Stress - patho Flashcards
What is stress
a nonspecific response of the body to any demand made upon it
Why is stress important
it creates an adaptive response in order to cope with altered homeostasis
Why is acute stress good
it creates short term protection
What is a stressor
sensory stimuli that elicits a stress response
General adaption syndrome (GAS)
alarm, resistance, exhaustion stages of stress
Alarm stress stage
make you alert, sympathetic and adrenal gland stimulation, fight or flight response
Resistance stress stage
the body selects the most effective channels of defense, cortisol is continued to be released
Exhaustion stress stage
resources are depleted, stress overwhelms the body
Allostasis
a dynamic state of balance that changes according to exposure to stressors
Allostatic load
the wear and tear on body systems cause by stress reactions
Allostatic overload
stress exceeds the body’s ability to adapt
When is the sympathetic adrenal medullary pathway (SAM) used
for acute stress
SAM pathway
hypothalamus is activated –> sympathetic nervous system is activated –> increased glucose and oxygen to the muscles and brain –> adrenal medulla releases epinephrine to elicit the fight or flight response
What hormones does the SAM pathway release
epinephrine and norepinephrine
When is the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) pathway used
chronic or severe stress
