stress and anxiety

Question 1

what are the feelings , stress, anxiety and fear?

Answer 1

survival mechanism by which we can respond to threats, or potential threats.

Question 2

what is the key brain region involved in fear behaviours and of learnt responses to stressors?

Answer 2

amygdala

Question 3

Which region of the temporal lobe contains the amygdala?

Answer 3

located within the uncus, on the medial aspect of the temporal lobe

Question 4

what are the regions divided into from the amygdala which are in the central nervous system?

Answer 4

1.centrolateral
2. centromedial

Question 5

role of centromedial nucleus ?

Answer 5

controls the outflow of activity to the regions controlling behavioural responses to stressors

Question 6

Which nucleus is the main region for input and integration of information about stressful situations

Answer 6

Lateral

Question 7

Which region of the brain is thought to set the thresholds of emotional state? And where is it located?

Answer 7

The insula

situated behind the folds of the lateral fissure and spans the frontal to parietal lobe regions.

Question 8

cingulate gyrus

Answer 8

strip of cortex lying above the corpus callosum that connects left and right hemisphere.

Question 9

Activity from the amygdala activates the HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) axis in response to stressors. Can you remember which 2 hormones the adrenal gland produces in response to stress?

Answer 9

1.noradrenaline- from the adrenal medulla.
2.steroid, cortisol-from the adrenal cortex

Question 10

what do noradrenaline and stored, cortisol act to increase?

Answer 10

metabolism enabling a rapid escape from dangerous situations.

Question 11

where does the hypothalamic axes HPA start and go to?

Answer 11

hypothalamus progressing to the pituitary then to the adrenal gland

Question 12

where does the hypothalamic axes HPG start and go to?

Answer 12

hypothalamus progressing to the pituitary then to the testes/ovaries

Question 13

where does the hypothalamic axes HPT start and go to?

Answer 13

hypothalamus progressing to the pituitary then to the thyroid.

Question 14

what 4 groups show chronic stress and anxiety have on the body?

Answer 14

1.Affective - altering moods
2.Behavioural
3.Cognitive
4.Physiological

Question 15

What type of plasticity increases the strength of response to stimuli

Answer 15

long term potentiation-leads to an increase in synaptic strength

Question 16

why does the amygdala have high levels of plasticity ?

Answer 16

allowing it to change and adapt to new experiences.

Question 17

what does morphological changes in the principle cells and interneurones leads to?

Answer 17

formation strong associations to the stressor, which will initiate a rapid recall of effective behaviours if the trigger is encountered again

Question 18

what do interneurones play a key role in ?

Answer 18

controlling fear responses

Question 19

what neurotransmitters do interneurones use ?

Answer 19

GABA

Question 20

generalised anxiety disorder

Answer 20

excessive worry or anxiety about a range of subjects or life situations lasting for at least six months

Question 21

what 4 functions can generalised anxiety disorder ?

Answer 21

1.functioning
2. learning
3.memory
4. sleep.

Question 22

what are 3 related disorders to Phobic anxiety disorders?

Answer 22

1.Specific phobias
2.Agoraphobia
3.Social phobia

Question 23

specific phobias

Answer 23

fear of specific things

Question 24

Agoraphobia

Answer 24

fear of situations where escape is not possible

Question 25

Social phobia

Answer 25

fear of social situations

Question 26

Panic disorder

Answer 26

describe recurrent episodes of extreme fear and anxiety (panic attacks) that is unrelated to the situation being experienced; there is no specific trigger to the event occurring.

Question 27

Obsessive compulsive disorder

Answer 27

includes disorders where patients experience obsessional thought patterns and exhibit ritualistic and compulsive behaviours.

Question 28

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Answer 28

associated with experiencing a significant trauma or known event and are some of the most devastating and debilitating forms of anxiety disorder

Question 29

what 5 approaches are used to manage anxiety disorders?

Answer 29

1.Conscious Avoidance
2.Relaxation courses
3.Hypnotherapy
4.Creative arts therapies - focussed on healing
5.Eye movement desensitisation and reprogramming (EMDR)

Question 30

what is EMDR?

Answer 30

uses rhythmic eye movements in combination with talking therapies to reduce the saliency of experiences

Question 31

what medications are used to control these disorders?

Answer 31

1.antidepressants(increase 5HT or NA levels)
2.benzodiazepines(short term)
3.B blockers

Question 32

what do activity do benzodiazepines dampen?

Answer 32

anxiolytic/hypnotic group which dampen down hyperactivity via increasing GABA activity - they are positive allosteric modulators) to modulate activity levels and increase positive feelings

Question 33

what activity do β-blockers dampen down?

Answer 33

reduce the symptoms, by dampening down activity in the autonomic nervous system.