Pathways^

Question 1

Acute Stress Pathway

Answer 1

sympathomedullary (SAM) pathway
flight or fight
sympathetic pathway

Question 2

Chronic Stress Pathway

Answer 2

hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA)
HPA used to be PAS (pituitary adrenal system)

Question 3

SAM Pathway

Answer 3

stressor detected
Hypothalamus activates the sympathetic NS
sympathetic nerves connect brain to adrenal medulla in adrenal gland to release (nor)adrenaline

Question 4

Adrenal Medulla

Answer 4

stimulated by sympathetic NS
release (nor)adrenaline
increase breathing/heart rate
decrease digestion
dilate pupils/blood vessels
Ends when the threat is no longer
parasympathetic NS trigger rest and digest to bring state to normal

Question 5

HPA Pathway

Answer 5

takes longer than SAM to activate and respond to chronic stress
Hypothalamus activated
CRF released into bloodstream
activates the pituitary gland
release ACTH
ACTH detected by adrenal cortex
release cortisol

Question 6

Negative Feedback Loop

Answer 6

while stressed: increase of CRF and ACTH = increase of cortisol
after: increase of cortisol = decrease CRF and ACTH = decrease of cortisol
cortisol levels monitored by pituitary gland and hypothalamus

Question 7

Cognitive Appraisal

Answer 7

physiological exp. ignore psychological factors
such as cog. appraisal which works out if a stressor is a threat
Speisman et al
- students watch a gruesome medical procedure
- heart rate measured
- changes depend on interpretation
- traumatic = increase of heart rate
- told it was voluntary rite of passage = decrease

Question 8

Real World Application

Answer 8

practical value
Addison’s disease of adrenal glands so can’t produce cortisol so can’t deal with stressor = life threatening crisis
treatment created of self-administer daily cortisol replacement therapy

Question 9

Gender Bias

Answer 9

fight or flight seen as universal response
based on research with male animals
hormonal fluctuations in females (menstrual cycle) makes it harder to measure hormonal changes

Question 10

VS Gender Bias

Answer 10

Taylor et al
most adaptive stress response in females in ‘tend and befriend’
response to stress by nurturing offspring and getting support from other females
SAM is not compatible with ‘tend and befriend’ but being relaxed is