Subject(s)
Battered Women/psychology , Role , Social Work , Spouse Abuse/psychology , Female , Humans , Male , Models, PsychologicalABSTRACT
Franks's social psychological model of oppressive situations and asymmetric role-taking offers a new way of understanding the predicaments faced by battered women. Unlike individualistic or single-factor explanations, the model suggests that women faced with a particular combination of situational pressures and relationship inequities are especially vulnerable to distressful emotions and self-esteem difficulties. Survey data from 66 battered women using domestic violence services and 80 nonbattered women were collected to test the major propositions of the model. Battered women's social situations were oppressive and characterized by powerlessness, social isolation, and economic dependency. Batterers were poor empathizers. Predictions about self-blame and identification with the aggressor were not confirmed. The practical value of this theoretical approach with its emphasis on enhancing women's power base and increasing men's interpersonal sensitivity is developed.
Subject(s)
Battered Women/psychology , Role , Adaptation, Psychological , Adult , Domestic Violence , Emotions , Empathy , Female , Forecasting , Helplessness, Learned , Humans , Interpersonal Relations , Male , Middle Aged , Models, Psychological , Self Concept , Social Class , Social Environment , Social IsolationSubject(s)
Brain/metabolism , Plasma/physiology , Premenstrual Syndrome/blood , Serotonin/metabolism , Adult , Analysis of Variance , Animals , Female , Humans , In Vitro Techniques , Male , Rats , Rats, Inbred Strains , Synaptosomes/metabolismABSTRACT
The present study determined the kinetic properties of platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) in patients with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and control subjects during the pre- and postmenstrual intervals. In addition, we investigated the effects of plasma obtained during the pre- and postmenstrual intervals from both subject groups on MAO activity in washed human platelets and rat brain synaptosomes. The Vmax of platelet MAO in postmenstrual PMS patients was significantly less than that during the premenstrual phase. Plasma from both subject groups (10-100 microliters) inhibited platelet and synaptosomal MAO in a dose-dependent manner to approximately the same degree at each time interval. The results indicate that although human plasma contains endogenous substances which inhibit MAO activity, alterations in their concentration are probably not responsible for the previously reported transient changes in platelet MAO activity in PMS.
Subject(s)
Blood Platelets/enzymology , Brain/enzymology , Monoamine Oxidase/metabolism , Premenstrual Syndrome/blood , Synaptosomes/enzymology , Animals , Female , Kinetics , Male , Monoamine Oxidase/blood , Rats , Rats, Sprague-DawleyABSTRACT
The effects of plasma and an aqueous plasma fraction from patients with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and control subjects on the uptake of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in washed human platelets and rat forebrain synaptosomes were studied. Pre- and postmenstrual samples of unextracted plasma from the control group significantly enhanced platelet uptake of 5-HT. In contrast, an aqueous fraction following extraction of the plasma with organic solvents caused a dose-dependent decrease of 5-HT uptake. Plasma obtained from patients with PMS caused less stimulation of 5-HT uptake compared to plasma from the control group. The aqueous fraction of premenstrual plasma from patients tended to inhibit 5-HT uptake to a greater extent than a similar plasma fraction from controls. The inhibition of 5-HT uptake was associated with an increase in Km. Aqueous plasma fractions from both groups also inhibited 5-HT uptake in brain synaptosomes. However, there were no significant differences between groups. The results of the platelet study suggest that there may be quantitative differences in the plasma concentration of endogenous factors that affect 5-HT uptake between patients with PMS and control subjects and that such differences may explain the previously reported alteration of platelet 5-HT uptake and content associated with PMS symptoms.
Subject(s)
Blood Platelets/metabolism , Brain/metabolism , Plasma/metabolism , Premenstrual Syndrome/metabolism , Serotonin/pharmacokinetics , Synaptosomes/metabolism , Adult , Animals , Blood Platelets/drug effects , Brain/drug effects , Female , Humans , Male , Rats , Rats, Inbred Strains , Synaptosomes/drug effectsABSTRACT
Platelet uptake and content of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity, and plasma free and total tryptophan levels were determined in patients diagnosed with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and in control subjects. The Vmax of 5-HT uptake and 5-HT content in platelets of PMS patients were significantly decreased during the premenstrual phase (cycle days -9 to -1) compared to control subjects. Platelet MAO activity was significantly lower postmenstrually (cycle days 5-9) in PMS patients compared to the premenstrual phase. There were no differences in plasma free and total tryptophan levels between PMS patients and control subjects during either interval. As platelets are believed to be a peripheral model for central serotonergic neurons, the results suggest that PMS symptomatology may be related to alterations in serotonergic neuronal mechanisms.
