Stress and Health : Biological and Psychological Interactions

" Stress and Health...Second Edition is an excellent graduate-level textbook that explores the 'black boxes' that may account for the associations observed between psychological stress and disease.... In sum, this book is highly recommended to instructors of graduate level or advanced undergraduate courses with a focus on the psychophysiology of stress.... This will be a useful addition to your library." - Thomas Kamarck, University of Pittsburgh, PSYCHOPHYSIOLOGY (42) 2005 "This is one of the best books written to address effects of stress on health. It is well written and it is easy to understand. Experts as well as those new to the field will find this book informative and enjoyable. In his approach to the topic of stress and health, Dr. Lovallo presents well-integrated, coherent coverage of the latest scientific finding from psychology, neuroscience, and medicine. This is indeed a rich and interesting reading to scientists and clinicians all over the world." -Mustafa al'Absi, University of Minnesota School of Medicine "This book does a splendid job of filling a gap in the literature on stress and health - that gap being the need for an articulate introductory compendium that integrates what is known about the physiology of stress with that of thoughts and emotions. . . . Considering that the new National Institutes of Health Roadmap for Medical Research initiative emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary research that is inclusive of behavior for the success of future clinical research, the material in this new edition will be useful for students and scientists wishing to better understand mechanisms of how our mind and psychosocial factors affect states of health and disease." -Paul J. Mills, University of California, San Diego How can the state of our mind affect the state of our body? Our daily lives pose a constantly changing set of challenges that evoke our emotions and sometimes cause us distress. These experiences can alter the state of our bodies, and as a result affect our health. Stress and Health: Biological and Psychological Interactions, Second Edition examines the biological links between our emotions and changes in our health. Author William R. Lovallo provides an introduction to the concept of psychological stress, its physiological manifestations, and its effects on health and disease. The book concentrates on the psychophysiological relationship between cognitions, emotions, brain functions, and the peripheral mechanisms by which the body is regulated. Key Features Gives behavioral science students an overview of the biological effects of stress without being overly complex Includes pedagogical features such as chapter-opening introductions, figures and tables, chapter summaries, and recommendations for further reading Allows for flexibility of use in the classroom since the booka??s brevity makes it applicable to a variety of course settings New to the Second Edition All chapters have been updated, and emerging areas of research have been given increased coverage Two new chapters have been added on stress and the endocrine system (Chapter 7) and on genes, stress, and behavior (Chapter 10) Chapter 4 more closely integrates the discussion of the autonomic nervous system, endocrine function,