Dr Stuart Cathcart

Biography

Stuart completed his PhD at UniSA in 2009 on the psychophysiology of stress and pain. He was a Lecturer in Clinical Psychology at University of South Australia in 2010, and was a Sports Psychologist at the South Australian Sports Institute from 2009-2011. He is currently Assistant Professor in Psychology at University of Canberra, and operates a private sports psychology practice in ACT.

Teaching Areas

  • Health Psychology & Behaviour
  • Sport & Exercise Psychology
  • Psychology 101
  • Psychological Measurement

Research Interests

Stuart’s research interests include acute and chronic pain mechanisms and management (particularly psycho-physiological and neuro-immunological mechanisms), mindfulness in clinical and sport settings, psychophysiology of endurance exercise, and the effects of stress on motor learning.

Selected Publications & Presentations

Cathcart, S., Della-Vedova, C., Dohnalek, A., Immink, M. & Hayball, J. Altered cytokine levels are related to clinical and para-clinical features of chronic tension-type headache (in preparation).

Cathcart, S., Galatis, N., Immink, M., Proeve, M., Petkov, J. Brief mindfulness-based meditation for chronic tension-type headache: A randomized controlled trial (in preparation).

Cathcart, S. & Bhullar, N. Pain sensitivity mediates the relationship between stress and headache intensity in Chronic Tension-Type Headache (in submission).

Cathcart, S. McGregor, M. & Groundwater, E. Mindfulness and flow in elite athletes (in submission).

Della-Vedova, C. Cathcart, S. Dohnalek, A., Immink, M. & Hayball, J. Interleukin-1 Beta and Interleukin-18 levels are elevated in Chronic Tension-Type Headache. Cephalalgia (in press)

Cathcart, S., Winefield A.H., Lushington, K. & Rolan, P. (2010) Stress and tension-type headache mechanisms. Cephalalgia 30(10): 1250-1267.

Cathcart, S., Winefield A.H., Lushington, K. & Rolan, P. (2010) Noxious inhibition of temporal summation is impaired in tension-type headache. Headache 50(3):403-412.

Cathcart, S., Petkov, J., Winefield A.H., Lushington, K. & Rolan, P. (2010) Central mechanisms of stress-induced headache. Cephalalgia 30(3): 285-295.

Cathcart, S., Winefield A.H., Rolan, P. & Lushington, K. (2009) Reliability of temporal summation and diffuse noxious inhibitory controls. Pain Research & Management 14(6): 433-438.

Cathcart, S. (2009) A neural hypothesis for stress-induced headache. Medical Hypotheses 73: 1011-1013.

Cathcart, S., Winefield A.H., Lushington, K. & Rolan, P. (2009) Effect of mental stress on cold pain in chronic tension-type headache sufferers. Journal of Headache and Pain 10 (5): 367-373.

Cathcart, S., Petkov, J. & Pritchard, D. (2008) Effects of induced stress on experimental pain sensitivity in Chronic Tension-Type Headache sufferers. European Journal of Neurology 15 (6): 552-558.

Cathcart, S. & Pritchard, D. (2008) Daily hassles and pain sensitivity in Chronic Tension-Type Headache Sufferers. Stress and Health 24 (2); 123-127.

Cathcart, S. & Pritchard, D. (2006) Reliability of pain threshold measurement in young adults. Journal of Headache and Pain 7 (1) 21-26

Materazzo, F. Cathcart, S. & Pritchard, D. (2001) Anger, depression and coping interactions in headache activity and adjustment: A controlled study. Journal of Psychosomatic Research 49 (1) 69-75

Sachdev, P. Smith, J.S.. & Cathcart, S. (2001) Schizophrenia-like psychosis following traumatic brain injury: A chart-based descriptive and case control study. Psychosomatic Medicine 31: 231-239.

Sachdev, P. Brodaty, H. Cheang, D. & Cathcart, S. (2000) Hippocampus and amygdala volumes in elderly schizophrenic patients as assessed by magnetic resonance imaging. Psychiatry & Clinical Neuroscience 54 (1) 105-112

Cathcart, S. & Materazzo, F. (1999) Headache interference as a function of affect and coping: An artificial neural network analysis. Headache 39 (4); 270-274.

Cathcart, S. & Pritchard, D. (1999) Time series analysis of general arousal and headache activity in the natural environment. Headache 39 (3);213-217

Sachdev, P. Cathcart, S. Shnier, R. & Brodaty, H. (1999) The reliability and validity of signal hyperintensities on MRI by visual inspection and computerized measurement. Psychiatry Research 92:103-105.

Sachdev, P. Brodaty, H. & Cathcart, S (1999) A quantitative study of T2-weighted hyperintensities on magnetic resonance imaging in late-onset schizophrenia. American Journal of Psychiatry. 156 (12):1958-67

Sachdev, P. Saharov, T. & Cathcart, S. (1999) The preventative role of antioxidants (Selegiline and vitamin E) in a rat model of dyskinesia. Biological Psychiatry 46:1672-1681

Sachdev, P. Brodaty, H. Rose, N. & Cathcart, S. (1999) Schizophrenia with onset after age 50 years: II Neurological, neuropsychological and MRI investigation. British Journal of Psychiatry 175:416-421

Cathcart, S. & Pritchard, D. (1998) Relationships between arousal related moods and episodic tension type headache: A biopsychological study. Headache 38 (3); 214-221

Recent Funding

  • 2011 
    University of Canberra Early Career Research Grant, $20,000; Is attentional bias involved in central mechanisms of tension-type headache? (Cathcart, Cooper)
  • 2011
    University of Canberra Faculty of Health Research Development Support Grant, $5000; Quantitative sensory testing for predicting treatment response and risk of pain chronification in physiotherapy patients presenting with idiopathic pain (Cathcart, Green).
  • 2011
    Australian Institute of Sport / Swimming Australia Research Grants, $8660; "Mindfulness training for pacing and fatigue resistance in sustained sub-maximal endurance activity: A randomized controlled trial" (Cathcart, McGregor, Immink)
  • 2010
    University of South Australia Division of Health Sciences Research Development Grant, $14,992 “Circadian and stress challenge changes in cortisol and cognitive performance amongst individuals reporting chronic stress versus those reporting long-term meditation practices” (Kelly, Immink, Della-Vedova, Hayball, Cathcart)
  • 2010
    Medical Advances Without Animals Trust, Project Grant, $28,000; Immune function in a human model of chronic pain (Cathcart, Immink, Hayball)
  • 2010
    University of South Australia School of Psychology and School of Health Sciences funding, $2700; Efficacy and mechanisms of mindfulness-based meditation for chronic headache (Cathcart, Immink, Hayball)

Professional Memberships

  • Psychology Board of Australia (areas of endorsement: Generalist, Sport and Exercise Psychology).
  • Member Australian Psychological Society
  • Member Australian Psychological Society College of Sports Psychology.
  • Member Australian Association for Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.
  • Member International Association for the Study of Pain.
  • Member Australian Pain Society.