Stress - Biological Explanation Flashcards
1
Q
What are the Two Biological Explanations of Stress?
A
- Adrenaline + Acute Stress
2. Cortisol + Chronic Stress
2
Q
What is the SAM System?
A
- Sympathomedullary Pathway
- Involves sympathetic nervous + adrenal medulla
- SAM = Sympathetic-Adrenaline-Medulla
3
Q
Describe the SAM System
A
Stressor
|
Hypothalamus
|
Sympathetic Nervous
System stimulated
|
Adrenal Medulla
(Central part of adrenal gland)
|
Adrenaline + Neurodenaline
Released
|
Triggers Flight or Fight Response
4
Q
What are the Physical Responses to the Body going into Flight or Fight?
A
- Heart rate increases
- Blood pressure increases
- Fats + carbohydrates mobilised
- Activity in digestive tract slows
- Increase in respiration rate
- Dilation of pupils
- Inhibition of digestion
- Movement of blood away from skin
5
Q
Where is the Adrenal Gland Located?
A
- Just above kidneys
6
Q
Why is SAM System Known as the Fight or Flight Response?
A
- Changes caused by the Release of adrenaline + noradrenaline
7
Q
What are the Physiological Responses to Acute Stress.
A
- Body diverts blood away from inessential areas to more important areas (e.g. muscles)
- Oxygen is carried to the muscles to allow them to work harder + release energy
- Salivary glands are constricted causing mouth to go dry
- Body produces sweat to cool down an overworked system - allows body to react offensively/defensively
8
Q
Explain the Differences in the Stressors from 1000s of Years ago to Today’s Stressors
A
- Same Stress response but the stressors are not the same
- Flight/Fight Response is triggered - Today’s Stressors don’t typically require energy, individual is left in a permanent state of arousal which causes problems for the body
9
Q
How are High Levels Adrenaline + Noradrenaline are Linked to Cardiovascular Disorders?
A
- Body’s Stress response increases heart rate, pumping blood around the body at a higher pressure + faster speeds - increased mechanical structure can simply ware away at the blood vesicles lining
10
Q
Describe the Process of Atherosclerosis
A
- Involves scaring of vessels acting as a collection point for fatty acid + glucose that’s circulating the body
- Leads to the formation of clumps that slowly block the vessels which can lead to a heart attack
11
Q
What did Heidt’s 2014 Study Show?
A
- Mice + Stressed medical staff
- Cases where individuals had thickening activitie, the added stress led to an increases in umber of white blood cells which cause inflammation + produces lesions
- Blood platelets + clotting proteins rush to fill wounds - increases Risk of heart attack
12
Q
Adrenaline + Acute Stress Evaluation
Supporting Evidence
A
- POSITIVE
- Leor (1996) = increase deaths caused by cardiovascular problems on day of Northridge earthquake in 1994
- Using earthquake offers a unique opportunity to asses the effect of an Acute stressor without having to trigger one in a lab (unethical + unrealistic)
- Leor’s research supports link between Stress,adrenaline+heart problems
- Cardiomyopathy (broken heart syndrome) affects people who suffer severe emotional stress after an event such as spouse’s death - often misdiagnosed asa heart attack but involves a massive release of adrenaline which paralysis the bottom of the heart - can cause death but most patients fully recover - supports link between Acute Stress + heart problems “
13
Q
Adrenaline + Acute Stress Evaluation
Causal Factor
A
- NEGATIVE
- Dimsdale (2008) = Stress not only cause of heart disease- other factors such as smoking + high cholesterol
- Liu (2015) = UK Million Woman Study suggests that pervious research fails to address issues of cause + effect
- Liu also found that people who are ill report higher stress levels/lower happiness levels rather than reverse
- 700000 women filled in a questionnaire about happiness/everyday life + health - 10 year follow up 4% dead - after controlling several factors (e.g. lifestyle+demographic) - death rates amongst unhappy people were no greater than happy people
14
Q
Adrenaline + Acute Stress Evaluation
Challenge Vs. Threat
A
- A point to consider
- Blascovich+Tomaka (1996) = suggest body responds differently to stressful situations dependent on whether we see it to be a challenge or a threat
- If we see it as a Challenge our blood vessels relax, heart beats more powerfully + performance is likely to improve
- If we see it as a Threat then heart beats faster + it has a negative impact on heart
15
Q
Adrenaline + Acute Stress Evaluation
Gender Differences
A
- NEGATIVE
- Fight/Flight response tends to focus on males - women respond differently
- Taylor (2000) = females’ Stress response is ‘tend + befriend’ in environmental evolutionary (EEA)
- Women have been adapted to deal with stress by nurturing their young (tend) + creating social networks (befriend)- if they fled/fought an attacker they’d be putting offspring at risk
- ‘Tend+Befriend’ may bd caused by a release of Oxytocin - makes individuals more relaxed + reduces fear response - can be released in both males+females - males produced increased levels of testosterone when stressed which reduces effects of oxytocin
