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Psych > Sac 1 - Nervous system/ stress > Flashcards

Sac 1 - Nervous system/ stress Flashcards

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1
Q

What does the central nervous system comprise of?

A

Brain and spinal cord

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2
Q

What does the peripheral nervous system consist of?

A

Autonomic and somatic, muscles, organs and glands

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3
Q

How many neurons in your brain?

A

100 billion

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4
Q

What does the brain regulate?

A
  • vital body functions
  • breathing
  • heart rate
  • digestion
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5
Q

What is the spinal cord?

A

A cable-like column of nerve fibres that extend from the base of the brain to the lower back and is encased by a series of bones called vertebrae

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6
Q

What information is passed through the spinal cord?

A
  • passes sensory information on from the PNS to the brain

- passes motor information from the brain to the PNS

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7
Q

(SAME) - Inside the spinal cord

A
  • sensory/afferent messages towards the brain (afferent tracks)
  • motor/efferent messages away from the brain (efferent tracks)
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8
Q

PNS - Receive

A

Sensory receptor sites (skin), sight, taste, hearing, internal muscles, organs and glands

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9
Q

PNS - Respond

A

Effector sites (muscles), movement, withdraw, pursue, pain

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10
Q

Somatic nervous system

A
  • initiates skeletal movement
  • it controls all voluntary movement and responses
  • carries sensory information to the CNS (neural pathways are afferent/ towards)
  • carries motor information from the CNS (neural pathways are efferent/away from)
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11
Q

Autonomic nervous system

A
  • a network of neurons that carries neural messages between the CNS and the heart, lungs and other organs and glands
  • regulates the functioning of internal organs and glands automatically
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12
Q

Which system activates the fight-flight-freeze response?

A

Sympathetic nervous system

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13
Q

Where is the substantia nigra located?

A

Midbrain

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14
Q

Sympathetic nervous system

A

A division of the ANS that activates the internal muscles, organs and glands to prepare the body for vigorous activity, or to deal with a stressful or threatening situation

  • increases the activity of most of the body’s muscles, organs and glands (stimulates)
  • fight- flight- freeze response
  • triggered by a stressor
  • heart rate and breathing rate increases
  • adrenaline is released into the bloodstream
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15
Q

What is the fight-flight-freeze response?

A

Initiated by the sympathetic nervous system and prepares the body to confront a stressful situation to optimise the chance of survival

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16
Q

What does fight, flight and freeze mean?

A
  • Stay and attack
  • Run
  • Go unnoticed or detected
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17
Q

What is the name of the state when the body is maintaining equilibrium?

A

Homeostasis

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18
Q

Spinal reflex

A

An automatic response that is initiated by neurons in the spinal cord, instead of the brain

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19
Q

Where are interneurons found?

A

In the CNS

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20
Q

Interneuron

A

A neuron that can communicate between sensory and motor neurons

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21
Q

Dendrite

A

Receives incoming neural messages

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22
Q

Soma

A

The body of the neuron, contains the nucleus with the genetic material for the neuron

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23
Q

Axon

A

The pathway the neural message passes down

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24
Q

Myelin sheath

A

Fatty tissue that encases the the axon to aid in speed of transmission

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25
Q

Axon terminals

A

Exit pathways for neural messages to make their way to the next neuron

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26
Q

Terminal buttons/ Synaptic knobs

A

Releases a chemical substance known as neurotransmitters to a receiving neuron for communication purposes

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27
Q

Action potential/ Neural impulse

A

An electrical impulse initiated by the soma and travels along the axon towards the axon terminals

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28
Q

Neurotransmitter

A

A chemical substance, typically made up of small molecules

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29
Q

How many neurotransmitters are there?

A

Around 50 types

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30
Q

What two basic effects do neurotransmitters have on the post-synaptic neuron?

A
  • to excite the neuron to fire

- to inhibit the neuron from firing

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31
Q

Excitatory neurotransmitters

A

Those that cause a neuron to fire and hence stimulate a response

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32
Q

Most prominent excitatory neurotransmitter

A

Glutamate

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33
Q

Glutamate

A

An excitatory neurotransmitter essential for memory formation and learning

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34
Q

Dopamine

A

An excitatory neurotransmitter important for drive, motivation and motor movement. Without it, individuals can suffer from depression

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35
Q

Inhibitory neurotransmitters

A

Those that stop a neuron from firing and hence inhibit a response

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36
Q

Most prominent inhibitory neurotransmitter

A

(GABA) gamma aminobutyric acid

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37
Q

Neurotransmitter interruption

A

Can occur from an imbalance or deficiency in a particular type of neurotransmitter.

38
Q

Causes of neurotransmitter interruption

A
  • alcohol/drugs
  • diet/nutrition
  • stress
  • genetics
39
Q

Side effects of neurotransmitter interruption

A
  • mental health disorder
  • addiction
  • immobility
  • weight loss/gain
40
Q

Serotonin

A

An inhibitory neurotransmitter that involves stabilising mood. Without it individuals suffer emotional disturbances that can result in schizophrenia

41
Q

Parkinson’s disease

A

A neurodegenerative disorder characterised by chronic and progressive changes in the brain due to the malfunction and deterioration to neurons which leads to impairment in movement

42
Q

(GABA) gamma aminobutyric acid

A

Its overall effects are to calm or slow neural transmission and therefore the bodies response

43
Q

Stressor

A

the event/thing that causes stress

44
Q

Stress

A

a state or physiological or psychological tension

45
Q

Stress reaction

A

the physiological and psychological result of stress

46
Q

Stress definition

A

an automatic psychological and physical tension (arousal) a person feels in response to change in the internal or external environment which challenges a person’s ability to cope

47
Q

Stress reactions (physiological)

A
  • skin rashes
  • headaches
  • cold/flu
  • heart palpitations
  • heart attack
  • stomach ulcers
48
Q

Stress reactions (psychological)

  • behavioural
  • emotional
  • cognitive
A 
Behavioural:
- changes to eating habits
- changes to sleep
Emotional:
- irritability
- aggression
Cognitive:
- decreased concentration
- memory impairment
49
Q

Relationship between stress and illness

A
  • stress does not cause illness, however the severity and length of the stress can lead to illness being more likely
  • people who are stressed are more susceptible to a range of health concerns
  • a psychosomatic illness is one that has physiological symptoms due to psychological factors
50
Q

Acute stress

A

the body’s immediate and short-term response to stress

51
Q

Chronic stress

A

the body’s response to prolonged stress; leads to exhaustion and health problems

52
Q

Eutress

A

a positive psychological response to a stressor, this can include feelings of enthusiasm and motivation, and may occur due to events like a party or a roller-coaster

53
Q

Distress

A

a negative psychological response to a stressor, this can include feelings of anger and anxiety, and may occur due to events such as relationship issues or losing an important sporting game, long term distress can have serious negative consequences on health

54
Q

Flight - fight - freeze response (stress)

A
  • it is activated when the body is confronted with a stressor and chooses to either confront (fight), run (flee), or remain motionless (freeze)
  • any adaptive response that gives the body all necessary resources to maximise survival
55
Q

What if stress is prolonged?

A
  • our fight - flight - freeze response is the initial reaction which releases adrenaline, long term this can be harmful
  • the stress hormone known as cortisol is vital for many reasons, including maintaining non-viral functions such as digestion, mood and growth
  • it needs to be signaled that there is a threat by the amygdala in the brain, which triggers the HPA axis to release cortisol
56
Q

What is cortisol vital for?

A

maintaining the health and wellbeing of the body when under stress, if activated over a long period of time it becomes depleted

57
Q

What effect does very high arousal have on performance?

A

low performance

58
Q

What sort of arousal leads to highest performance?

A

medium

59
Q

Which hormone is first released in times of stress?

A

adrenalin

60
Q

What is the name of the hormone released to maintain the functioning of the body in times of stress?

A

cortisol

61
Q

What happens if cortisol is depleted?

A

decreased immunity

62
Q

Causes of stress:

  • life events
  • acculturation
  • daily pressures
  • catastrophes
A 
Life events:
- marriage, divorce
- death of a loved one
- job lost
Acculturation:
- new values, laws and traditions
- loss of status, financial strain
- loss of social support, culture
Daily pressures:
- travel
- traffic jam
- new job
Catastrophes:
- flood, fire, earthquake, tsunami
- war, industrial accident
63
Q

What is the general adaptation syndrome (GAS) ?

A

explains the experience of stress from a physiological perspective, the model was the first to describe stress from a biological perspective

64
Q

Three bodily stages of (GAS)

A
  • alarm reaction
  • stage of resistance
  • stage of exhaustion
65
Q

GAS - Alarm reaction (shock)

A

resistance to stress: below normal

symptoms: the body acts as though it is injured, blood pressure and body temp drop

66
Q

GAS - Alarm reaction (countershock)

A

resistance to stress: above normal

symptoms: sympathetic nervous system is activated; flight- fight- freeze response activated, adrenalin released

67
Q

GAS - Resistance

A

resistance to stress: above normal

symptoms: cortisol is released and all unnecessary functions are shut down, the individual appears as though all is normal

68
Q

GAS - Exhaustion

A

resistance to stress: below normal

symptoms: resources are depleted, immune system is left weakened and prolonged release of adrenalin has negative effects on the body, the individual is susceptible to illness and disease

69
Q

Strengths of GAS

A
  • it measures a predictable pattern that can be measured in individuals
  • if stress is not prolonged stages are still experienced, therefore tracks biological patterns in different types of stress
70
Q

Limitations of GAS

A
  • research was not conducted on humans

- does not account for individual differences and psychological factors

71
Q

In which stage of GAS is cortisol most likely released?

A

resistance

72
Q

Psychological factors of stress

A
  • personality
  • optimism vs pessimism
  • risk taking and challenge
  • lifestyle pace and demands
  • past experiences with stress
  • family and friends influence and support
  • resources and support network
73
Q

Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional model of stress and coping

A
  • stress involves an encounter (transaction) between an individual and their external environment
  • a stress response depends upon the individuals interpretation (appraisal) of the stressor and their ability to cope with it
  • reappraisal is an important component of stress appraisal
74
Q

Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional model of stress and coping (primary appraisal)

A

assesses the situation, is it positive, benign or stressful, if stressful what kind of stress?

75
Q

Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional model of stress and coping (secondary appraisal)

A

assesses the available resource to deal with demands, internal resources, such as character and personality and external resources, such as support network and money

76
Q

Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional model of stress and coping - coping mechanisms

A

involve problem- focused coping and emotional based coping

77
Q

Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional model of stress and coping - Strengths

A
  • accounts for individual differences in responses

- responds to changes in individuals response through reappraisal

78
Q

Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional model of stress and coping - Limitations

A
  • lack of empirical evidence

- an overlap between primary and secondary appraisal stages

79
Q

Self efficacy (stress)

A

the beliefs we have about our abilities affect our actual outcomes

80
Q

Resilience (stress)

A

one’s ability to adapt to stress and adversity

81
Q

Coping flexibility

A
  • the ability of an individual to replace an ineffective coping strategy with a different strategy one
  • positive outcomes for the individuals with high coping flexibility
  • high levels are linked to low incidence of mental illness, but measurement tools can be inconsistent
82
Q

Approach strategies

A
  • involve behaviours that attempt to decrease the stress by alleviating the problem i.e - applying for jobs, commence homework
  • approach strategies are typically a healthy response to stress
83
Q

Avoidance strategies

A
  • involve avoiding dealing with the stress by protecting oneself from psychological distress i.e - denial, substance abuse, oversleeping, overeating, shifting blame
  • avoidance strategies are typically maladaptive, unhealthy for the individual and unhelpful for relieving the source of stress
84
Q

Coping strategies

A

can be adaptive, effective, maladaptive or ineffective

85
Q

Problem- focused strategies

A

aim to reduce the stressor

86
Q

Emotion- focused strategies

A

aim to change the unpleasant emotions associated with the stressor

87
Q

Parasympathetic nervous system

A
  • decreases activity (peace)
  • calms the body after action
  • dominates the SNS most of the time (during routine, everyday activities)
88
Q

5 sources of stress

A
  • daily pressures
  • life events
  • acculturative stress
  • major stressor
  • catastrophes
89
Q

Context- specific effectiveness

A

refers to the coping strategy ‘matching’ the stressor, for example, if a student has a big test coming up, a coping strategy that incorporates positive action, such as study, would be effective

90
Q

How can exercise reduce stress?

A
  • using up stress hormones in the blood for energy (cortisol)
  • increases cardiovascular fitness and stamina, increasing an individual’s ability to cope with future stressors
  • beta-endorphins, which promote relaxation and wellbeing, are released during exercise
  • providing a distraction from the stressor

Psych (4 decks)

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