Chapter 12: Psychological Factors and Physical Disorders Flashcards
Define “stress”
An event that threatens an individual’s balance or homeostasis
What are the three points of “General Adaptation Syndrome?”
1) Alarm reaction
Wherein physiological arousal prepares the body to fight or flee the stressor.
2) Resistance (Adaptation)
In which defense and adaptation are sustained and optimal
3) Exhaustion
Illness and sometimes death follow
When the body is stressed, what part of the HPA produces what kind of chemical, causing what to happen?
The adrenal medulla secretes, adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol, which circulates in the bloodstream and increase heart rate, respiration and metabolism of glucose.
What does the hypothalamus produce?
A corticotropin-releasing hormone, which travels through the bloodstream to the pituitary gland.
What does the pituitary gland secrete when exposed to a corticotropin-releasing hormone?
Secretes ACTH (Adrenocorticotropic hormone), activating the adrenal gland, which in humans, secretes cortisol.
Define “allostasis”
Refers to the adaptation of many bodily states simultaneously across many different life circumstances.
What chemicals are used for allostasis?
Glucocorticoids and the catecholamines
Define “allostatic Load”
The hidden price the body pays for this complex set of trade-offs among different systems and for the overproduction of the stress mediators.
What are some side-effects of allostatic loading?
Artherosclerosis, abdominal obesity, loss of mineral from bone, immunosuppression, atrophy, damage to regions of the brain, especially to the hippocampus
When does allostatic loading take place?
When there is frequent, repeated stress or inability to shut off the stress mediators efficiently in response to stress when aroused.
What are “macrophages” and what is their role in the immune system?
-Surround and digest antibodies, spitting them out onto their surface and summoning Helper T Cells, which either directly destroy the processed antigen or send out cytokines that signal B Cells and Cytotoxic T Cells to take action
What are “B Cells” and what is their role in the immune system?
B cells (which come from bone marrow) which are specific to that antigen multiply and produce antibodies that bind to and neutralize the antigens
What are “T Cells” and what is their role in the immune system?
Cytotoxic T Cells (Which come from the Thymin gland) bind to target cell containing an antigen and directly kill the antigen by lysing (breaking down) its cell membrane with chemicals.
How do “Natural Killer Cells” work?
They provide rapid responses to virally infected cells and respond to tumor formation, acting at around 3 days after infection.
How are NKCs unique?
They have the ability to recognize stressed cells in the absence of antibodies and MHC, allowing for a much faster immune reaction. They were named “natural killers” because of the initial notion that they do not require activation in order to kill cells that are missing “self” markers.
