U3A1 stress and the nervous system Flashcards
role of the central nervous system
coordinates + intergrates all bodily activity.
peripheral nervous system
comprises of every neuron in the body outside of the CNS.
role of the somatic nervous system
transmits neural messages related to voluntary motor movement.
role of the autonomic nervous system
regulates visceral muscles, organs + glands, and transmits neural messages to the CNS about their activity.
role of the sympathetic nervous system
a division of the ANS that activates visceral muscles, organs + glands to prepare the body to respond to a threat/stressor.
role of the parasympathetic nervous system
a division of the ANS that maintains the optimal + balanced functioning of visceral organs, muscles + glands after experiencing heightened bodily arousal due to sympathetic responses.
conscious response
deliberate + voluntary action intentionally initiated by the brain and performed by the body.
unconscious response
an automatic and involuntary action performed by the body independently of the brain.
what are the five steps involved in a spinal reflex?
- sensory receptors
- sensory message to spinal cord
- interneurons dispatched
- motor message to muscle
- interneurons to brain for perception
what is the main difference between a conscious and unconscious response?
the key difference is brain involvement. conscious responses are initiated by the brain, whereas unconscious responses are not.
what are the two kinds of neurochemicals released at axon terminals?
neurotransmitters (located at a single synapse) and neuromodulators (located at multiple synapses)
what are the two types of neurotransmitters?
excitatory neurotransmitters (increase action potential likelihood) and inhibitory neurotransmitters (decrease action potential likelihood)
what is an example of an excitatory neurotransmitter?
glutamate.
what is an example of an inhibitory neurotransmitter?
GABA.
what are the two ways neuromodulators can regulate the effects of neurotransmitters?
changing the responsiveness of receptor sites; changing the release pattern of a neurotransmitter.
what is dopamine?
neuromodulator that can have either excitatory or inhibitory effects. it is responsible for:
- regulating voluntary movement
- experience of pleasure
- reward-based learning
what is serotonin?
neuromodulator that generally has inhibtory effects. it is responsible for:
- regulation of mood
- regulation of sleep
what are the mechanisms of synaptic plasticity?
- sprouting (increase in dendrite branches)
- rerouting (neuron creates alternate synaptic connection)
- pruning (elimination of unused synaptic connections)
what are the two forms of synaptic plasticity that underlie learning + memory?
- long-term potentiation
- long-term depression
what is long-term potentiation?
long-lasting and experience-dependant strengthening of synaptic connections that are regularly coactivated.
what physical changes occur to the neural synapse due to long-term potentiation?
- increased number of receptor sites on dendrites of post-synaptic neuron.
- bushier dendrites on post-synaptic neuron (sprouting).
- increased number of synaptic connections (sprouting).
what is long-term depression?
long-lasting and experience-dependant weakening of synaptic connections between neurons that are not regularly coactivated.
what physical changes occur to the neural synapse due to long-term depression?
- decreased number of receptor sites on post-synaptic dendrites.
- decreased number of dendrites (pruning).
- decreased number of synaptic conections (pruning).
what is the role of synaptic plasticity in learning and memory?
synaptic plasticity is the fundamental mechanism of memory formation that leads to learning.
what is stress?
a psychological and physiological experience that occurs when an individual encounters something that demands their attention and efforts to cope.
what is a stressor?
an internal or external stimulus that propmts the stress response.
what is an internal stressor? provide an example
a stressor that rises from within a person that prompts the stress response eg. negative attitude, memories, etc.
what is an external stressor? provide an example
a stressor from outside a person’s body that prompts the stress response eg. an exam, financial problems, relationship issues, etc.
define eustress
positive psychological stress response that often occurs when the stressor provides a positive opportunity.
define distress
negative psychological stress response that often occurs then the stressor is a negative circumstance.
what is acute stress
a form of stress that is brief in duration. it presents an immediate threat to an organism’s safety.
what is the fight-flight-freeze response?
involuntary, automatic response to a threat by either escaping, confronting or freezing when faced by it. common during acute stress.
name the physiological characteristics of the FFF response
FIGHT (confrontation) - activation of sympathetic NS, prompting adrenaline to be released
FLIGHT (flee) - activation of sympathetic NS, prompting adrenaline to be released
FREEZE (immobility) - activation of parasympathetic NS, blood pressure drop
what is chronic stress?
form of stress that endures for several months or longer.
what is cortisol?
hormone released in times of stress to aid the body in initiating and maintaining heightened arousal. suppresses the immune system.
what is the vagus nerve?
cranial nerve that connects gut and brain, enabling communication. responsible for bidirectionally conveying info.
what is the gut?
tube from mouth to anus that is involved in digestion. responsible for processing food, absorbing nutrients and excreting waste.
what is the gut microbiome?
all of the genes of microorganisms that live in the gut.
what is the enteric nervous system?
network of nerves in the gut. subdivision of ANS
what is gut microbiota?
all of the microorganisms that live in the gut.
what is gut dysbiosis?
unbalanced gut microbiota.
what is an avoidance strategy? give an example
evades the stressor and deals with it indirectly. EG. avoidance strategy for upcoming exam could be to play video games to distract oneself from the stress.
what is an approach strategy? give an example
confront the stressor and deal with it directly. EG. approach strategy for upcoming exam could be to create a study schedule.
what are the primary and secondary appraisals in lazarus and folkman’s model?
primary appraisal : individual evaluates the significance of the event as either benign-positive, irrelevant, stressful, a harm/loss, a threat or a challenge.
secondary appraisal : individual evaluates coping resources as either adequate or inadequate.
identify and describe the stages + substages of the GAS model.
[ stage one : alarm ]
( shock ) - ability to deal with stressor falls below normal. body temp and blood pressure decrease.
( countershock ) - ability to deal with stressor rises above normal. cortisol released. heart rate increases. stress hormones released into blood stream.
[ stage two : resistance ]
- ability to deal with stressor soars above normal.
- unnecessary processes shut down.
- cortisol release continued. prolonged presence begins to suppress immune system, increasing illness susceptibility.
[ stage three : exhaustion ]
- ability to deal with stressor falls well below normal.
- cortisol continues to be released.
- extreme fatigue, high levels of anxiety, heart disease, etc. can occur.
define the gut-brain axis.
bidirectional connection between gut and brain via enteric and central nervous systems.
define context-specific effectiveness
when the coping strategy of the mechanism used is appropriate for the unique demands of the stressor.
define coping flexibility
individual’s ability to adjust coping strategies depending on the unique and changing demands of the stressor.
define coping
process of dealing with stress
define coping strategy
specific behavioural or psychological method of managing a stressor.
