Stress Flashcards
What is stress?
Biological, psychological and behavioural response experienced when we encounter a threat that we feel we do not have the resources to deal with
What is a stressor?
Anything that causes the release of stress hormones
What does the amygdala identify in the stress response?
Danger
The stress stimulus and the response required
What does the hypothalamus activate in the stress response?
The stress response itself
What does the adrenal medulla produce in the stress response?
Adrenaline
What does the adrenal cortex produce in response to stress?
Cortisol (steroid drugs)
What is the function of the amygdala?
Integrative centre in the brain for emotions, emotional behaviour and motivation
Part of the limbic system
What is amygdala hijack?
The amygdala responds to a threat and overwhelms the rest of the brain
Involves emotional distress, anger, impulse and fear
Takes action which may later be regretted
What is the normal process in response to a threat that a patient may demonstrate?
1) perceived threat
2) impulses reach amygdala via thalamus
3) amygdala triggers hypothalamus
4) hypothalamus activates sympathetic nervous system
5) person reacts inappropriately
What is the short-term response to stress?
Fight or flight
What initiates the long-term response to stress?
Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis
Describe the HPA axis…
1) hypothalamus
2) CRH (cortisol releasing hormone)
3) Anterior pituitary gland
4) ACTH (adrenocorticotrophic)
5) Adrenal cortex
6) cortisol
What is cortisol and it’s function?
Glucocorticoid hormone
Travels in blood plasma to many cells
Helps increase energy availability by increasing levels of glucose/FA in the blood
Suppressed immune system- anti inflammatory
Restores homeostasis following exposure to stress
What is psychoneuroimmunology?
Study of interactions between psychological processes, neurological, immune and endocrine function and their influence on health
What are cytokines?
Produced by immune cells
Small proteins
Involved in cell signally and communication
