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Stressful
events may serve to promote
or exacerbate pathological states, including
depressive disorders, cardiovascular disease,
and immunologically related pathologies. Our
work has focused on determining the conditions
that increase vulnerability to stressor
related
pathologies, including the contribution of
various organismic
(genetic, age) and
experiential variables (stressor history,
early life trauma, chronicity
of events, maternal
factors), and the identification of the
neurochemical
underpinnings for stressor-related
pathology. As well, we have been assessing the
processes by which the brain influences the
immune system, and conversely the processes by
which immune activation comes to affect brain
functioning.
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