stress and illness

Question 1

Define Stress

Answer 1

Stress is an alarm reaction that involves heightened mental and physical state as a response to a stressor.

Question 2

Define homeostasis

Answer 2

The collective processes that maintain an internal equilibrium.

Question 3

How do behaviors and emotions manifest themselves in the internal physical system?

Answer 3

In concert with the ANS and endocrine systems

Question 4

Define Allostasis

Answer 4

Activity that is required for the individual to maintain stability by changing some aspect of themselves or their environment.

In short, adaptation

Question 5

What are the two types of stresses sources?

Answer 5

Physiological and psychological

Question 6

What are the three variations of the two main sources of stress?

Answer 6

Acute, episodic, and chronic

Question 7

Which type of stress is the “bottom up” type of stress?

Answer 7

The physiological

Question 8

Describe how signals from the periphery affect what we consciously feel.

Answer 8

Signals from the PNS progress to the spinal cord, to reach the brainstem. Once there, they move to the hypothalamus and limbic system, to evoke changes in homeostasis.

Question 9

What types of stress are “top down” stresses?

Answer 9

Psychological

Question 10

How does psychological stress exert its effects?

Answer 10

It affects the hypothalamic and brainstem mechanisms through the same regulatory mechanisms involved in external stresses.

Question 11

What is the first phase in Seyle’s general adaptation syndrome?

Answer 11

Alarm stage: divided into two subphases:

Shock phase - body endures a stress and resistance to stressor drops temporarily

Antishock phase - body starts to respond and is in a state of alarm (Smpathetic nervous system kicks in, epi, cortisol)

Question 12

What is the second phase in Seyle’s general adaptation syndrome?

Answer 12

Resistance (coping) stage -Increase in systemic glucocorticoid levels, leading to increases Glucose, fat, and protein in the blood.

If the stress is persistent, need an adaptation before the body’s resources are depleted.

Question 13

What is the third phase in Seyle’s general adaptation syndrome?

Answer 13

Exhaustion stage - characterized by loss of normal body function, and long term damage.

Question 14

What is the HPA axis?

Answer 14

The hypothalamus, pituitary, and adrenal glands axis. This is the order of secretion for adrenal secretion.

Question 15

What is the first step in activation of the HPA axis?

Answer 15

The hypothalamus receives a signal from the higher parts of the brain (or lower) that something is stressful.

It produces norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin.

Question 16

What is the third step in the HPA axis?

Answer 16

CRH produced by the hypotalamus activates the pituitary to secrete ACTH.

Question 17

What is the fourth step in the HPA axis?

Answer 17

ATCH from the pituitary acts on the adrenal glands to stimulate cortisol production

Question 18

How is anxiety (as opposed to an all out panic) represented physiologically in the brain?

Answer 18

The prefrontal cortex will communicate with the amygdala to assess the threat.

Question 19

How is panic (as opposed to anxiety) represented physiologically in the brain?

Answer 19

The amygdala fully takes over–there is no communication with the prefrontal cortex as there is with anxiety.

Question 20

What is the role of hippocampus in stress?

Answer 20

Since the hippocamus has a lot of cortisol receptors, it will try to shut off the amygdala if there is too much stress. —long term problems for chronic stress.

Question 21

What is the long term effect of stress on the hippocampus?

Answer 21

Atrophy

Question 22

What is allosteric load?

Answer 22

The cost of maintaining homeostasis.

Question 23

Describe the short loop of inhibition

Answer 23

ACTH from the pituitary will inhibit the amygdala/CNS, and hypothalamus

Question 24

Describe the long loop of inhibition

Answer 24

Cortisol will inhibit the hypothalamus/hippocampus, and anterior pituitary

Question 25

What is the second step in the HPA axis activation?

Answer 25

Norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin cause the paraventricular nucleus in the hypothalamus to secrete CRH

Question 26

What are some long term physical effects of chronic stress?

Answer 26

CV (sudden death, MI, HTN).

diarrhea, ulcers, IBS aggravation

Question 27

How does HPA axis activation affect the immune system?

Answer 27

Lowers it:
lower cytokine production
lower inflammatory mediatos,
lower the tissues response to mediators

Question 28

Depression in chronic stress is highly correlated with what?

Answer 28

Frequency of pain
Inhibition of daily functioning
Number of pain sites
Duration of pain
Severity

(FINDS)