Week 8 - Psychobiology Of Stress

Question 1

How does stress enter the body?

Answer 1

(Through the nervous and endocrine system)

Sympathetic NS - stressor - hypothalamus - CRH - Pirutary gland - ATCH - Adrenal Gland
Immediate response = adrenaline / noradrenaline
Delayed response = Cortisol

Negative Feedback

Question 2

How are adrenaline and noradrenaline presented as physical symptoms?

Answer 2

• Increased HR , BP , Respiration , Perspiration , Blood flows to muscle / organs

Question 3

How is cortisol released and how does it maintain fight vs flight

Answer 3

• Released 15/20mins after assuming stressor is still there
• Increases blood sugar , fat stores , cog function and redirects long term processes to immediate threat

Question 4

Effects of long term stress

Answer 4

• Risk of health
• Inability to heal wounds
• Fertility disorders
• Digestive issues
  -Mood disorders
• Sleep disorders

Question 5

Measurements of stress using the Cortisol profile

Answer 5

• Circadian (night) and Diurnal (day) cortisol profile
• Cortisol awakening response = highest
• Cortisol levels lowest at night
• Deviations associated with poor health (cortisol = elevated)

Question 6

How can we manipulate stress inside the lab?

Answer 6

• Public speaking , dental treatment , O2 inhalation , cold pressor
• Multitasking
• Critical Social Evaluation : Higher HR/BP

Question 7

How can stress be manipulated in real life experiments?

Answer 7

• High stress jobs , major life events , caregiving , exam periods
• High level stress remains , high cortisol throughout the day
• more stress = more illness reported

Question 8

Combined Methods : chronic life stress and acute lab stressors

Answer 8

• Many ecstasy users also related chronically elevated cortisol
  = disregulated profiles , higher at night , chronic stress