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PSYC342 > Chapter 11 > Flashcards

Chapter 11 Flashcards

1
Q

Compare animals that cope effectively with stress vs not in terms of longevity and reproduction

A

Animals that cope effectively with stress live longer and leave
more offspring.

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2
Q

What factors determine the level of stress resilience in animals?

A

Genetics, Environment and Coping mechanisms
-Ex: an animal with a strong immune system and effective stress response is more likely to
reproduce than one with chronic stress-related health issues.

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3
Q

What are the key structures involved in stress?

A

Hypothalamus: Regulates hormonal responses
Pituitary gland: Releases ACTH, triggering stress hormone release
Adrenal glands: Secrete glucocorticoids (ex: cortisol) that modulate stress responsesi

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4
Q

What are the Sympathetic and Parasympathetic NS?

A
  • Sympathetic nervous system–>activates “fight or flight”
  • Parasympathetic nervous system–>restores balance after stress
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5
Q

Energy is allocated among what competing needs?

A
  • Growth
  • Cellular maintenance
  • Immune function
  • Reproduction
  • Thermogenesis (heat production)
    –>when energy is scarce, non-essential functions are “put aside”?W
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6
Q

What is homeostasis? How does stress impacts it?

A

The body’s ability to maintain a stable internal
environment.
Stress disrupts homeostasis, requiring energy to restore balance.

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7
Q

What are the 3 types of stressors?

A

Environmental stressors (Extreme temperatures, noise, etc.)
Physiological Stressors (Hunger, dehydration, illness, etc.)
Psychosocial Stressors (Social conflicts, lack of control in a situation, etc.)

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8
Q

What interactive networks of mediators do stressors activate?

A
  • Glucocorticoids
  • Sympathetic neurotransmitters
  • Cytokines (immune system signaling molecules)
  • Metabolic hormones
    –> These mediators influence each other dynamically, depending on [ ], location, and timing.
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9
Q

In humans, stress response vary based on: (5)

A
  • Psychological makeup (ex: resilience, coping strategies)
  • Genetic predisposition
  • Developmental history (ex: childhood stress exposure)
  • Social environment (ex: support systems, hierarchy status)
  • Behavioral state (current activity and mindset
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10
Q

How has chronic stress has been shown to affect parental care behaviors in rodents?

A

It has been shown to reduce it

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11
Q

What is the stress response?

A

A suite of physiological and behavioral reactions aimed at reestablishing homeostasis. It is relatively nonspecific (different stressors often elicit similar responses)

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12
Q

What are the 2 major endocrine systems involved in the stress response?

A
  • Epinephrine (adrenaline) from the adrenal medulla
  • Glucocorticoids from the adrenal cortex
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13
Q

How is the stress response activated?

A

Within seconds of perceiving a stressor:
1. The sympathetic nervous system secretes norepinephrine.
2. The adrenal medullae release epinephrine.

a few minutes later…
3. The adrenal cortex secretes glucocorticoids.

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14
Q

What is Cannon’s Emergency Theory (1915)?

A

Suggested that epinephrine secretion increases in response to stressors to facilitate adaptation.
* Research in the 1920s and 1930s demonstrated epinephrine’s effects on
respiration and cardiovascular function.
* Epinephrine acts first because even a small increase leads to significant changes in Respiration rate, heart rate and blood pressure

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15
Q

What is the fight or flight response?

A

The immediate changes in respiration rate, heart rate and blood pressure caused by the increase of epinephrine.

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16
Q

What do norepinephrine and epinephrine do during the fight-or-flight response?

A

They increase blood glucose levels to fuel the response and enhance alertness and memory formation.

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17
Q

How does modern research differ from traditional views on stress responses?

A

It emphasizes psychological control over stress rather than just fight-or-flight reactions.

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18
Q

In the study on PhD students what pattern was shown in their epinephrine and norepinephrine levels follow during exams?

A

They increased before the exam, peaked on the exam day, and declined after passing the exam.

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19
Q

What is the role of the HPA axis in stress regulation?

A

It regulates hormonal responses to stress by releasing CRH, ACTH, and corticosterone.

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20
Q

What are the key hormones involved in the initial stress response?

A

Epinephrine (from adrenal medulla), norepinephrine (from sympathetic nervous system), and CRH (from the hypothalamus).

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21
Q

What are the key hormones involved in the initial stress response?

A

Epinephrine (from adrenal medulla), norepinephrine (from sympathetic nervous system), and CRH (from the hypothalamus).

  • prolactin and vasopressin are also released during stress
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22
Q

Once released by the hypothalamus, what does the CRH release stimulate?

A
  • ACTH and β-endorphin from the anterior pituitary
  • Corticosterone secretion from adrenal cortex
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23
Q

What were the findings of the Parachute Jump Study?

A

Cortisol, epinephrine, norepinephrine, and growth hormone increased on the first jump day, while testosterone decreased initially but returned to baseline the next day.
Recruits adapted overtime, reducing stress response

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24
Q

What is a key difference between glucocorticoids and epinephrine?
What structure releases glucocorticoids?

A

Glucocorticoids (released by the adrenal cortex) can cross the blood-brain barrier and affect behavior.

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25
What are examples of glucocorticoids in different species?
Corticosterone in rodents, birds, and reptiles; cortisol in primates, fish, and large mammals.
26
What did Hans Selye discover while studying ovarian hormones? What concept emerged from his findings?
The nonspecific nature of the stress response (Different stressors trigger similar physiological reactions, including peptic ulcers, adrenal hypertrophy, and immune suppression.) The concept of General Adaptation Syndrome
27
Where does the concept of stress originate from?
The concept originates from engineering, where it refers to forces acting against resistance.
28
How is stress defined in biology?
Stress includes stressors (causes), stress responses (effects), and the physiological intermediates between them.
29
How did George Chrousos define stress?
Stress is the body's recognition of a stressor and the attempt to reestablish homeostasis.
30
How did Robert Sapolsky define a stressor?
A stressor is anything that disrupts homeostasis, such as injury, illness, or environmental extremes.
31
What are the limitations of the homeostatic model?
1. Non-stressful homeostatic disruptions 2. Psychological stressors 3. Individual variations 4. Physiological overlap (both stressful and pleasurable experiences trigger physiological responses)
32
What are the three components of stress according to Kim & Diamond?
1. Arousal by aversive stimuli (hormonal and physiological activation). 2. Perceived aversiveness (stress occurs only when a stimulus is seen as aversive). 3. Controllability (stress intensity depends on perceived control).
33
What are the first steps in the stress response?
The sympathetic nervous system secretes norepinephrine; the adrenal medulla secretes epinephrine.
34
What is the HPA axis cascade?
Hypothalamus → CRH → Anterior pituitary → ACTH → Adrenal cortex → Glucocorticoids *additional hormones: prolactin, urocortin, glucagon, thyroid hormones and vasopressin
35
What are immediate physiological effects of stress?
↑ respiration & heart rate ↑ glucose/oxygen [blood flow] availability [to muscles] ↑ immune cell trafficking to skin ↓ pain/inflammation via endorphins & endocannabinoids. suppression of non-essential functions (ex: growth, reproduction, digestion, some immune fx)
36
What happens physiologically after the stressor ends?
Parasympathetic nervous system activates; metabolic rate returns to baseline.
37
Where is CRH found and what does it do?
CRH initiates the stress cascade and mediates adaptive and pathological stress responses Found in hypothalamus (HPA regulation) and amygdala (anxiety modulation). Initiates and modulates stress responses.
38
What are the 2 CRH receptor type identified?
CRH1: knockout =↓ anxiety and altered stress responses CRH2: activation= ↓ food intake; contributes to stress-induced appetite suppression
39
Difference between MR and GR [corticosteroid] receptors in the hippocampus?
MRs (Type I) work during baseline (maintain homeostasis) GRs (Type II) activate during stress and give negative feedback (regulate glucocorticoid levels)
40
How do endocannabinoids influence stress?
Mediate glucocorticoid effects on stress response. Glucocorticoids (corticosterone) activate mbGR → endocannabinoid production → binds CB1 → ↓ GABA → ↑ norepinephrine.
41
What are the effects of vasopressin?
Increases blood volume/pressure, enhances memory consolidation, contributes to aggression
42
What are the effects of prolactin?
Suppresses reproductive functions through multiple pathways *temporarily, under stressful conditions
43
What are the effects of glucagon?
Increases energy availability while insulin secretion is inhibited
44
What is released to suppress pain perception?
Endorphins and enkephalins
45
What are long-term effects of chronic stress?
Disrupted endocrine regulation, ↑ vasopressin, ↑ prolactin, ↑ glucagon, ↓ insulin, pain suppression via endorphins.
46
How does stress response differ by sex?
Women more likely to internalize (PTSD); men externalize (violence). Different trauma types (e.g., war vs. sexual aggression).
47
What affects individual stress perception?
Life experience, genetics, receptor availability, past trauma.
48
What is the cold pressor test used for?
Measure physiological stress response (pain tolerance, HR, BP, cortisol) by immersing hand in ice water.
49
What did the 1934 cold pressor study find?
Children who overreacted to the cold pressor test had ↑ risk of cardiovascular disease later in life. *strong link between physiological responses to stress and long-term health outcomes
50
Describe the design of the Monkey Study
- two monkeys deprived of food to examine how individual differences affect stress responses - Both experienced E deficits, but one received a nonnutritive flavored placebo (thought it was eating, but still calorie deprived)
51
What did the monkey placebo study show? describe results
Control monkey displayed elevated stress hormone levels Monkey with placebo showed NO glucocorticoid spike → Perceived stress matters as much as actual physiological deprivation
52
How does social housing affect rodent stress?
Isolation ↑ glucocorticoids (naturally in social groups) Group housing → hierarchy affects stress: dominants ↓, subordinates ↑
53
Four psychological factors that modulate stress response?
Control, Predictability, Outlets for Frustration, Habituation.
54
How do rats subjected to electric shocks differ when they have control via a lever vs not?
The rat with control showed lower glucocorticoid secretion
55
How do rats differ in liver lesions when the shock is signaled vs not?
Unsignaled shocks led to more liver lesions *Intense, unexpected stressors cause lasting brain changes
56
How do outlets for frustration help?
Displacement behavior (e.g., chewing wood, hobbies) ↓ stress hormones. *Both active and passive leg swinging led to a reduction of HR, but higher reduction when passive (natural, not told to)
57
What is habituation to stress?
Repeated exposure to a stressor without negative consequences leads to ↓ stress response over time (learning it is not threatening)
58
Ppl with PTSD have _________ hippocampal volume. Amygdala was __________ and was smaller in relation to how __________ people lived from 9/11 event.
Smaller Smaller, close
59
How do some individuals avoid PTSD?
Through perceived control (e.g., lucky charm), resilience.
60
Most effective intervention to reduce stress effects?
Taking action (e.g., studying if stressed about exams), plus physical activity, mindfulness, support, purpose.

PSYC342 (10 decks)

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