Physiology of Chronic Stress Flashcards
What is stress?
It isn’t an event that happens.
It is a cognitive appraisal of experiences that lead to activation of physiological mechanisms including the HPA axis. It also leads you to react in a specific way.
It is an INDIVIDUAL phenomenon.
What can chronic stress cause?
Dysregulation of physiological stress mechanisms - including dysregulation of the HPA axis.
How does the HPA link with psychiatric disorders?
Dysregulation of the HPA axis has been shown to be linked to a proportion of Ps who also suffer with a psychiatric disorder, inc high levels of cortisol in these Ps.
How can stress affect children?
Children who experience adverse hardship in their formative years may later display evidence of HPA dysfunction.
Does HPA dysfunction go away immediately after the removal of stressors?
No - HPA axis dysfunction many linger after removal of stressors = long-term risk for health.
What do we mean when we say stress is an individual experience?
Different Ps will interpret different events in different ways - is no uniform approach to a stressor.
What one P may find stressful, another may not. It can be real, imagined, internal or external.
How do we quantify stress?
Difficult to do - however Holmes & Rahe Stress Scale quantified life events aiming to identify which Ps would be predisposed to stress-related illness depending on what events they were experiencing.
What is the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale based upon?
The belief that significant life events which are associated with change are stressful events in a person’s life - and these can be quantified.
What is the criticism of the Holmes and Rahe Stress scale?
It assumes homogeneity - that all Ps react to the same events in the same way. Rather than appreciating the individual nature that Ps respond to stress and what they determine as stressful.
Is reductionist.
What time period does the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale look at?
The amount of stressful events in the past 12 months.
What are the three subtypes of stress?
Postive stress
Tolerable stress
Toxic stress
Which type of stress is this?
- Unbuffered adverse effects of great duration & magnitude
- Maladaptive / poor coping & compromised recovery
- Inc lifelong risk for physical & mental disorders
- Compromised brain architecture
- Dysregulated physiological systems
Toxic stress
Which type of stress is this?
- A personal challenge with satisfying outcome
- Sense of mastery and control
- Healthy brain architecture
- Good self esteem, judgement & impulse control
Positive stress
Which type of stress is this?
- Adverse life events buffered by supportive relationships
- Coping and recovery
- Healthy brain architecture
= Good self esteem, judgment & impulse control
Tolerable stress
What is another name for positive stress?
Eustress
What leads Ps to determine an event as toxic stress?
Ps that dont have the resources to manage with the stressor, or their coping mechanisms make the problem worse. Leads to compromised brain architecture.
What determines whether an adverse event will be stressful or not to a person?
Whether they have adequate internal and/or social resources to manage the event.
How does stress in today’s society compare to historical threats?
Historical threats - more short-term stresses. Today - modern life is more likely to provide persistent & chronic stressors.
What happens if there is an aberration of the stress system?
Can develop health conditions - psychiatric or somatic
What is the acute stress response?
Adrenal medulla produces adrenaline & noradrenaline =
- Inc HR
- Inc BP
- Inc RR
- Inc bronchial dilation
- Inc pupil diameter
- Dec GI activity
Does the acute stress response resolve slowly or quickly? How does it resolve?
Resolves quickly - due to negative feedback loop
