Lecture 1- Intro to Psychology of Health

Question 1

What is Maslow’s (1943) Hierarchy of needs

Answer 1

1) Self- actualization
2) Esteem= self-esteem, confidence, achievement
3) Love/belonging= Friendship, family, sexual intimacy
4) Safety= Security of body, employment, resources, morality
5) Physiological= breathing, food, water, sleep

Question 2

Name 3 Biological systems that relevant.

Answer 2

1) Nervous system
2) Endocrine system
3) Immune system

Question 3

What is the importance of the 3 biological systems?

Answer 3

1) they communicate using electrical and chemical signals
2) activate and deactivate tissues, organs, and muscles to control and regulate the body, emotion and mind
3) preserve homeostasis

Question 4

What is homeostasis?

Answer 4

1) the ability of an organism to maintain the internal environment of the body within limits that allow it to survive
2) pH and body temp

Question 5

How does homeostasis bring back the body to its set point?

Answer 5

feedback loops
1) negative loops= counteract a change, bring value of the parameter back towards its set point e.g. regulating temp
2) Positive loop= increases change away from set point e.g. childbirth

Question 6

What happens if there is an issue with the feedback loop?

Answer 6

may cause type 1 diabetes= less insulin

Question 7

Define allostasis

Answer 7

1) active process of maintaining/ re-establishing homeostasis

Question 8

What is the most efficient regulation?

Answer 8

anticipatory, learning from experience, and learning from past events

Question 9

What is the allostatic load?

Answer 9

reflects the cumulative effect of experiences in daily life e.g. poor sleep

Question 10

What may lead to allostatic load?

Answer 10

1) exposure to frequent stressors that may determine a status of chronic stress and repeated physiological arousal
2) lack of adaptation to repeated stressors
3) inability to shut off the stress response

Question 11

What is necessary for neurological health?

Answer 11

neurons
Glial cells

Question 12

What is the function of Glial cells in the nervous system?

Answer 12

1) Provides support and nutrition
2) maintain local homeostasis
3) produce myelin
4) participate in signal transmission

Question 13

What is the function of microglial cells?

Answer 13

1) highly plastic
2) act as a macrophage cell
3) maintain forms of active immune defence in the central nervous system

Question 14

What is the function of a neuron?

Answer 14

main wiring of the nervous system as communication devices to connect with other neurons, tissues organs, and muscles

Question 15

What is the structure of a neurone?

Answer 15

1) Cell body= in charge of neuron activity
2) dendrites= received messages from other neurons
3) Axon= sends messages from one cell body to dendrites of the other
4) Myelin sheath= covers the axon to protect it and help messages to travel faster and easier

Question 16

What is the function of a neurotransmitter?

Answer 16

1) communicate in the nervous system
2) 60 different ones

Question 17

What are neuromodulators?

Answer 17

affects the synthesis or reabsorption of neurotransmitters

Question 18

What is the function and location of the central nervous system?

Answer 18

1) integrative and control centers
2) Brain and spinal cord

Question 19

What is the location and function of the peripheral nervous system?

Answer 19

1) Cranial nerves, spinal nerves
2) communication lines between CNS and the rest of the body

Question 20

What is the location and function of the Sensory division?

Answer 20

1) Somatic and visceral sensory nerve fibres
2) conducted impulses from the receptor to the CNS

Question 21

What is the location and function of Motor division?

Answer 21

1) motor nerve fibres
2) conducts impulses from the CNS to the effectors (muscle, glands)

Question 22

Describe the somatic nervous system

Answer 22

1) somatic motor (voluntary)
2) conducts impulses CNS to skeletal gland (speech and behaviour)

Question 23

Describe the automatic nervous system

Answer 23

1) visceral motor (involuntary)
2) conducts impulses from CNS to cardiac muscles, smooth muscles, glands

Question 24

What is the Automatic NS split into?

Answer 24

1) Sympathetic- mobilizes body systems during activity (flight or fight)
2) Parasympathetic- conserves energy, promotes housekeeping functions during rest

Question 25

What does the endocrine system consist of?

Answer 25

ductless glands of the body and hormones produced by glands

Question 26

State the functions of hormones

Answer 26

act as messengers carried by the bloodstream to different cells in the body

Question 27

State the function for endocrine system

Answer 27

1) maintains physiological homeostasis
2) regulates circadian rhythm and sleep/walking cycle with a variety of hormones

Question 28

Name examples of what is regulated by hormones

Answer 28

• cellular metabolism
• reproduction
• sexual development
• digestion

Question 29

What happens to the hormones when an individual is asleep?

Answer 29

growth, prolactin hormones increase whilst thyroid stimulating hormone and cortisol are inhibited

Question 30

What is the role of the immune system?

Answer 30

• protect the body from harm
  innate immune system
  adaptive immune system

Question 31

What is the innate immune system?

Answer 31

1) first line of defence= barriers and cells that keep harmful germs from entering the body
- skin
-mucus membranes

2) Second line of defence= specialised cells that alert the body of the impending danger

Question 32

What is the adaptive immune system?

Answer 32

1) thymus (maturation of t cells)
2) spleen- filters blood
3) Bone marrow
4) circulatory and lymphatic system (drains excess fluids and filters pathogens)
work together to produce, store, and transport specific types of cells and substances to combat health threats

Question 33

What is immunodeficiency?

Answer 33

1) The immune system is less active, recurring, and life- threatening

Question 34

What is Autoimmunity?

Answer 34

hyperactive immune system- attack normal tissues

Question 35

State the difference between Homeostais and allostasis

Answer 35

1) homeostasis is how the body stays balanced
2) allostasis- combination of body responses to stress that help brain and body return to optimal functioning