Neuroscience of Stress Flashcards

1
Q

what is stress caused by?

A

an external trigger of some kind (ex. being told you have a midterm on Friday)

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2
Q

how is anxiety defined?

A

persistent, excessive worry that a doesn’t go away even in the absence of a trigger

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3
Q

is stress short or long term?

A

short term

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4
Q

what is the definition of stress?

A

a psychological and physiological response to a stimulus (stressor)that alters the body’s equilibrium

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5
Q

what are the 2 types of stress?

A

psychological stressors (ex. deadlines, pressures at school)

physical (ex. infection, injury, hunger)

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6
Q

is some stress good?

A

yes

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7
Q

what shape of a graph is between arousal and performance?

A

inverted U curve

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8
Q

when are difficult tasks performed Better?

A

during low stress levels

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9
Q

when are easy tasks performed better?

A

during high stress levels

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10
Q

what is the arousal and performance relationship really similar to on the x axis?

A

cortisol

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11
Q

with increasing levels of cortisol means what?

A

people have better cognitive function but lower levels of performance (if we have too much or not enough cortisol)

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12
Q

what are the 2 axes that are activated when we have a stress response?

A
  1. Immediate response (SAM axis)
  2. slightly delayed response (HPA axis)
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13
Q

our SAM axis is primarily what?

A

synaptic

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14
Q

which axis is faster?

A

SAM axis (almost reflexive)

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15
Q

our HPA axis is primarily what?

A

hormonal

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16
Q

what is an example of the SAM axis being activated?

A

walking down the street, stepping off the curb with a truck coming, you immediately step back onto the curb very quickly

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17
Q

why is the HPA axis slightly delayed?

A

because we have to release multiple different hormones. We have to wait for cortisol to be released

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18
Q

how long can cortisol remain in the body after a stressful response?

A

days after

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19
Q

what activates the SAM stress response?

A

amygdala

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20
Q

where does the distress signal travel to after the amygdala?

A

hypothalamus

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21
Q

what activates the sympathetic nervous system?

A

locus coeruleus in the brainstem (release of epinephrine and norepinephrine)

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22
Q

what is responsible for releasing epinephrine and norepinephrine?

A

adrenal medulla

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23
Q

what does the hypothalamus release in the HPA axis ?

A

CRH

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24
Q

where does CRH travel to after being released from the hypothalamus?

A

to the pituitary gland

25
Q

what does the pituitary gland release?

A

ACTH

26
Q

where does the ACTH travel to?

A

it stimulates the adrenal cortex to release cortisol

27
Q

what is the goal of releasing cortisol?

A

to release our energy stores to reposed to the stimulus in some way

28
Q

does the amygdala have strong or weak facility effect on the HPA axis?

A

really strong (amygdala Is the primitive part of the brain for fear and stress responses)

29
Q

what can we compare the prefrontal cortex of the brain to? Why?

A

Pinnochio. Because it is the rational part of the brain. It has an inhibitory role on the stress response

30
Q

what prevents the hypothalamus and pituitary gland from releasing more hormones?

A

the adrenal cortex sends information back to let them know the adrenal gland has health with the stressor.

31
Q

what is the negative feedback loop important for?

A

allostasis

32
Q

when we have chronic stress what happens?

A

we lose our ability to shut off the negative feedback loop

33
Q

are the physical and psychological stressors processed in the same part of the brain?

A

no. they are overlapping in some degree

34
Q

what do physical stressors mostly activate?

A

autonomic stress responses (SAM axis) for a faster response

35
Q

what do psychological stressors primarily activate?

A

the HPA axis

36
Q

what triggers the SAM axis?

A

locus cooeruleus

37
Q

what does the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus trigger?

A

HPA axis

38
Q

what structure is the main integrator of stress signals int he brain?

A

Paraventricular nucleus (PVN)

39
Q

what is in charge when we are alert and in control?

A

prefrontal cortex (letting us think clearly and rationally)

40
Q

what do we get higher levels of when we are stressed?

A

norepinephrine and dopamine which can quickly weaken our prefrontal cortex

41
Q

during acute stress, what does control switch to and from?

A

norepinephrine and dopamine switch the control from the prefrontal cortex to the limbic system

42
Q

according to a Monk what question can we ask ourselves to determine if our prefrontal or primitive brain has taken over?

A

“Do I want to feel the way I’m feeling right now?”

43
Q

what happens when we have chronic stress?

A

we lose the ability to turn off the HPA axis (turn off negative feedback loop)

44
Q

what can chronic stress also result in?

A

the receptors on the hypothalamus and pituitary gland start to become resistant to cortisol

45
Q

what does allostatic overload consider?

A

the cumulative effect of stressors on the body in both physiological and pathological situations

when environmental challenges exceed the ability to cope

46
Q

what can the impact of chronic stress affect?

A

increase risk for disease and early mortality

47
Q

what is higher levels of cortisol over the years associated with?

A

worse cognition among older adults

48
Q

what can happen to the dendritic complexity in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex because of chronic stress?

A

reduced dendritic complexity

49
Q

what can chronic stress do to the amygdala?

A

possible hypertrophy

50
Q

what happens when someone is expose to stress at. younger age?

A

worse symptoms of chronic stress in those individuals

51
Q

what mental health conditions is stress strongly associated with?

A

depression, pTSD, substance use, anxiety

52
Q

what physiologically happens to people with major depression?

A

higher cortisol and smaller hippocampal volumes

53
Q

what Cana chronic stress do to the HPA axis?

A

it over activates it

54
Q

how can exercise treat chronic stress?

A

exercise can downgrade the stress response

55
Q

according to research, what kind of exercise improved parasympathetic nervous system and HPA regulation?

A

yoga and tai chi

56
Q

what happens to the brain from exercise?

A

increased ray matter volume in the insulation and hippocampus

increased activation in the prefrontal cortex

57
Q

what effect do mindfulness interventions have on anxiety?

A

moderate effect

58
Q

according to a study, did the physiological sigh or meditation improve respiratory rate and mood more?

A

physiological sigh