Chapter 2 Flashcards
Who became the first health psychologist, in a sense?
> In a sense, Charles Darwin (1872) became the first health psychologist when he suggested that emotional reactions such as fear and anger are the product of evolution and have widespread effects on behaviour and the body
How does the human circulatory system seem relatively simple?
> because it is similar to closed-loop arrangements, such as a heating system, that circulate water.
Pressure in the cardiovascular system is higher and lower in different states. Describe and name them.
s + d
> Pressure in the system is higher after the heart beats = the systolic phase of the heart
> Lower in the resting phase = the diastolic phase)
- but in general flow is uninterrupted.
The activity associated with the contraction of the two atria is reflected as what type of wave?
> as the P-wave in the electrical signature of the heart. (normal rhythm)
Contraction of the more powerful ventricles is reflected by what type of wave?
the R-wave (large spikes)
What causes death of the heart muscles?
> myocardial infarction
Death of heart muscle cells as the result of a myocardial infarction can produce various forms of what? What does this do to the cells?
> can cause various forms of fibrillation
> this may cause the remaining cells to contract in an uncoordinated fashion, decreasing the efficiency of the pump
What is fibrillation?
> an interuption of the smooth flow of electrical activity across the heart.
What does defibrillation involve?
> the use of a large shock in the hope of resetting the electrical profile of the heart.
In general, myocardial infarctions are the result of what?
> the process of atherosclerosis. That is, a
number of stimuli such as cigarette smoke and high blood pressure can damage the interior lining of the arteries, the endothelium.
What does atherosclerosis lead to?
> an excessive repair process involving inflammation, clotting, cholesterol buildup, and eventually plaques that extend into the artery and reduce blood flow
Does atherosclerosis only occur in the heart?
NO. Atherosclerosis can occur in any artery, but those that supply the heart muscle are especially important
Where is pain often experienced in the body? (In what areas)
> pain is often experienced in areas of the body that have a reduction in blood flow.
In the case of reduced blood flow to the heart, how is pain experienced there?
> pain is often experienced in the form of angina, a pain or tightness in the chest or shoulder.
Angina, an important sign, although not universal is a warning sign for what?
> of risk for myocardial infarction and fibrillation.
The human body is often described humorously as what?
> a doughnut— because its exterior surface includes an interior passage
How does digestion transform food?
> Digestion transforms food using both mechanical and chemical processes to a form where nutrients can be easily absorbed.
What type of process is digestion?
Active process
How is the digestion process monitored?
> this active process is monitored locally by the brain.
The involvement of muscle activity throughout the process of digestion suggests what?
> suggests possible means of disruption and a mechanism for functional gastrointestinal disorders that some experience during stress.
> in a positive example, saliva is produced in anticipation of a tasty treat!
How is the respiratory system like the digestive system?
> the respiratory system is also involved in bringing materials from the environment to cells deep within the body
What is the main bodily process that oxygen is required for?
> Oxygen is required to convert glucose to the important molecule adenosine triphosphate, which, in turn, powers the body’s chemical reactions.
Oxygen is required to convert glucose to the important molecule - ATP. What is the waste product in this process? Why is this important to note?
> Carbon dioxide is a waste product of this process.
What is the primary organ of the respiratory system?
> The lungs.
How is the respiratory system similar to the cardiovascular system?
> Similar to the cardio-vascular system, air passes through progressively narrower passages in the lungs to allow efficient extraction of oxygen and uptake of carbon dioxide.
Although the lungs require the activity of nearby muscles to move air in and out, the lungs are not simply passive bags of air. What two components affect this process?
> the brain + smooth muscle cells surrounding bronchioles also control airflow.
The Degree of bronchodilation or constriction can be influenced by what?
> both the central nervous system and local processes
The gastrointestinal and respiratory systems are involved in what two processes?
> in both the intake of substances into the body and the removal of waste products - i.e., carbon dioxide.
What is the main component of the renal/urinary system?
> The kidneys
Filters the blood.
Aside from waste removal, what else does the renal/urinary system do?
> blood pressure regulation.
What are the kidneys responsible for?
> they remove waste products from the blood through concentrate urine
control the retention and excretion of electrolytes
blood pressure control
What is the function of the immune system?
> The immune system protects the body from infection.
What is the primary component of the immune system?
> individual leukocytes cells that circulate in the bloodstream
What are fixed components of the immune system?
> lymph vessels
lymph nodes
the thymus
the spleen.
Circulating leukocytes (i.e., white blood cells) develop from what? Can they develop into different types?
> from stem cells located in bone marrow.
> they have the potential to develop into many different kinds of blood cells
What are the two types of leukocytes?
> myeloid and lymphoid types.
What is the classic sign of infection?
Inflammation
What are some inflammatory mediators?
> Cytokines
histamine dilate
What do inflammatory mediators do?
> increase the permeability of blood vessels in the area, facilitating the influx of other immune cells attracted to the mediators causing the area to baloon out, tighten connections between the cells and create a physical barrier around the infection.
What is a sign that the immune system is working?
> Red, puffy areas
Cells derived from the myeloid line as well as some from the lymphoid line (natural killer cells) provide what?
> provide what is described variously as natural, innate, or “non-specific” immunity.
> not immune to novel threats!
“Specific” immune cells derived from the lymphoid line are what?
> more flexible in that they can be programmed to respond to protein patterns on new threats.
When is immunity ineffective?
> during one’s first encounter with the threat.
Which immune cells are programmed to attack and then remember a virus? What results as of this cell?
> lymphocytes are programmed to attack and remember the virus, thus providing more-or-less lifelong immunity after the initial infection.
Different types of lymphocytes have complementary functions and are classified as what type of cells? How are they subdivided and with what prefix are they subdivided with?
> Type T or B cells - and subdivided into groups with the prefix CD based on where the cells mature.
Cytotoxic T cells (CD8+
cells) are similar to what type of cells?
> similar to neutrophils and macrophages in the sense that they directly attack dangerous cells, especially those infected with a virus.
What do helper T cells (CD4+ cells) do?
> stimulate cytotoxic T cells and macrophages by releasing cytokines.
groundbreaking with aids.
B-lymphocytes play what kind of role in the immune system?
> B-lymphocytes play a key “humoral” support role, releasing antibodies that bind to invaders and attract immune cells.
In detection, what are the two stimuli that the immune system responds to (the two types of innocuous stimuli)
> the system reacts to innocuous external and internal stimuli
What are allergies caused by?
> unnecessary responses to innocuous external stimuli