Stress and Brain Health: In Clinical Conditions

Nina Smyth is Senior Lecturer in Psychology, School of Social Sciences, at the University of Westminster, London. Nina’s background is in Psychology and Health Psychology, and her research focuses on the physiological pathways linking stress, mental/physical health, aging and longevity in pre-clinical and clinical populations. For her PhD (University of Westminster), awarded in 2013, she developed optimal ways of measuring cortisol, and examined the relationships between cortisol circadian patterns, well-being and health. In 2017, she became the research lead of the interdisciplinary Psychophysiology and Stress Research Group. Currently, she is developing and evaluating lifestyle interventions to restore cortisol circadian patterns in healthy and clinical populations to prevent the negative impact of stress on health. Nina has published a good body of peer-reviewed articles, book chapters and reviews, and regularly presents her work to diverse audiences. She is a fellow of the Higher Education Academy and an Aurora champion, a leadership programme for women in science. She has been awarded funding from the British Academy, the Bial Foundation and the Sir Halley Stewart Trust. Alongside, Bath Spa University, she is currently working on the Challenge Fund HOW (Healthier Outcomes at Work) project, funding by the Department for Work and Pensions and Department for Health and Social Care. Angela Clow is Emeritus Professor of Psychophysiology at the Department of Psychology, University of Westminster, London. Angela is trained in neuroscience and psychology and likes to work at the interface of these disciplines exploring how mind-body links affect physical and mental health. For her PhD (Institute of Psychiatry, London) she investigated the mechanism of action of antipsychotic drugs. During her post-doctoral studies (Royal Postgraduate Medical School, London) she researched the biochemistry of addiction and stress. In 1989 she joined the University of Westminster where she became a founder member of the interdisciplinary Psychophysiology and Stress Research Group. Currently she investigates the impact of environmental and psychosocial stress on the circadian pattern of cortisol secretion and consequent health outcomes. She also has an interest in evaluating strategies to reverse the negative impact of stress on health. Angela has published over 150 peer-reviewed papers, 5 books, and 30 book chapters or reviews. Angela is a UK National Teaching Fellow and a frequent public speaker.

Stress, the brain, and trauma spectrum disorders
J. Douglas Bremner and Matthew T. Wittbrodt

Is there neuroinflammation in depression? Understanding the link between the brain and the peripheral immune system in depression
M.A. Nettis and C.M. Pariante

Chronic stress, structural exposures and neurobiological mechanisms: A stimulation, discrepancy and deprivation model of psychosis
Teresa Vargas, Rachel E. Conley and Vijay A. Mittal

The influence of stress and early life adversity on addiction: Psychobiological mechanisms of risk and resilience
Mustafa al'Absi

Stress, cortisol and suicide risk
Daryl B. O’Connor, Nicola Gartland and Rory C. O’Connor

Stress and cortisol in Parkinson's disease
Daniel J. van Wamelen, Yi-Min Wan, K. Ray Chaudhuri and Peter Jenner

The effects of stress on cardiovascular disease and Alzheimer's disease: Physical exercise as a counteract measure
Gema Sanchis-Soler, Juan Tortosa-Martínez, Carmen Manchado-Lopez and Juan Manuel Cortell-Tormo

The intersections of stress, anxiety and epilepsy
Jay A. Salpekar, Trina Basu, Swami Thangaraj and Jamie Maguire

Stress and the vestibular system
Yougan Saman, Qadeer Arshad, Mayank Dutia and Peter Rea

Social prescribing for stress related disorders and brain health


Alison Fixsen and Marie Polley