CHILDHOOD MALNUTRITION EFFECTS ON STRESS RESPONSE

儿童营养不良是一个全球性的公共卫生问题。 发育迟缓的儿童有许多发展困难，包括 认知功能缺陷和学习成绩差。研究 已经证明了早期营养不良和 情绪反应增强，导致了一个假设， 可能会干扰认知功能然而，几乎有 没有人类探索这种可能性的研究。在我的提议中， 博士研究，我将调查受损的压力反应的作用， 作为一个潜在的中介变量， 营养不良儿童的结果。我将检验这个假设， 有营养不良史的儿童 适应新的环境，更容易沮丧和焦虑 比营养充足的孩子更重要为了解决这个重要问题， 发育迟缓和非发育迟缓的牙买加儿童将获得 心理压力源（如面试、心算、挫折 任务）和身体应激源（例如等长握柄）。应力 营养不良和营养充足的儿童的反应将是 使用行为测量结合生理测量进行比较 心血管、肾上腺皮质和自主神经的测量 系统.这项研究的结果将增加我们对 对压力的敏感性如何导致穷人 营养不良儿童的认知和社会发展。

Childhood malnutrition is a public health problem of global proportions. Stunted children have numerous developmental difficulties, including deficits in cognitive functioning and poor school performance. Research with animals has demonstrated a link between early malnutrition and heightened emotional reactivity, leading to the hypothesis that stress could interfere with cognitive functioning. However, there has been almost no research with humans exploring this possibility. In my proposed doctoral research, I will investigate the role of impaired stress response as a potential mediating variable contributing to negative developmental outcomes in malnourished children. I will test the hypothesis that children who have suffered a history of malnutrition are less able to adapt to novel environments, and become frustrated and anxious more easily than adequately nourished children. To address this important question, stunted and non-stunted Jamaican children will be presented with psychological stressors (e.g. interview, mental arithmetic, frustrating tasks) and physical stressors (e.g. isometric handgrip). The stress response of the malnourished and adequately nourished children will be compared using behavioral measures in combination with physiological measures of the cardiovascular, adrenocortical, and autonomic nervous systems. The findings of this research will increase our understanding of how heightened susceptibility to stress may contribute to the poor cognitive and social development of malnourished children.