Stress and Disease Flashcards
When does one experience stress?
when a demand exceeds their coping ability
Who first stated the “fight or flight” response of our body?
Walter B. Cannon
Who said that physiological stress impairs our ability to resist future stressors?
Hans Selye
What four things determine how stressed we get?
the nature of the stressor, the intensity, the duration, and our perception
What are stimuli that triggers the alarm reactions?
stressors
What is the type of stressor that just causes a general state of unpleasant arousal?
psychogenic stressors
What is the type of stressor that occurs in HIGH altitudes?
physiologic stressors
What is the nonspecific response of our body to stressors?
General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS)
What are the five stages of GAS?
stressor -> stress induction -> alarm -> resistance/adaptation -> exhaustion
What stage is the coping stage?.
adaptation stage = new normal homeostasis
What is the state of “exhaustion” in our body called?
ALLOSTASIS
What system of our body is in charge of the immediate response to stress?
nervous system (sympathetic nervous system)
What are some neurotransmitters that take part in the stress response?
norepinephrine, epinephrine, catecholamines
What is the function of catecholamines?
released from adrenal medulla to increase proinflammatory cytokine production
Which system of our body is in charge of the short-term response?
endocrine system
What steroid hormone gets increased during stress?
cortisol
What are some of the functions of cortisol?
stimulates glucose production, anti-inflammatory (immunosuppression), induces T-cell apoptosis
What is the sympathetic neurotransmitter and growth hormone?
neuropeptide Y (NPY)
What is the hormone that initiates histamine release?
Peripheral corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)
Which system in our body is in charge of the long-term stress response?
immune system (decreased T-cell cytotoxicity and B cell function)
What two body systems affect the immune system?
nervous and endocrine (neuroendocrine)
What are the four body systems that can be affected by stress?
cardiovascular, endocrine, immune, and gastrointestinal
What are some cardiovascular stress-related disorders?
coronary artery disease, hypertension, stroke, arrhythmias
What is the immune stress-relation disorder?
SECONDARY immunodeficiency
What are some endocrine stress-related disorders?
diabetes type 2, and secondary amenorrhea (absence of menstruation)
What are some gastrointestinal stress-related disorders?
ulcers, inflammatory bowel disease, diarrhea
What are the two types of coping?
adaptive and maladaptive
Where are catecholamines released from?
adrenal medulla
What types of strategies are beneficial in coping?
problem-focused and social support
What does ineffective coping lead to in healthy individuals?
distress or illness
What does ineffective coping lead to in symptomatic individuals?
exacerbation of illness
What stress hormones increase in the elderly?
catecholamines, ADH, and cortisol
Where do excitability changes occur in the elderly?
limbic system and hypothalamus
