Chapter 11 Flashcards
What is unique about human stress?
Stress in humans can turn on even when we are safe.
What is stress?
A physiological response to a perceived or actual threat leading to an autonomic reaction.
What is the function of stress?
To act as an alarm to prepare the body for action by activating the sympathetic nervous system.
What neurotransmitter is involved in stress?
Norepinephrine
Where is norepinephrine created?
The Locus Coeruleus
What structures are important to stress?
Amygdala, Hypothalamus, Pituitary, Adrenal Gland, and Locus Coeruleus
What is the amygdala’s function in stress?
Acts as an alarm bell starting the stress system.
What is the hypothalamus’ function in stress?
It is the master regulator of the endocrine system.
What is the pituitary gland’s function in stress?
Bridges the hypothalamus and body. Also, it acts as a communicator from the body to the brain.
What is the adrenal gland’s function in stress?
It relesaes epinephrine and cortisol.
What characterizes initiation of stress?
Nerves/ nervous system.
What characterizes the sustainment of stress?
Hormones/ the endocrine system
What are the 2 steps of the stress response?
Initiation and Sustainment.
What does the initial stress response release?
Epinephrine and norepinephrine
What is the pathway of initiating a stress response?
Amygdala → Hypothalamus → nerves → adrenal medulla (the core adrenal gland) → releases epinephrine and norepinephrine.
What are the effects of the stress response?
Increased heart rate, breathing, and release of glucose in storage for action.
What happens after norepinephrine and epinephrine levels wind down after a stress response?
The hypothalamus initiates a response to release cortisol.
What is the pathway for sustaining a stress response?
Hypothalamus [Corticotropin Releasing Hormone (CRH)] → pituitary [Adrenocorticotropic Hormone (ACTH)] → adrenal corex releases cortisol
What are the effects of cortisol?
Maintaining fight-or-flight response for extended periods throughout the body.
What are the types of stress?
Trick question haha. Stress only varies in intensity, but specific stressors aren’t separated by type.
If stress isn’t specific, what are emotions?
Emotions are label our brain puts on stressors/responses.
What is the full pathway for sustaining a stress response?
Norepinephrine → hypothalamus (releasing CRH) → median eminence → pituitary stalk → anterior pituitary → adrenal cortex → ACTH → adrenal gland → cortisol → glucocorticoid recpetors → sympathetic nervous response
What systems are involved in processing emotions?
Prefrontal cortex and limbic system (hypothalamus, thalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, cingulate cortex, and nucleus accumbens)
What is the prefrontal cortex’s role in processing emotion?
It regulates fear
