Stress Flashcards
What is stress?
A state of physiological and psychological arousal produced by stressors perceived as exceeding an individual’s ability to cope.
Stress is a subjective experience that depends on personal interpretation of situations.
What is a stressor?
Stimuli that demand attention and efforts to cope.
Stressors can be internal or external.
Define internal stressor.
Originates from within an individual, such as personal problems or concerns about health.
Example: Concern about physical pain signaling an illness.
Define external stressor.
Originates from outside the individual, such as environmental situations and events.
Example: Having too much homework or being bullied.
True or False: A stress response involves physiological and psychological changes when faced with a stressor.
True
What are the types of stress?
Mild, Acute, Chronic
Each type varies in arousal levels and duration.
What is mild stress?
Stimulating, exhilarating, and motivating with slightly elevated arousal levels enhancing performance.
What is acute stress?
Sudden high arousal level due to immediate stressors.
What is chronic stress?
High arousal level sustained over a long period of time.
List physiological and psychological responses to stress.
- Sleeplessness
- Depression
- Nausea
- Loss of appetite
- Forgetfulness
What is the ‘Fight-Flight-Freeze’ response?
A term describing autonomic arousal in response to acute stress.
It involves the release of adrenaline and noradrenaline.
What does the sympathetic nervous system do?
Controls arousal and the fight-or-flight response.
It increases heart rate, breathing, and alertness.
What does the parasympathetic nervous system do?
Calms the body down and maintains homeostasis.
Responsible for functions such as digestion and resting.
What happens during the freeze response?
Body movements stop, heart rate slows, and muscles become tense and still.
What is cortisol?
A stress hormone released from the adrenal cortex during chronic stress.
What are the functions of cortisol?
- Moderates glucose levels
- Regulates metabolism
- Acts as an anti-inflammatory agent
- Influences blood pressure
- Helps respond to stress
What are the negative effects of prolonged high cortisol levels?
- Suppressed immune system
- Increased risk of cancer and autoimmune diseases
- Psychiatric conditions like anxiety and depression
- Physical health problems like hypertension and cardiovascular disease
What is the gut-brain axis (GBA)?
The bidirectional connection between the central nervous system and the enteric nervous system via the vagus nerve.
What is the role of the vagus nerve?
Carries messages between the gut and brain, influencing mood, immune response, digestion, and heart rate.
What is the enteric nervous system (ENS)?
Controls the digestive system and is similar in structure and function to the brain.
Fill in the blank: The gut microbiota consists of more than _____ microbe species.
1000
How do gut microbiota affect neurotransmitter production?
They regulate the production, storage, and release of neurotransmitters by neurons in the ENS.
What is the gut-brain axis (GBA)?
The communication pathway between the gut microbiota and the brain.
What role do gut microbiota play in our nutrition?
They digest food components to provide their own nutrition and supply us with energy and nutrients.
How do gut microbiota influence neurotransmitter production?
Certain microbiota regulate the production, storage, and release of neurotransmitters by neurons in the ENS.
What neurotransmitter is mentioned in connection with gut microbiota and mental health?
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).
Which bacterium was found to produce GABA in the gut?
Bacteroides.
What was observed in individuals with fewer Bacteroides in their gut?
Stronger patterns of hyperactivity in the cerebral cortex associated with severe depression.
What effect does increased GABA from gut microbiota have on rats?
It reduces learned helplessness and increases pain tolerance.
How does chronic stress affect gut microbiota?
It can lead to reduced diversity in gut microbiota.
What are the implications of reduced gut microbiota diversity due to stress?
It has been linked to anxiety and depression.
How can a healthy diet affect gut microbiota diversity?
It can increase the diversity of gut microbiota.
What physiological changes were observed in Atlantic salmon under stress?
Increased cortisol levels and significant changes to their microbiome.
What was discovered about germ-free mice in relation to stress?
They showed an exaggerated response to stress compared to normal mice.
What can reverse the exaggerated stress response in germ-free mice?
Colonizing their gut with specific bacteria.
What is the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)?
A three-phased physiological stress response that occurs regardless of the stressor.
What are the three stages of the General Adaptation Syndrome?
- Alarm Reaction
- Resistance
- Exhaustion
What occurs during the Alarm Reaction stage of GAS?
Initial response to stress where resistance decreases.
What happens in the Counter-Shock phase of the Alarm Reaction?
The body mobilizes resources and resistance to the stressor increases.
What characterizes the Resistance stage of GAS?
Heightened arousal remains above normal to deal with the stressor.
What are potential negative effects experienced during the Resistance stage?
Fatigue, headaches, and increased susceptibility to illness.
What happens during the Exhaustion stage of GAS?
Resistance drops below normal, leading to increased vulnerability to disease.
What long-term effects can sustained high levels of cortisol have?
Suppression of the immune system and increased susceptibility to serious illness.
True or False: The GAS model applies equally to both animal and human stress responses.
False.
Fill in the blank: The alarm reaction consists of two phases: __________ and __________.
Shock, countershock.
What psychological issues might arise during the Exhaustion stage of GAS?
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Moodiness
- Hopelessness
What stage of the GAS model is Pradeep in?
Exhaustion
Pradeep is in the exhaustion stage due to prolonged stress from his partner’s breakup.
What are two reasons for Pradeep’s exhaustion stage in the GAS model?
- He has withdrawn from friends and family
- He is behind with his studies and lacks motivation
What are the three categories of psychological responses to stress?
- Behavioral changes
- Emotional (affective) changes
- Cognitive changes
What does primary appraisal involve in Lazarus and Folkman’s model?
The recognition of a potentially stressful situation and evaluating its significance
It assesses whether the situation is irrelevant, benign-positive, or stressful.
What are the two stages in primary appraisal?
- Assessing significance (irrelevant, benign-positive, stressful)
- Additional appraisals if assessed as stressful (harm/loss, threat, challenge)
What does secondary appraisal involve?
Considering resources to cope and how best to respond to the situation
True or False: The Transactional Model of Stress and Coping emphasizes the interaction between the individual and their environment.
True
What is the main difference between avoidance and approach coping strategies?
- Avoidance coping strategies evade the stressor
- Approach coping strategies confront the stressor directly
What is context-specific effectiveness?
When there is a good fit between the coping strategy used and the stressful situation
Fill in the blank: Coping flexibility refers to the individual’s ability to _______ one’s coping strategies effectively.
[adapt/adjust]
What factors can influence the effectiveness of coping strategies?
- Past experience
- Appropriateness of previously used strategies
- Individual’s knowledge/skills
- Access to social support
What is the outcome when context-specific effectiveness and coping flexibility are combined?
Increased ability to cope
What is a potential benefit of avoidance coping strategies?
They can be effective in coping with stress in the short term
For example, selectively avoiding unchangeable aspects of a stressor may provide temporary relief.
What is an example of a coping strategy that lacks context-specific effectiveness?
Exercising every night when preparing for a SAC in a difficult subject
How does the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping provide a positive view of stress?
It suggests that individuals can control and manage stress on their own terms
What is a limitation of the Transactional Model regarding stress experiments?
It can make it difficult to design experiments or interventions that apply to larger groups due to individual perceptions of stress
True or False: The Transactional Model accounts for external factors influencing stress responses.
False
Name the type of relationship between a stressor and stress.
Cause and effect
