Stress

Question 1

What is stress?

Answer 1

Situation that upsets an animal’s homeostatic balance

Thing that causes stress is known as a stressor

Question 2

stress activates what two neuroendocrine protection systems

Answer 2

• sympatho-adrenergic system (SAS)

* hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis

Question 3

Which system leads to short term stress response

Answer 3

• sympatho-adrenergic system (SAS)

Question 4

which system leads to long-term stress response

Answer 4

• hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis

Question 5

General Adaptation Syndrome Selye

Answer 5

alarm reaction –> resistance stage –> xhaustion stage

Question 6

What is tachycardia

Answer 6

rapid heart rate

Question 7

what is tachypnoea

Answer 7

rapid breathing

Question 8

What is alarm reaction

Answer 8

• Prompted by sudden, unexpected appearance of stressor
• Non-specific immediate behavioural response: startle
• Followed by specific behavioural responses (fight or flight)
• Accompanied by physiological changes:
o increase in blood pressure
o tachycardia (rapid heart rate)
o tachypnoea (rapid breathing)
• These are active coping mechanisms for controlling the threat

Question 9

what is alarm reaction linked to

Answer 9

sympatho-adrenergic system (SAS)

Question 10

what does the sympatho-adrenergic system (SAS) activate

Answer 10

• brainstem nuclei
• vagal nerve
• adrenal medulla

Question 11

What does the adrenal medulla do

Answer 11

Adrenal medulla releases adrenaline and noradrenaline into blood
• noradrenaline stimulates alpha receptors in muscle; contraction redirects blood to essential organs and increases blood pressure
• adrenaline has wider range of effects…

Question 12

What adrenaline accompanied by

Answer 12

activation of hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis

Question 13

What does ACTh stimulate

Answer 13

adrenal cortex to release cortisol and other steroids

Question 14

Waht is the adaptive redirection of energy when alarmed?

Answer 14

• direct oxygen and nutrients to the brain
• stimulates lipolysis breakdown of fats
• stimulates gluconeogenesis production of glucose
• inhibits growth and reproduction
• suppresses immune system
• contains inflammatory responses
• enhances arousal, vigilance and cognition

Question 15

severe, uncontrollable and long-lasting aversive events may lead to …

Answer 15

sustained activation of the HPA axis

→ chronic stress

Question 16

What is a systemic stressor

Answer 16

actual threat

Question 17

what is a neurogenic stressor

Answer 17

anticipated threat

Question 18

What did Sapolsky (2005) find

Answer 18

• dominant male’s testosterone recovers more rapidly after stressful event
• subordinate males display higher levels of circulating cortisol
Dominance behaviour often subtle—threats rather than direct aggression

Question 19

what ddi Carlson et al 2006 find

Answer 19

• adults’ long-term contributions to pup feeding are positively correlated with plasma levels of cortisol
• pup begging both increases plasma cortisol levels and increases pup feeding by male helpers

Question 20

What is eustress

Answer 20

perturbation can be dealt with effectively; (beneficial) stress response quickly terminated once homeostasis restored

Question 21

what is distress

Answer 21

chronic hypo-/hyperactivation of HPA axis; may be harmful and lead to abnormal behaviour

Question 22

What tips the balance between eustress and distress?

Answer 22

Quality and intensity of the stressor
Characteristics of individual challenged by the stressor
• genetic predisposition
• past history/experience
• age or stage of development
Interpretation of stimuli varies between and within individuals and may be associated with emotional state (e.g. anxiety, arousal)

Question 23

what is the yerkes-dodson law

Answer 23

• arousal improves performance up to an optimal point
• past this point, performance begins to decrease
• precise pattern is task-dependent

Question 24

what is Lazarus’s transactional theory

Answer 24

Dynamic relationship between
• environmental demands (stressors)
• individual’s psychological resources for dealing with them (coping ability)
A stress response results from a perceived imbalance between these demands and resources

Question 25

What are the two forms of cognitive appraisal

Answer 25

• primary

- secondary

Question 26

what is • primary appraisal:

Answer 26

• primary appraisal: significance in terms of personal goals, values, self-beliefs
Is the situation irrelevant, beneficial or threatening/challenging for me?

Question 27

what is secondary apprailsal

Answer 27

ability to control situation and importance for wellbeing

What can/should I do about it?

Question 28

coping strategies that are an integral part of the stress response

Answer 28

• problem focused strategy

- emotion-focused strategy

Question 29

What did Levine et al find about rat pups

Answer 29

• handling by humans is a mildly stressful event for rat pups
• pups handled early in life secrete lower cortisol amounts in response to range of stressful events as adults
• after handling, pups are licked more by their mothers
• offspring of mothers who exhibit higher grooming and licking rates are more resilient to stress as adults
• pups deprived of mothers for long periods show elevated stress, associated with changes in adrenal steroid receptors in brain

Question 30

What does SAS do

Answer 30

• sympatho-adrenergic system (SAS) activates “fight or flight” via adrenaline/noradrenaline (rapid)

Question 31

what does HPA do

Answer 31

• hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis redirects energy via cortisol (slower-acting)

Question 32

what does Selye’s general adaptation syndrome identifies

Answer 32

Selye’s general adaptation syndrome identifies three key stages of the stress response: alarm, resistance and either recovery or exhaustion

Question 33

how does stress immunisation occur

Answer 33

Stress immunisation occurs when mild stress early in life builds greater resilience to stress later on