Exam 2: Somatic Disorders

Question 1

What 2 pathways produce arousal and fear?

Answer 1

• sympathetic nervous system pathway

- Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) pathway

Question 2

psychophysiological disorders

Answer 2

the physical disorders of stress

• listed in DSM 5 under psychological factors affecting medical condition
• bring about actual physical damage
• they are different from apparent physical illnesses like factitious disorders or somatic symptom disorder

Question 3

Chronic headaches

Answer 3

• a traditional psychophysiological disorder
• tension headaches affect 45 million americans each yr
• migraines affect 23 million americans each year
• causal psychosocial factors: situational stressors, anger, anxiety, depression
• causal physiological factors: abnormal serotonin activity, vascular problems, muscle weakness

Question 4

hypertension

Answer 4

• traditional psychophysiological disorder
• chronic high blood pressure (often w/ few outward symptoms)
• affects 75 million americans each year
• causal psychosocial factors: constant stress
• causal physiological factors: obesity, smoking

Question 5

gastrointestinal disorders

Answer 5

• a traditional psychophysiological disorder

- (e.g. irritable bowel syndrome)

Question 6

psychoneuroimmunology

Answer 6

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