Fight or flight response

Question 1

Flight or fight response

Answer 1

The body’s physiological reaction to threat or danger. It provides energy to the body in situations of danger.

Question 2

Hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis (HPA)

Answer 2

A fight or flight response pathway that when activated releases ACTH from the pituitary gland which control release of corticosteroids from the adrenal cortex.

Question 3

Sympathetic adrenomedullary pathway (SAM)

Answer 3

A fight or flight response pathway that when activated releases adrenaline and noradrenaline from the adrenal medulla.

Question 4

Possible harms of fight or flight

Answer 4

If fight or flight response if maintained for long periods of time the increase in heart rate can damage circulatory system.
Corticosteroids suppress immune system leaving body vulnerable to illnesses.

Question 5

Appraisal

Answer 5

When a situation is appraised as potentially dangerous, the amygdala (part of the limbic system) is activated.

Then sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus.

Which then activates the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the sympathetic adrenomedulla (SAM) pathways.

The SNS stimulates the adrenal medulla

Which then releases adrenaline and noradrenaline and prepare the body for the fight or flight response.

Following the fight or flight response, the parasympathetic nervous system is activated to relax the body