Stress and Health Flashcards
in the stress documentary what was observed when researching stress on baboons?
it was found that baboons that were lower ranked in the troop had higher blood pressure and heart rate, lower reproduction rates, elevated stress, and no immune system. those that were higher ranked had a normal heart rate and blood pressure and less stress hormones.
in the stress documentary, what did you learn about the Meerkat Monkeys?
those that were high ranking had clear ateries, but those that were in lower rank had high blood pressure and clogged arteries.
how can the stressed rat brain show us something about how stress may impact the human brain?
stress creates smaller brain cells and therefore a smaller hippocampus causing there to be a struggle with learning and memory.
in the stress documentary what did Carol Shively discover about pleasure?
stress impacts dopamine binding, which determines how much pleasure a person feels.
in the stress documentary, what did Whitehall discover between social hierarchy and stress?
those that were lower in rank were more stressed and because of that had weight distribution mainly in the abdomen. it was found that fat brought on by stress is more dangerous than other fat that develops in the body.
the stress documentary talked about the “Dutch hunger winter.” what was the connection between stress and health?
babies who were in the womb during the famine were exposed to stress in there and because of that those babies had an increased risk of cardiovascular issues. the stress the mother felt changed the brain of her baby
what is a telomere and how does stress impact them?
a telomere is a cap that protects chromosomes and keeps them from unraveling. they naturally shorten with age, but stress causes them to shorten faster (1 yr of stress is 6 yrs of aging for telomere). because of this, you can tell the stress someone is in based on the length of them.
what is the correlation between stress and the workplace?
the way we work and the hierarchy we are in effect our health. a more stressful work environment increases the chance of illness.
what are the regions of the brain that are involved in a stress response?
hypothalamus, hippocampus, amygdala, and the pituitary and adrenal system
what is the effect of prolonged stress?
higher chance of ulcers, cardiovascular disease, obesity, higher cortisol levels
what is the problem with an over active amygdala?
if your amygdala is overstimulated, your anxiety will outweigh the logical parts of your brain and cause you to panic all the time instead of just when you are in a crisis
how does chronic stress affect the hippocampus?
stress creates smaller brain cells in the hippocampus, causing it to be smaller, a person with chronic stress and smaller hippocampus generally struggle with leaning and memory
how are stress and dopamine connected?
stress affects the dopamine binding receptors causing a person to have a harder time feeling pleasure.
what does downregulation of the prefrontal cortex mean?
with stress, the prefrontal cortex becomes less active, begins to disconnect, and fires less. basically, your brain becomes to live in a place of fight-or-flight.
what is cortisol?
cortisol is a long-lasting hormone that helps us adapt our life to a stressor. it raises the body’s blood sugar, inhibits cognition, destabilizes mood, and disrupts our sleep. it also helps us get things done and is more present at the beginning of the day, and as we move about and metabolize it decreases.
