Response Flexibility Flashcards
response flexibility
the ability of the body (heart or mind) to consider and response to a situation properly
Pros of being flexible
increased versatility, awareness, and adaptability to situations
brain regions that increase response flexibility
prefrontal cortex - emotions, planning, reasoning, short term memory recall
insula - body sensations, gut feelings and empathy
brain regions that decrease response flexibility
amygdala - fear alarm bell and emotional memory
describe the parts of the river of integration
rigidity bank = parasympathetic freeze response
river = amount of tolerance
chaos = sympathetic fear response
What happens during the rigidity freeze response?
shutdown, not able to adapt, close minded
obsessiveness triggers amygdala
what happens during the chaos fear response?
intrusive thoughts, impulsive, hyperarousal
What disorders and diseases affect response flexibility
bipolar disorder and parkinson’s
bipolar disorder and flexibility
decreased prefrontal cortex function … less emotions, planning and reasoning etc
hyperactive motor cortex (inability to synchronize heart and breathing to attain balance and raise HRV)
Parkinson’s disease and flexibility
decreased amygdala function of facial expression and sympathetic stimulation
low autonomic flexibility (low HRV and LF/HF) and low emotional flexibility
What is default mode network?
brain regions that are active when the mind is wondering
How does mindfulness increase HRV and response flexibility?
mindfulness = increased prefrontal cortex activity (not day dreaming) –> synchronized heart and breathing (increased HRV) –> thalamus and amygdala sympathetic fear response decreased –> less default mode network activity –> increased flexibility
