Hormones, Stress and the Brain- Week Five

Question 1

What is a hormone?

Answer 1

A chemical signal which is released into the bloodstream by an ‘endocrine gland’ which targets cells in other organs.

Question 2

What are the features of a hormone?

Answer 2

Communication is slower and more generalised
Biologically vital for metabolism, reproduction and growth
Highly integrated with brain function

Question 3

What are the features of the endocrine system?

Answer 3

Pineal gland
Hypothalamus
Ovaries/Testes
Adrenal Gland

Question 4

What role does the pineal gland play

Answer 4

daily biological sleep cycles

Question 5

What role does the adrenal gland play

Answer 5

involved in fight/flight and metabolism

Question 6

What role does the hypothalamus play

Answer 6

important in regulating sleep and appetite

Question 7

What role do the testes/ovaries play

Answer 7

sex hormones

Question 8

What is stress?

Answer 8

general imprecise term referring either to the stress response or to a stressor

Question 9

What is a stressor?

Answer 9

A stimulus or situation that produces a stress response

Question 10

What is a stress response?

Answer 10

A physiological reaction cause by perception of aversive threatening situation

Question 11

What are the 2 phases of the stress response?

Answer 11

Autonomic nervous system and hormonal

Question 12

What are the fast autonomic responses?

Answer 12

Heart: increased h/r
Lungs: widens bronchioles
Gut: stops activity
Skin: hair stands on end
Adrenal Gland

Question 13

What do the adrenal glands do in the stress response?

Answer 13

They secrete adrenaline and noradrenaline in response to hormonal output and sympathetic innervation

Question 14

What are the actions of adrenaline and noradrenaline?

Answer 14

Increased heart rate, increased oxygen uptake, diverts blood from gut to muscles, increased glucose in blood, increases breakdown of stored energy

Question 15

What is the role of cortisol in a stress response?

Answer 15

Also secreted from adrenal gland, under control from hypothalamus and pituitary gland
Makes more energy by breaking down fats and affecting glucose metabolism

Question 16

What type of hormone is cortisol?

Answer 16

A glucocorticoid hormone

Question 17

Stress and blood pressure:

Answer 17

Hypertension- high b/p

Links to high cortisol release and fertility problems and diabetes

Question 18

Stress and healing

Answer 18

longer time to heal due to cortisol inhibiting inflammatory response

Question 19

Stress and immune system

Answer 19

Immune system is poorer when stressed

Question 20

Stress and prenatal

Answer 20

cortisol affects unborn infants, they have a stronger response later in life

Question 21

What is P.T.S.D?

Answer 21

Can follow exposure to extreme events: e.g warzone

Question 22

What are the symptoms of P.T.S.D?

Answer 22

Recurrent dream
Flashbacks
Social interactions
Depression

Question 23

What other factors can play a role in P.T.S.D?

Answer 23

Genetic factors

Question 24

What is the purpose of stress?

Answer 24

Despite having an active effect on health, it helps us to deal with stressful situations; to help keep us safe.
Not having adrenal glands would lead to death, moderate stress is part of out natural homeostatis