MOD 2: Stress and Physical Health

Question 1

Stress response is adaptive for – – crises but maladaptive if – —

Answer 1

short term, chronically activated

Question 2

Stress-related disease emerges because we so often activate the

Answer 2

physiological system that has evolved for
responding to acute physical emergencies, and turn it
on for months on end, worrying about mortgages,
relationships, and promotions.

Question 3

The Biological Stress Response (Sapolsky video) categories

Answer 3

• mobilization of energy
• increased cardiovascular
• long term projects delayed
• enhanced immune system
• sharpening of cog, alter, pleasure

Question 4

The Biological Stress Response (Sapolsky video)

Mobilization of Energy

Answer 4

Need energy to go to whatever muscles will save you – adrenaline goes to energy storage sites – dumps glucose into circulation

Question 5

The Biological Stress Response (Sapolsky video)

Cardiovascular tone

Answer 5

Heart speeds up to deliver glucose to muscles more quickly

Question 6

The Biological Stress Response (Sapolsky video)

Long term projects delayed

Answer 6

• digestion suppression
• growth
• reproduction

Question 7

The Biological Stress Response (Sapolsky video)

Immune system

Answer 7

Need to perk up immune system to fight infection

Question 8

Criticisms of Selye’s work

Answer 8

• Contributed to confusion in field regarding whether “stress” is the stimulus or the response
• funded by tobacco industry

Question 9

multiple stages of the stress model

Answer 9

understanding the processes through which environmental adversities influence disease processes.

Question 10

three traditions of studying stress

Answer 10

epidemiologic
psychological
biological

Question 11

1. The epidemiologic tradition

Answer 11

Assesses life events in term of their objective levels of stress as
judged by other people (divorce, death)
- based off objective qualities not subjective

Question 12

2. The psychological tradition

Answer 12

• Assesses individuals’ perceptions regarding whether something (such as their work) or life in general is stressful
• Appraising event as threatening/harmful and coping resources as inadequate

Question 13

3. Biological tradition

Answer 13

Assesses impact of stress on physiological systems such as autonomic and neuroendocrine responses

Question 14

integrated model of the 3 traditions

Answer 14

Stressful Event (Epidemiologic) -> 
Perceived Stress (Psy) -> 
negative emotional response -> or -> 
- poor health decision 
- activation of SAM and HPA  --> both lead to 
disease related (biological) -> 
increased risk of disease 

feedback loop from psy back to epi
- if more depressed you might see things as more stressful

Question 15

To describe how research on the biological stress response fits with other ways of measuring stress
integrated model

Answer 15

• Stressor exposure can lead to perceived stress
• This psychological stress response can lead to poor health
behaviors and biological stress response
• These can lead to disease related physiological changes
• These physiological changes can increase risk of disease

Question 16

Flu vaccines – likely to be effective for those who are stressed

Answer 16

less
41% effective if stressed
59% effective if not stressed

Question 17

what type of stress increased risk of getting a cold

Answer 17

Chronic (but not acute) stress increased risk of getting a cold
- 40% got cold overall

Question 18

Those with – work-related stress were most likely

to get a cold

Answer 18

chronic

Question 19

Work stress is correlated with reporting more

Answer 19

physical health symptoms

- organizational constraints largest

Question 20

wounds took % longer to heal prior to exam than during summer vacation

Answer 20

40

Question 21

is stress associated with slower or faster wound healing

Answer 21

slower

Question 22

vaccinations
common cold
wound healing

Answer 22

• less effective if stressed
• get cold if chronic work stress
• wounds take longer to heal

Question 23

can psy stress cause cancer

Answer 23

no

Question 24

Job strain (high demand/low control job) is -- to be an 
important risk factor for colorectal, lung, prostate, or breast cancer.

Answer 24

unlikely

Question 25

risk of death due to CVD twice as high in individuals with high

Answer 25

job strain

Question 26

do traumatic events increase or decrease risk of CVD

Answer 26

increase - Parents who lost a child had higher risk of fatal heart attack - death from SIDs 5.6 times higher

Question 27

the big 4 cause 75% of chronic disease

Answer 27

food, tobacco, physical inactivity, stress

Question 28

33% of incidence (PAR) of heart attack due to

Answer 28

psychosocial factors (worldwide)

Question 29

51% of incidence (PAR) of heart attack due | to psychosocial factors in

Answer 29

north america

Question 30

- factors (including stress) are as or more important than other rick factors such as high blood pressure and lack of exercise in predicting CVD, especially in North America

Answer 30

psychosocial

Question 31

Which of the following is NOT an effect of stress on health? a. Slower wound healing b. Increased risk of cancer c. Lower effectiveness of vaccines d. Increased likelihood of getting a cold e. They are all affected by stress

Answer 31

increased risk of cancer

Question 32

Article says that obesity rates have been | APA stress in america says that stress has been

Answer 32

increasing | decreasing

Question 33

meta analysis found a large correlation between stress and obesity but in reality

Answer 33

the correlation on .014, there is a very small relationship between the two •Virtually zero (r = .01)

Question 34

-- stressors similar to the fight-or-flight situations faced by humans’ evolutionary ancestors elicited potentially beneficial changes in the immune system

Answer 34

acute

Question 35

the more -- the stressor the more components of the immune system were affected in a potentially detrimental way

Answer 35

chronic

Question 36

Allostasis

Answer 36

• process of adaptation to acute stress • involves the output of stress hormones that act to restore homeostasis (stability) in the face of a challenge

Question 37

Allostatic load

Answer 37

• price the body pays for being forced to continually | adapt to adverse psychosocial or physical situations

Question 38

How allostatic load is measured

Answer 38

``` Composite index of indicators of cumulative strain on several physiological systems - cardiovascular system - HPA - metabolic - sympathetic nervous system ```

Question 39

Childhood Stress and Susceptibility to Chronic | Disease

Answer 39

childhood chronic stress related to increase of disease - individuals who experienced early adversity are as much as twice as likely to develop cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disorders, and to die prematurely

Question 40

Model of biological and psychological processes linking early adversity to later disease #1: Economic disadvantage and maltreatment are chronic stressors for kids

Answer 40

Economic disadvantage and parental maltreatment often share common features •Less responsive parenting, harsh discipline, exposure to violence, limited access to resources

Question 41

Model of biological and psychological processes linking early adversity to later disease #2: Chronic stress in childhood programs a proinflammatory pattern

Answer 41

- stress gets embedded in the operating tendencies of the cells that regulate inflammation - Adults who were maltreated in childhood show higher levels of various markers of chronic inflammation

Question 42

Model of biological and psychological processes linking early adversity to later disease #3: Childhood stress gets embedded through epigenetic alterations to DNA, posttranslational modification of proteins, and tissue remodeling

Answer 42

- Epigenetics: changes in the activity of a gene without changes to DNA sequence • Posttranslational modification of proteins: chemical alterations to protein molecules after they have been synthesized • Tissue remodeling: exposures during sensitive periods of development can trigger a local restructuring of tissues

Question 43

Model of biological and psychological processes linking early adversity to later disease #4: Chronic stress leads to behaviors that perpetuate and accentuate inflammation - 1

Answer 43

•Early stress fosters vigilance for threat, mistrust of others, relationship conflict •This occurs because stress molds the corticolimbic circuits that process threat

Question 44

Model of biological and psychological processes linking early adversity to later disease #5: Chronic stress leads to behaviors that accentuate inflammation - 2

Answer 44

•Early stress also associated with impulsivity, discounting the future, and engaging in unhealthy behaviors •This occurs because stress molds the corticostriatal pathways that support self-regulation

Question 45

ACEs and health behaviors

Answer 45

drinking and smoking | obesity not a large relationship

Question 46

Model of biological and psychological processes linking early adversity to later disease #6: Chronic stress creates hormone responses that increase inflammation

Answer 46

* Evidence: Adults raised in low-SES families show greater daily cortisol output * Prolonged exposure to cortisol can facilitate inflammatory responding

Question 47

Model of biological and psychological processes linking early adversity to later disease #7: Inflammation contributes to chronic diseases of aging including...

Answer 47

``` •Development of components of the metabolic syndrome •Atherosclerosis •Growth and spread of some tumors •“Frailty syndrome” ```

Question 48

Model of biological and psychological processes linking early adversity to later disease Summary of model

Answer 48

* Childhood stress gets programmed into immune system cells * These cells develop proinflammatory tendencies * These tendencies are made worse by behaviors (e.g., vigilance) and hormonal dysregulation (e.g., cortisol output) which also result from childhood stress * Resulting inflammation contributes to mechanisms that foster chronic disease