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Psychological factors in Diabetes

Psychological factors can have a significant impact on the development and progression of diabetes. Dr. Surwit has been a pioneer in the study of how psychological factors such as stress and depression influence glucose control in diabetes. His research has shown that stress can be an important factor in glucose control and that stress management techniques such as progressive relaxation training can lead to clinically significant improvements in diabetes control. Dr. Surwit’s research group has also shown that depression is related to diabetes control, particularly in patients with type 1 diabetes. Most recently, Dr. Surwit’s research has focused on how personality factors might be related to abnormalities in blood sugar in non-diabetic individuals. Some of his most important publications in this area are listed below.

  1. Surwit, R.S., Scovern, A.W., & Feinglos, M.N. The role of behavior in diabetes care. Diabetes Care, 1992, 5, 337-342.
  2. Surwit, R.S., Feinglos, M.N., & Scover, A.W. Diabetes and behavior: A challenge for health psycology. American Psycologist, 1983, 38, 255-262.
  3. Surwit, R.S., & Feinglos, M.N. The effects of relaxation on glucose tolerance in non-insulin dependent diabetes, Diabetes Care, 1983, 6, 176-179.
  4. Surwit, R.S., Feinglos, M.N., Livingston, E.G., Khun, C.M., & McCubbin, J.A. Behavioral manipulation of the diabetic phenotype in ob/ob mice. Diabetes, 1984, 33, 616-618.
  5. Surwit, R.S., McCubbin, J.A., Livingston, E.G & Feinglos, M.N. Classically conditioned hyperglycemia in obese mouse. Psychosomatic Medicine 1985, 47, 565-568.
  6. Surwit, R.S., McCubbin, J.A., Kuhn, C.M., McGee, D., Gerstenfeld, D. & Feinglos, M.N. Alprazolam reduces stress hyperglycemia in ob/ob mice. Psychosomatic Medicine, 1986, 48, 278-282.
  7. Surwit, R.S., and Feinglos, M.N. Stress and autonbomic nervous system in type II diabetes mellitus: A hypothosis. Diabetes Care, 1988, 11, 83-85.
  8. Lane, J.D., McCaskill, C.C., Ross, S.L., Feinglos, M.N., and Surwit, R.S. Relaxation training for non-insulin dependent diabetes: Predicting who will benefit. Diabetes Care, 1993, 16, 1087-1094.
  9. Esposito-del Puente, A., Lillioja, S., Bogardus, C., McCubbin, J.A., Feinglos, M.N., Kuhn, C.M., and Surwit, R.S. Glycemic response to stress is altered in euglycemic Pima Indians. International Journal of Obesity, 1994, 18, 766-770.
  10. Lane, J.D., McCaskill, C.M., Williams, P.G., Parekh, P.I., Feinglos, M.N., Surwit, R.S. Personality Correlates of Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes Care, 2000, 23, 1321-1325.
  11. Surwit, R.S., vanTilbur, M.A.L., Zucker, N., McCaskill, C.M. Parekh, P., Feinglos, M.N., Edwards, C.L., Williams, P., and Lane, J.D. Stress management improves long-term glycemic control in type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care, 2002, 25, 30-34.
  12. Surwit, R.S., Williams, R.B., Siegler, I.C., Lane, J.D., Helms, M., Applegate, K.L., Zucker, N., Feinglos, M.N., McCaskill, C.M. and Barefoot, J.C. Hostility, race and glucose metabolism in non-diabetic individuals. Diabetes Care, 2002, 25, 835-839.