Emotion, Stress and Health Flashcards
What is the adaptive immune system?
the division of the immune system that mounts targeted attacks on foreign pathogens by binding to antigens in their cell membrane
What is the adrenal cortex?
the outer layer of each adrenal gland, which releases glucocorticoids in response to stressors, as well as small amounts of steroid hormones
What is the adrenal medulla?
the core of each adrenal gland, which releases epinephrine and norepinephrine in response to stressors
What is an adrenalectomy?
surgical removal of the adrenal glands
What is adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)?
an anterior pituitary hormone that triggers the release of adrenal hormones from the adrenal cortices
What is an alpha male?
the dominant male of a colony
What is the amygdala?
A structure in the anterior temporal lobe, just anterior to the hippocampus; plays a role in emotion
What are antibodies?
proteins that bind to foreign antigens on the surface of microorganisms and in doing so promote the destruction of the microorganisms
What is antibody-mediated immunity?
the immune reaction in which B cells destroy invading microorganisms via the production of antibodies
What are B-cells?
B lymphocytes; lymphocytes that manufacture antibodies against antigens they encounter
What is bullying?
a chronic social threat that induces subordination stress in members of our species
What is Cannon-Bard theory?
the theory that emotional experience and emotional expression are parallel process that have no direct causal relation
What is cell-mediated immunity?
the immune reaction by which T cells destroy invading microorganisms
What is the central nucleus of the amygdala?
a nucleus of the amygdala that is thought to control defensive behaviour
What is contextual feat conditioning?
the process by which benign contexts (situations) come to elicit fear through their association with fear-inducing stimuli
What is the control-question technique?
a lie-detection interrogation method in which the polygrapher compares the physiological responses to target questions with the responses to control questions
What is corticosterone?
the predominant glucocorticoid in humans
What are cytokines?
a group of peptide hormones that are released by many cells and participate in a variety of physiological and immunological responses, causing inflammation and fever
What does decorticate mean?
lacking a cortex
What are defensive behaviours?
behaviours whose primary function is protection from threat or harm
What is a Duchenne smile?
a genuine smile, one that includes contraction of the facial muscles called the orbicularis oculi
What does epigenetic mean?
the study of all mechanisms of inheritance other than the genetic code and its expression
What is the facial feedback hypothesis?
the hypothesis that our facial expression can influence the emotions we experience
What is fear?
the emotional reaction that is normally elicited by the presence or expectation of threatening stimuli
What is fear conditioning?
establishing fear of a previously neutral conditioned stimulus by pairing it with an aversive unconditional stimulus
What are gastric ulcers?
painful lesions to the lining of the stomach of duodenum
What are glucocorticoids?
steroid hormones that are released from the adrenal cortex in response to stressors
What is the guilty-knowledge technique?
a lie-detection method in which the polygrapher records autonomic nervous system responses to a list of control and crime-related information known only to the guilty person and the examiner; also known as the concealed information test
What is the hippocampus?
a structure in the medial temporal lobes that plays a role in various forms of memory
What is the immune system?
the system that protects the body against infectious microorganisms
What is immunisation?
the process of creating immunity through vaccination
What is the innate immune system?
the first component of the immune system to react. It reacts quickly and generally near points of entry of pathogens
What is Kluver-Bucy syndrome?
the syndrome of behavioural changes (e.g., lack of fear and hypersexuality) that is induced in primates by bilateral damage to the anterior temporal lobes
What is James-Lange theory?
the theory that emotion-inducing sensory stimuli are received and interpreted by the cortex, which triggers changes in the visceral organs via the autonomic nervous system and in the skeletal muscles via the somatic nervous system. Then, the autonomic and somatic responses trigger the experience of emotion in the brain
What is the lateral nucleus of the amygdala?
the nucleus of the amygdala that plays the major role in the acquisition, storage and expression of conditioned fear
What are leukocytes?
white blood cells
What is the limbic system?
a collection of interconnected nuclei and tracts that ring the thalamus
What are lymphocytes?
specialised leukocytes that are produced in bone marrow and the thymus gland and play important roles in the body’s immune reactions
What are pathogens?
disease-causing agents
What are phagocytes?
cells, such as macrophages and microglia, that destroy and ingest pathogens
What is phagocytosis?
the destruction an ingestion of foreign matter by cells of the immune system
What is polygraphy?
a method of interrogation that employs ANS indexes of emotion to infer the truthfulness of a person’s responses
What is the prefrontal cortex?
the areas of the frontal cortex that are anterior to the frontal motor areas
What is psychoneuroimmunology?
the study of the interaction among psychological factors, the nervous system and the immune system
What are psychosomatic disorders?
any physical disorder that can be caused or exacerbated by stress
What are reappraisal paradigms?
an experimental method for studying emotion; subjects are asked to reinterpret a film or photo to change their emotional reaction to it while their brain activity is recorded
What is sham rage?
the exaggerated, poorly directed aggressive responses of decorticate animals
What is stress?
the physiological changes that occur when the body is exposed to harm or threat
What are stressors?
experiences that induce a stress response
What is subordination stress?
stress experienced by animals, typically males, that are continually attacked by higher-ranking conspecifics
What is suppression paradigms?
an experimental method for studying emotion; subjects are asked to inhibit their emotional reactions to unpleasant films or photos while their brain activity is recorded
What are T-cells?
T lymphocytes; lymphocytes that bind to foreign microorganisms and cells that contain them and, in doing so, destroy them