Stress Disorders Flashcards
What is stress?
Changing of a homeostatic system
2 main stress systems
Endocrine and sympathetic
What makes up the endocrine system?
Hormones, HPA, cortisol, ACTH
What is the HPA and what does it do?
Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal; control center for managing stress and maintaining homeostasis
What type of hormone is cortisol?
Glucocorticoid
What makes up the sympathetic system?
SAM (sympathetic adrenal medulla): releases NE and E into the blood, neurons relay messages
What is the relationship between stress going away and sickness arising?
Stress can improve the function of the immune system, so when a person is no longer stressed their immune system has the chance to relax
How is the amygdala affected during stress?
Hyperactive, especially if individuals are reliving their fear
How is the hippocampus affected during stress?
Too much cortisol over a long period of time can impair memory and learning
How is the PFC affected during stress?
Underactive; hard to regulate thoughts and emotions
What are the levels of NE in a PTSD patient vs a non-PTSD patient?
Higher in PTSD patient
What drugs are prescribed for stress disorders?
SSRI’s, benzos (short-term)
What are some stress disorder treatments other than drug therapy?
- psychotherapy
- cognitive therapy
- meditation/biofeedback
- group therapy
- virtual reality exposure
- MDMA assisted therapy
- equine therapy
- EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing)
What drug is being examined for its openness and potential ability to help psychotherapists get all the info they need from stress patients?
MDMA/ecstasy
How long do the anxiety symptoms last for a cute stress disorder?
2 days-1 month
