The stress response

Question 1

What are the three different states when we talk about stress?

Answer 1

Homeostasis / allostasis
Stressors
Stress response

Question 2

Describe Homeostasis and allostasis

Answer 2

H: A state of balance in our bodies, the optimal level which we want to keep stabil.
A: there is different optimal levels depending on which state we are in. Finding balance is an active process where the body achieves stability through change.

Question 3

Describe stressors

Answer 3

Anything in the external or internal world that moves the body out of the homeostatic balance.

Question 4

Describe stress response

Answer 4

The body’s reaction to the stressor with an aim to re-establish homeostasis.
Fight or flight response.

Question 5

How does the body react in a fight or flight response?

Answer 5

The sympathetic nervous system kicks in to either fight or flight.
Adrenaline is secreted in the blood, and it acts as a kick to the sympathetic nervous system.
To get ready for such situation the body takes on different actions: the heart rate goes up so that we can transfer blood to the where its needed faster and we start breathing faster, since the muscles need oxygen and glukos(in the blood). It is also derived from other areas in the body.
The body temperature rises, so we start setting to regulate the temperature.
Pupils dilate so we can receive as much visual information as possible. Makes us visually process in greater detail.
Digestion stops and the mouth gets dry.

Question 6

What happens after the sympathetic nervous system has been activated?

Answer 6

Corticotroping-relesinf factor is released from the hypothalamus.
The pituitary gland releases adrenocorticotropin hormone which travels through the blood and leads to the release of cortisol from the adrenal gland.
Cortisol is transported in the blood to various bodily organs and tissues and binds to receptors in the hippocampus.
When a sufficient amount of receptors are occupied in the hippocampus, signals are sent to hypothalamus telling to stop releasing crf.

Question 7

What happens when the release of cortisol stops?

Answer 7

The parasympathetic nervous system is activated which resets the body to a state of homeostasis. All the bodily reactions that the sympathetic nervous system activated is now reversed by the parasympathetic nervous system.

Question 8

Which are the three stages of the stress response? Describe each one.

Answer 8

Alarm: emergency reaction. Signals go off in your brain and body.
Resistance: successful mobilization of the stress-response system and the re-attainment of homeostatic balance.
Exhaustion: Prologned stress-response leading to stress-related diseases