L3 Stress and mental health

Question 1

According to Walter Cannon, what is important to re-establish homeostatic balance?

Answer 1

(1) Central control of the adrenal medulla
(2) sympathetic nerves
(3) catecholamines

Question 2

Fight-or-flight response is coined by who?

Answer 2

Walter Cannon

Question 3

Who coined the triad of biological responses to chronic harmful stimuli in laboratory rats?

Answer 3

Hans Selye

Question 4

What are the triad of biological responses?

Answer 4

(1) Enlargement of the adrenal cortex
(2) Reduction in the weight of the thymus
(3) Gastric ulcerations

Question 5

Contrasting to Hans Selye’s theory, what is the major difference of the allostasis theory of stress?

Answer 5

There is no single ideal set of equilibrium conditions and adaptation is allowed over time

Question 6

Give the definition of allostatic load

Answer 6

The cost of adaptation, the wear and tear that results from chronic overactivity or underactivity of allostatic systems

Question 7

What are 4 types of allostatic load?

Answer 7

(1) Repeat hit from multiple stressors
(2) Lack of adaptation from same stressor
(3) Prolonged response even after stressor is moved
(4) Inadequate responses (lack of cortisol → fails to inhibit inflammatory cytokines)

Question 8

According to Hans Selye, what are the three stages of general adaptation?

Answer 8

(1) Alarm
(2) Adaptation/Resistance
(3) Exhaustion

Question 9

Selye hypothesized that animals died because of what?

Answer 9

Because they had exhausted their stores of adaptation energy instead of food

Question 10

Catecholamines is secreted by adrenal medulla or adrenal cortex?

Answer 10

Adrenal medulla

Question 11

Corticosteroids is secreted by adrenal medulla or adrenal cortex?

Answer 11

Adrenal cortex

Question 12

Chronic stress response is primarily mediated by what type of hormone?

Answer 12

Cortisol

Question 13

Does hippocampus inhibit or activate the HPA axis response to stressors?

Answer 13

Inhibit

Question 14

Neurogenesis occurs in which part of the hippocampus throughout adult life?

Answer 14

Dentate gyrus

Question 15

Chronic elevation of cortisol impairs what kind of memory in humans?

Answer 15

Declarative

Question 16

By what mean does amygdala convey the information to hypothalamus when facing stress?

Answer 16

It conveys corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) to hypothalamus

Question 17

By what mean does hypothalamus convey the information to pituitary when facing stress?

Answer 17

It conveys corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) to pituitary

Question 18

In which regions are glucocorticoid receptor presented?

Answer 18

Prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus, pituitary, amygadala

Question 19

Which type of hormone is being metabolized more rapidly, corticosteroids or catecholamines?

Answer 19

Catecholamines (e.g. Epinephrine and norepinephrine)

Question 20

What is the estimated half-life of cortisol?

Answer 20

1-2 hour

Question 21

What are the two types of epigenetic modifications?

Answer 21

Histone modification and DNA modification

Question 22

Acetylating the histone turn the gene on or off?

Answer 22

On

Question 23

Which type of neurotransmission is centrally involved in the differential response to social defeat stress in mice?

Answer 23

Mesolimbic dopaminergic neurotransmission

Question 24

In the mesolimbic system, you get dopaminergic inputs from which brain area?

Answer 24

Ventral tegmental area (VTA)

Question 25

The input from Ventral tegmental area (VTA) in the mesolimbic system innervate brain regions involved in executive, affective, and motivational functions, including what brain regions?

Answer 25

Prefrontal cortex (PFC), amygdala, and nucleus accumbens (NAc)

Question 26

Briefly explain the internal working model of securely attached children.

Answer 26

(1) self: worthy
(2) others: available and reliable
(3) environment: challenging but manageable with support from others