fight or flight

Question 1

What is acute stress? (2)

Answer 1

Common form of stress in response to immediate pressures.
Can be exciting in small amounts and give you focus and energy, but exhausting if maintained.

Question 2

What is long term stress? (2)

Answer 2

Long term form of stress in response to prolonged emotional pressure.
Often occurs in situations that the individual feels unable to control.

Question 3

Can our nervous system tell the difference between acute and long term stress?
Therefore?

Answer 3

No, fight or flight response is constantly triggered

Question 4

What are the 6 steps to flight or flight?

Answer 4

1. Person enters a stressful/dangerous situation
2. Amygdala is activated which sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus
3. Hypothalamus activates the sympathomedullary (SAM) pathway, runs to the ardenal medulla and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS)
4. SNS stimulates the adrenal medulla (part of the adrenal gland)
5. Adrenal medulla secretes the hormones adrenaline and noradrenaline into the bloodstream
6. Adrenaline causes a number of physiological changes to prepare the body for fight or flight

Question 5

What are the 3 effects of adrenaline and noradrenaline?

Answer 5

-Increased blood flow to the brain and skeletal muscles>quick thinking
-Decreased blood flow to systems that are not time critical e.g. skin
-Dialated pupils>improve vision

Question 6

What does constant triggering of the flight or flight response lead to? E.g?

Answer 6

Long term effects on physical and mental health
Eg. Increased risk of heart disease, obesity and IBS