times higher than the amount used in the study.

Haas is a member of the newly formed Angiogenesis Research Group, which investigates the adaptation of the skeletal muscle capillary network to physiological and pathological conditions.聽 The research was supported by the Natural Sciences & Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Discovery Grants to Haas and Riddell, as well as awards to 91亚色 students, including Eric A. Shikatani, who was the recipient of a Heart & Stroke Foundation of Ontario Master鈥檚 Studentship Award. In addition, student Anastassia Trifonova was the recipient of a NSERC CGSM graduate scholarship, and Anna Krylova and Andrei Szigiato were recipients of NSERC Undergraduate Student Research awards.

By Sandra McLean, YFile deputy editor

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin to research stories on the research website.

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Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) experience higher rates of bullying, which聽are聽associated with a higher incidence of mental health issues, according to a study in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders this month by 91亚色 researchers.

鈥淰ery little research has been done to assess the relationship between bullying and mental health in youth with ASD. It鈥檚 always been suspected there was a link, but this study confirms that,鈥� says 91亚色 Psychology Professor Jonathan Weiss, lead researcher of the study and co-author of the article, along with Debra Pepler, Distinguished Research Professor in Psychology, and first author M. Catherine Cappadocia, PhD candidate in clinical-developmental psychology.

M. Catherine Cappadocia

鈥淚n the study, those youth with ASD who experienced little or no victimization, less than two or three times in the past month, compared to those victimized at least once a week, exhibited less anxiety, self-injury and over-sensitive behaviours,鈥� says Cappadocia.聽She, Weiss and Pepler, who is scientific co-director of the Promoting Relationships聽& Eliminating Violence Network (), are all聽members of聽91亚色鈥檚 Faculty of Health.

In 鈥溾��, the researchers surveyed 192 parents whose children, between the ages of five and 21 and enrolled in elementary or secondary school up to Grade 12, had been diagnosed with ASD. The authors examined the parents鈥� reports of victimization, along with the association between the rate of victimization experienced and mental health issues. Seventy-five per cent reported their child with ASD had been bullied within the last month at school, 23 per cent reported victimization two or three times, 13 per cent reported victimization once a week and 30 per cent two or more time a week. Fifty per cent of the youth with ASD had experienced victimization for more than a year, and that can lead to anxiety, depression, self-injury, hyperactivity, over-sensitivity and a lower self-concept, says Cappadocia.

听听

Jonathan Weiss

鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the first studies to look at bullying in youth with ASD. It鈥檚 important as it shines a light on youth with ASD and victimization,鈥� says Weiss. 鈥淚 think it really highlights that chronic victimization is common for some of these youth. A large percentage of the youth in this study experience chronic victimization. Those are the youth that have significantly more mental health concerns.鈥� In addition, he says, one in 110 children has been diagnosed with ASD. 鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the most common identifications in the school system.鈥�

One factor that puts youth with ASD at risk for victimization is when they have more difficulty being assertive and making friends at school. They often lack social and pragmatic skills, and their parents may be less empowered to effect change as a result of the number of major stresses in their lives. 鈥淭hese are a lot of the same factors that are found in the general population of kids that are bullied,鈥� says Weiss. 鈥淲hat really stands out in this study is the association with these risk factors.鈥�

A lack of friends is a significant risk factor for bullying even in the general population and leaves these children unprotected by their peers. That means no one is going to stand up for them when someone starts to bully them. 鈥淓ighty-five per cent of the time when bullying happens, peers are watching,鈥� says Cappadocia. 鈥淚f a peer stands up, 50 per cent of the time the bullying stops. Peer support makes a huge difference and represents a robust protective factor these kids are missing.鈥�

聽Debra Pepler

Youth with ASD may also be more vulnerable because they lack the skills needed to react effectively to victimization when it does occur. 鈥淲hen children with ASD are targeted, there can be a more intense behavioural reaction, which may encourage the child who is bullying to continue,鈥� she says. 鈥淚f a child with ASD has a strong emotional or behavioural reaction, the bullying can become chronic, especially if peers tend to jump in and encourage the child who is bullying. It can keep escalating.鈥�

Weiss, Pepler and Cappadocia all do clinical work in addition to research. In her clinical work, Cappadocia frequently sees youth with ASD who have been bullied. 鈥淧art of the interest in pursuing this particular research came from being interested clinically in how to help these children.鈥�

The next step is to find interventions to help these children and their classmates, which would then translate to the general population, says Weiss. He is looking to run groups at 91亚色 next year for youth with ASD who experience bullying, which will look at all facets of the problem, from peers, the school, their family, as well as the child.

He is also interested in looking at what makes some youth with ASD, who鈥檝e been victimized, resilient. He鈥檒l be examining what the peer, family and school relations are like, and why they may buffer the potential mental health impact of victimization.

Cappadocia received support through the Provincial Centre of Excellence for Child & Youth Mental Health at CHEO Graduate Award and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships Doctoral Award. Weiss was supported by a New Investigator Fellowship from the Ontario Mental Health Foundation, while Pepler was supported by Networks of Centres of Excellence through its support of PREVNet.

For more information, visit the website.

By Sandra McLean, YFile writer

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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The Canadian-born-and-raised Papadopoulos has called Britain home for the past 14 years. She is known there as both a leading academic and as "Dr. Linda", a popular media commentator and adviser to the British government. She has her own skin-care line, LP Skin Therapy, which retails, among other places, in the luxury British department store Harrods.听听

"The skin and the psyche are interconnected. You don't have to be a psychologist to understand the link stress has to your skin," says Papadopoulos, who is the author of eight books, ranging from the academic text Psychodermatology: The Psychological Impact of Skin Disorders to Mirror Mirror: Dr. Linda's Body Image Revolution.听听

Papadopoulos became interested in the effect skin conditions have on personality because her cousin had vitiligo, a relatively rare disorder that causes depigmentation, creating light patches of skin. "She went from being open to being very quiet," she recalls.听听

"You realize that in our beauty obsessed society, if you look less than perfect, it can have a profound impact on your self-esteem. Girls feel valued by how they look," says Papadopoulos, who did her undergraduate degree at Toronto's 91亚色 before moving to Britain to do graduate work. She is a correspondent to the BBC and CNN, and a contributing editor to Cosmopolitan magazine's British edition.听听

Listen to your skin and realize it is a reflection of more than beauty, she urges.听听

One of the best ways to be resilient is to have a self-esteem that goes far beyond how you look, says Papadopoulos, who was commissioned by the British Home Office to write a series of recommendations for the government on the sexualization of children and teens. (Among her recommendations: put warning symbols on magazine spreads that feature photoshopped models, which help convince impressionable girls that praying mantis-skinny is normal.)听听

Self-worth has to be built on factors other than good looks, she says. "It should be based on how funny you are, how smart, how well you play the cello."听听

Republished courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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Canada Research Chair in Personality and Health, examines psychological distress, emotional maltreatment and coping responses at 91亚色 [Faculty of Health]. Flett says while Sheen鈥檚 exploits are obviously an extreme case of a stress-related health problem, dealing with pressure and its resulting stress is by no means an uncommon condition.

鈥淚 feel badly for the guy [Sheen] because obviously, he鈥檚 out there. Everybody is watching him and he鈥檚 saying that he鈥檚 winning. He鈥檚 got millions of dollars to be able to cope with pressure and he has the girls that he keeps around, but mental well-being is not something he鈥檚 put a price tag on," says Flett. "There are people that are dealing with all kinds of stress and suffering and they keep quiet about it so nobody even knows what they are going through. They keep it to themselves as opposed to going on national or international TV and letting the world in on it."

And while Fleet doesn鈥檛 recommend booking time on "George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight" or "eTalk" to share your story with 34.4 million Canadians, he says heading down to the local pub or the bowling alley with friends for a few hours Friday night after work may be just what you need when it鈥檚 time to depressurize.

鈥淪ocial support is crucial when battling stress. So anybody who is experiencing significant stress, and is also leading a pretty lonely, isolated life, is much more at risk," explains Flett. 鈥淚f you have supportive people around you, that can really serve as a buffer. I think that鈥檚 one reason why people turn to the Internet. They find people there that they can chat with online."

But talking about stress with your partner, friends or co-workers isn鈥檛 for everyone. Flett says a lot of people stay quiet about how they feel because there is a stigma attached to it, but if those same people are truly feeling overwhelmed, they should seek psychological assistance.

鈥淢aybe 3-in-10 of the people that should go for some kind of assistance actually goes, while the rest try to cope on their own or they don鈥檛 try to cope at all," says Flett. 鈥淚n the case of stress, people can go for counseling or people can quite easily learn the skills of how to relax whether it鈥檚 breathing or yoga or exercise. But usually when somebody is chronically stressed, they need to change some thinking patterns too."

. . .

[ ] unlike blood pressure medication, there is no pill that combats stress, which is too bad, as researchers have charted 鈥榯he silent killer鈥� through cortisol, the hormone, which is formed in response to stress.

Whether medication is available or not, we can still make moves to help ourselves and minimize stress by first pinpointing exactly where the pressures in our lives are stemming from. Pressure comes from a variety of different sources including major life events like marriage, divorce or even a new job, but wherever it comes from, Flett says it鈥檚 usually related to some kind of expectation that鈥檚 being imposed on a person to live up to a standard or some other kind of obligation.

鈥淏ecause the pressure often comes from an external source and it鈥檚 weighing on the person, it鈥檚 usually a chronic form of stress," says Flett, 鈥渟o it can have quite an impact because the individual could be thinking about the source of the stress all of the time."

And that鈥檚 not good. Paraphrasing the late Canadian endocrinologist Hans Selye, considered by many as the father of biological stress, Flett says, 鈥淓very day that we have stress; we die a little bit more." Flett acknowledges it鈥檚 the small stuff, the daily things that people need to realize fuels chronic stress.

鈥淓xperts talk about blood pressure being the silent killer. I think stress is the silent killer. People may not realize how much stress they鈥檙e under or if they do realize it, they don鈥檛 see any way they can lessen it and it just continues to rack聽up."

Posted by Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer, with files courtesy of YFile 鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin.

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I'm not exaggerating when I describe this muscle strain - or whatever it is - as life-changing. Not life-changing like, say, your first child or the new cafeteria here at work. No, it has changed my daily life, my routine, my mood, my body - and none of them for the better.

My weight is up. My motivation is down. So is my energy level. My craving for all the worst junk foods, usually suppressed by vigorous exercise, has intensified as I've worked out less and less.

鈥淗ere are two parts of your life that have been disrupted,鈥� says Frances Flint, professor in 91亚色鈥檚 School of Kinesiology & Health Science in the Faculty of Health, coordinator of athletic training at 91亚色 and a sports psychology consultant. 鈥淭hat good feeling鈥� from the workout itself is gone, she says, along with the 鈥渕y time鈥� that I had carefully built into my week. "Time away from work, phones, e-mails and other stresses".

So true. That simple joy of moving, of washing away the day's aggravation in a shower of sweat, has given way to longer sessions in front of my TV. Gone as well is the camaraderie of long runs on Saturdays with my marathon training group.

"That injury is now defining your day, your social life, your release of stress, your feeling of joy," Flint says.

. . .

In the meantime, what do I do? I figured out the most important part on my own: getting my enlarged posterior back in the gym. Flint says it's crucial to continue working out. Any kind of exercise is good, but since I'm a runner, I want to find ways to maintain cardiovascular fitness.

If I were a collegiate track athlete, she says, coaches would have me run in a pool to achieve the value of exercise with little or no impact on the body. I don't have easy access to a pool, so I've been riding a stationary bicycle, which doesn't hurt much but is excruciatingly boring, even with an iPod and a ballgame on. I've also hit the treadmill despite my injury, running slowly for as long as I can. And I've been stretching a lot more, hoping I can work out the problem myself.

It's important, Flint says, to do this at the same time of day that I used to work out. Overall, the effort will give me "the same biochemical effects" as my previous regimen, Talbott says, without stressing the injured area.

The other critical move, Flint says, is to take control of the situation. Find out as much as you can about the injury and possible therapies. Become actively involved in your care, instead of a passive recipient of treatment. Banish "negative self-talk." Some athletes like to visualize the affected area healing; they believe it speeds the process.

"I want to know as much as I can about my body," Flint says. "What is the damaged tissue? Why has this occurred?"

Posted by Elizabeth Monier-Williams, research communications officer, with files courtesy of YFile鈥� 91亚色鈥檚 daily e-bulletin

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