For example, studies have found that caregivers, particularly those of dementia patients, have higher levels of depression and slightly worse physical health than non-caregivers.When humans are under chronic stress, permanent changes in their physiological, emotional, and behavioral responses may occur. Chronic stress can include events such as caring for a spouse with dementia, or may result from brief focal events that have long term effects, such as experiencing a sexual assault. Studies have also shown that psychological stress may directly contribute to the disproportionately high rates of coronary heart disease morbidity and mortality and its etiologic risk factors. Specifically, acute and chronic stress have been shown to raise serum lipids and are associated with clinical coronary events.However, it is possible for individuals to exhibit hardiness—a term referring to the ability to be both chronically stressed and healthy. Even though psychological stress is often connected with illness or disease, most healthy individuals can still remain disease-free after being confronted with chronic stressful events. This suggests that there are individual differences in vulnerability to the potential pathogenic effects of stress; individual differences in vulnerability arise due to both genetic and psychological factors. In addition, the age at which the stress is experienced can dictate its effect on health. Research suggests chronic stress at a young age can have lifelong effects on the biological, psychological, and behavioral responses to stress later in life. Etymology and historical usage
The term "stress" had none of its contemporary connotations before the 1920s.
The syndrome can also cause severe mental deficiencies in infants. Infants born with phocomelia will normally have a petite head with "sparse hair" that may appear "silvery-blonde." Hemangioma, the abnormal buildup of blood vessels, will possibly develop around the facial area at birth and the eyes may be set widely apart, a condition known as orbital hypertelorism. The pigment of the eyes will be a bluish white. Phocomelia can also cause: an undeveloped nose with slender nostrils, disfigured ears, irregularly petite jaws (a condition known as micrognathia), and a cleft lip with cleft palate. According to NORD, severe symptoms of phocomelia include:
A fissure of the skull and a projecting brain known as (encephalocele)
An accumulation of spinal fluid under the skull also known as hydrocephalus; causing vomiting and migraines
An abnormally shaped uterus (bicornuate)
Inability to clot blood efficiently due to a low amount of platelets running through the blood
Malformations in the kidney and heart
Shortened neck
Abnormalities in the urethra

Thalidomide syndrome symptoms
When an individual is born with phocomelia due to drugs or pharmaceuticals, it is known as thalidomide syndrome. The symptoms of thalidomide syndrome are defined by absent or shortened limbs; causing flipper hands and feet. According to Anthony J Perri III, and Sylvia Hsu they can additionally receive:
Palsy disorder of the face
Ear and eye abnormalities; resulting in limited/complete loss of hearing or sight
Gastrointestinal and genitourinary tract disorders
Ingrown genitalia
Undeveloped/missing lungs
Distorted digestive tract, heart, kidney
disorders to the limbsThe infants that were exposed to thalidomide during development phases had a 40% chance of survival.