Crowding in Prison: The Relationship Between Changes in Housing Mode and Blood Pressure

D'Atri, David A.; Fitzgerald, Edward F.; Kasl, Stanislav V.; Ostfeld, Adrian M.

doi:10.1097/00006842-198104000-00001

Cited by 51 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…Differences of only I I % t o 25% resulted in changes in perceived crowding, altered behavior, and rates of sick calls. Overall, these findings corroborate and extend the results of other crowding research conducted in correctional institutions under less controlled conditions (Cox et al, 1984;D'Atri, 1975;D'Atri et al, 1981;Megargee, 1977;Paulus et al, 1985;Ray et al, 1982).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

The Effects of Changes in Jail Population Densities on Crowding, Sick Call, and Spatial Behavior¹

Wener

Keys

1988

J Applied Social Pyschol

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Perceived crowding, rate of sick calls, and use of space were studied among jail inmates. The inmates had been randomly assigned to one of two jail units that were identical in design and management, but varied in population density levels. Initially, population density was rated at capacity on one unit, and over capacity on the other. Data were collected before and after a court order that caused population levels to be decreased on the unit over capacity and increased on the other, so that after the change density on both units was the same. Comparison data were also collected on several other units. The results revealed both absolute and contrast effects for density on inmates. Perceived crowding and sick call rates varied directly with density levels, but also were affected by the direction of shift. That is, when population levels were equal after the change, perceived crowding and sick call rates were higher on the unit that had experienced an increase in density. Also, as population levels increased, there tended to bean increase in isolated passive behavior and a decrease in isolated active behavior in public areas. Implications for crowding research and for jail design and management are discussed.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 89%

The Effects of Changes in Jail Population Densities on Crowding, Sick Call, and Spatial Behavior¹

Wener

Keys

1988

J Applied Social Pyschol

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“…In our study, we used a model of social stress produced by the crowding that results from reduced living space (Slezak et al, 2014). This model seems to be more relevant to the human condition (D’Atri et al, 1981; Fleming et al, 1987) than other experimental models of chronic stress, as it “typically evokes social stress reactions with prominent psychosocial components, mimicking emotional state alterations” (Bugajski, 1999). Although crowding is a relatively mild stressor, chronic exposure may lead to neuroendocrine, behavioral and cardiovascular alterations (Bugajski et al, 2006; Moiseeva et al, 2009; Bernatova et al, 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chronic Stress Produces Persistent Increases in Plasma Corticosterone, Reductions in Brain and Cardiac Nitric Oxide Production, and Delayed Alterations in Endothelial Function in Young Prehypertensive Rats

et al. 2018

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This study was designed to investigate whether oxidative stress, nitric oxide (NO) deficiency and/or endothelial dysfunction (ED) are present in young borderline hypertensive rats (BHR) and whether these pathologies can be causally involved in the initiation of blood pressure (BP) increases. Additionally, we tested the hypothesis that crowding stress, experienced during the peripubertal period, may produce persistent or delayed disorders in corticosterone release, NO synthesis, oxidative status and/or endothelial function that could accelerate BP increases. To test these hypotheses, 5-week-old male BHR and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) were either kept in control conditions (for 2 and 4 weeks, respectively) or exposed to social stress produced by crowding for 2 weeks (stress). After cessation of crowding, a group of rats of each phenotype was kept in control conditions for the next 2 weeks (post-stress). Systolic BP of 5-week-old BHR was significantly increased vs. age-matched WKY (127 ± 3 vs. 104 ± 3 mmHg, p < 0.01) and remained significantly higher throughout the course of the experiment. Despite elevated BP, no signs of oxidative damage to plasma lipids, NO deficiency or ED were observed in control BHR vs. age-matched WKY. Crowding stress elevated plasma corticosterone and accelerated BP increases only in BHR; these effects persisted 2 weeks post-stress. Crowding failed to induce oxidative damage to plasma lipids in either phenotype, but it produced persistent decreases in NO production in the hypothalamus and brainstem of both strains of rats, as well as in the hearts of BHR. In contrast, crowding failed to reduce NO production in the aortae or acetylcholine-induced relaxations of the femoral arteries in both strains investigated. However, significantly reduced aortic NO production was observed in BHR 2 weeks post-stress vs. age-matched controls, which was in agreement with reduced NO-dependent components of vasorelaxation. In conclusion, this study’s data showed that oxidative stress, NO deficiency and ED are not causally involved in initiation of blood pressure increase in BHR. However, exposure to stressful environments produced persistent increases in plasma corticosterone and reductions of brain and cardiac NO production followed by a delayed decrease in the NO-dependent component of endothelium-dependent relaxation—changes that collectively accelerated BP increases only in BHR.

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“…However, social stress produced by using large communal and complex population cages, resulted in stress-induced hypertension also in normotensive strains (Webb et al ., 1987; Henry et al ., 1993). In humans, an elevation of blood pressure was observed in prisoners when they were transferred from single occupancy cells to multiple occupancy dormitories, supporting the crowding theory (D'Atri et al ., 1981). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Chronic social stress increases nitric oxide-dependent vasorelaxation in normotensive rats

Púzserová¹,

Bernátová²

2010

Interdisciplinary Toxicology

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The aim of this study was to examine oxidative load and endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation in the serotonin pre-constricted femoral artery (FA) of Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats exposed to chronic social stress produced by crowding in the presence or absence of ascorbic acid (AsA) in working solution. Adult male rats were randomly divided into control (living space: 480 cm2/rat) or stressed (living space: 200 cm2/rat) groups for 8 weeks. Blood pressure and heart rate, determined using tail-cuff plethysmography, were not influenced by stress vs. control. Conjugated dienes (CD) and concentrations of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) were measured in the left ventricle and liver (for assessment of oxidative load) and were found unchanged by chronic crowding. The nitric oxide (NO)-dependent component of endothelium-dependent relaxation was investigated in the FA using a wire myograph. In both the presence and absence of AsA, acetylcholine-induced relaxation of the FA of stressed rats significantly exceeded that of the controls, which was associated with an increase of the NO-dependent component. In conclusion, the data showed that chronic crowding did not produce oxidative stress in the organs investigated and indicate that elevation of NO production during chronic stress is an important way of adaptation, which may prevent normotensive rats from the development of stress-induced hypertension.

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Crowding in Prison: The Relationship Between Changes in Housing Mode and Blood Pressure

Cited by 51 publications

References 29 publications

The Effects of Changes in Jail Population Densities on Crowding, Sick Call, and Spatial Behavior¹

The Effects of Changes in Jail Population Densities on Crowding, Sick Call, and Spatial Behavior¹

Chronic Stress Produces Persistent Increases in Plasma Corticosterone, Reductions in Brain and Cardiac Nitric Oxide Production, and Delayed Alterations in Endothelial Function in Young Prehypertensive Rats

Chronic social stress increases nitric oxide-dependent vasorelaxation in normotensive rats

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Crowding in Prison: The Relationship Between Changes in Housing Mode and Blood Pressure

Cited by 51 publications

References 29 publications

The Effects of Changes in Jail Population Densities on Crowding, Sick Call, and Spatial Behavior1

The Effects of Changes in Jail Population Densities on Crowding, Sick Call, and Spatial Behavior1

Chronic Stress Produces Persistent Increases in Plasma Corticosterone, Reductions in Brain and Cardiac Nitric Oxide Production, and Delayed Alterations in Endothelial Function in Young Prehypertensive Rats

Chronic social stress increases nitric oxide-dependent vasorelaxation in normotensive rats

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The Effects of Changes in Jail Population Densities on Crowding, Sick Call, and Spatial Behavior¹

The Effects of Changes in Jail Population Densities on Crowding, Sick Call, and Spatial Behavior¹