Atheoretical means “not based on or connected to any specific theory.” In research or academic contexts, if something is described as atheoretical, it means it does not rely on, reference, or develop a particular theoretical framework or set of guiding principles. Instead, it may simply present data, observations, or findings without attempting to explain them using established theories. For example, an atheoretical study on eating habits might collect and report data about what people eat, but it would not interpret the results using psychological or nutritional theories about why people make those choices.

Attachment anxiety predisposes an individual to be preoccupied with the reliability of the person they are attached to and that person’s availability to satisfy the individual’s attachment needs.

Avoidance describes the proneness to feel fear and uneasiness regarding intimacy and to find it difficult to accept being dependent on others within an affective relationship.

Attention is a complex term that can refer to a general level of alertness or vigilance, a general state of arousal, orientation versus habituation to a stimuli, and the ability to focus, divide, or sustain mental effort.

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is a subdivision of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) that regulates the body’s vital functions, such as blood pressure, heart rate, breathing, and digestion. It is further subdivided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems (Gibbons, 2019).

Bacteria are a type of microorganism with different shapes and structures. In bacteriology, they are mainly classified into two main types, gram-negative and gram-positive, based on the physical and chemical properties of the cell wall.

The migration of potentially harmful bacteria or their toxic products from one site of the body (such as the gut) to other organs or tissues due to compromised barrier integrity.

A condition characterized by an imbalance in the vaginal microbiota, where beneficial lactobacilli are reduced and replaced by an overgrowth of other bacteria. This shift can cause symptoms such as unusual discharge or odor, although some cases are asymptomatic.

BALB/c mice are a widely used strain of laboratory mice commonly used in biomedical research (i.e., including immunology, oncology, and infectious disease research) due to their genetic uniformity, susceptibility to certain diseases, and ability to produce high levels of antibodies (Brodkin, 2007; Willott et al., 1998).

The basal ganglia is a part of the brain comprising multiple structures that primarily modulate motor tone and involuntary motor movement. Damage to this area is implicated in movement disorders such as Parkinson’s Disease.