Chapter 9

Question 1

What are two new fields of medical study that have developed in the past century

Answer 1

1. Behaviour Medicine

2. Health Psychology

Question 2

Define Behavioural Medicine

Answer 2

Knowledge derived from behavioural science that is applied to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental problems

Question 3

Define health psychology

Answer 3

Considered a subfield of behavioural medicine, it studies psychological factors important to health promotion and maintenance

Question 4

Define General Adaption Syndrome (GAS)

Answer 4

A sequence of reactions to sustained stress, developed by Hans Selye

Question 5

What are the three stages of General Adaption Syndrome (GAS)?

Answer 5

1. Alarm
2. Resistance
3. Exhaustion

Question 6

Cortisol is a major “stress hormone”. How does it work, both in the short term and long term?

Answer 6

Increased levels of cortisol inhibit the ability of the brain to turn off stress. When the brain is subjected to long-term over-exposure, the hippocampus can become damaged

Question 7

Define self-efficacy

Answer 7

sense of control and confidence to cope with challenges

Question 8

Low levels of self-efficacy are associated with what negative mental features?

Answer 8

stress and anxiety

Question 9

Cohen et al studied the role of stress on immune system functioning. What were three major findings?

Answer 9

1. Stress increases the frequency and severity of sickness
2. Quantity and of social relationships effects how often you get sick
3. More sociable and optimistic people get sick less often

Question 10

What are the two major branches of the immune system

Answer 10

Humoral and cellular

Question 11

Define the humoral portion of the immune system, and what is an example of a cell type in it?

Answer 11

Cells that release antibodies to atttack infection. Contains B cells.

Question 12

Define the cellular portion of the immune system, and what is an example of a cell type in it?

Answer 12

Cells that directly destroy viruses/ germs. Contains T cells

Question 13

What causes autoimmune disease

Answer 13

Excessive levels of helper T cells start targeting endogenous cells.

Question 14

What is immunotherapy?

Answer 14

Designing viruses that target cancer cells, tagging them for attack by the immune system

Question 15

Define psychoneuroimmunology

Answer 15

The study of psychological influences on the neurological responding implicated in our immune response

Question 16

Define killer T cells

Answer 16

Directly destroy viruses and cancers

Question 17

Define Memory cells

Answer 17

Speed up future responses to known antigen

Question 18

Define Helper T cells

Answer 18

Enhance immune response by signalling B cells and killer T cells

Question 19

Define Suppressor T cells

Answer 19

Suppress production of antibodies by B cells when they are no longer needed

Question 20

Define B cells

Answer 20

Release antibodies to neutralize antigens

Question 21

Define leukocytes

Answer 21

White blood cells (macrophages). They do most of the work by surrounding identifiable antigens and destroying them

Question 22

How can stress degrade the immune system

Answer 22

Activation of genes that turn on inflammatory response constantly, wearing down the immune system