Fight / Flight response, Adrenaline

Question 1

Why is the Fight / Fight response occur, what systems cause it and in what type of animal is it found?

Answer 1

It is triggered to help cope / survive with a situation your brain detects as being stressful
The NS and Endocrine system cause this.
Found in all mammals, serving as an evolutionary benefit

Question 2

How does the fight/ flight response occur? (2 steps)

Answer 2

Hypothalamus (emotional centre in brain) detects an immediate stressor in environment, or detects it from stress/ anxiety.
It then sends message through sympathetic nervous system to prepare body for the response.

Question 3

What are the 7 bodily organ changes that the SNS stimulates when preparing for Fight/ Flight? (eyes, heart, lungs, stomach, liver, blood, temperature)

Answer 3

• Pupils dilate to let in more light
  -Heart pumps more blood by beating faster
  -Bronchial tubes dilate to allow more efficient exchange of O2 / CO2
  -Stomach stops digesting
  -Liver releases extra glucose
  -Blood moves from skin to muscles, heart lungs to increase energy for movement
  -Sweating will also be triggered to help cool down the individual when fighting/ flighting away.

Question 4

Define Acute
Define Chronic

Answer 4

Acute- short term
Chronic - long term

Question 5

What triggers adrenaline to be released by adrenal glands and where are these located?
What have biologists suggested about this?

Answer 5

SNS triggers it
They are on top of the kidneys.
Biologists have suggested they are on top of kidneys as this is one of the best places in body for chemicals to enter bloodstream.

Question 6

Summarise the role of adrenaline (4 things it does)j

Answer 6

Boosts amount of O2 / glucose in blood
Supercharges the fight/ flight response to give more energy for movement.
Responsible for ‘shakes’ to cool down
Helps shut down non-essential bodily processes like digestion, that allows more blood to flow to muscles, heart and lungs.