stress Flashcards
role of cortisol in stress
Cortisol is the primary (main) stress hormone, its effects are longer than adrenaline and noradrenaline.
healthy stress response is characterised by quick rise in cortisol, followed by rapid decline with termination of stressful event.
the gut brain axis (GBA)
a bidirectional (twoway) multi-facetd (multiple features or roles) communication link between the central and enteric ns.
eg an upset stomach when stressed or anxious, when gut is disrupted it may affe t our mood, motivation, behaviour and higher order thinking.
stress
psychobiological response produced by internal or external stressors.
affects both the mind (mental response) and the body (physical response)
stressor
Any stimulus that produces stress.
may be a condition, thought, feeling, person, object, situation, event, or a combination of these.
internal stressor
Originates within the individual
for example, a personal problem that causes concern.
external stressor
Originates outside the individual from situations and events in the environment
for example, having too much homework, being nagged by parents.
acute stress
Stress that lasts for a relatively short time.
The body typically bounces back well from acute stress if the stress experienced is managed by the person.
chronic stress
Stress that continues for a prolonged period of time.
It involves ongoing demands, pressures and worries that are constant and long-lasting.
cumulative stress
when a number of stressors occur at the same time or one after the other and the person has not had the opportunity or time to recover.
the level of physiological arousal and associated bodily changes can rise and stay high
fight-flight-freeze
The fight-or-flight-or-freeze response is an involuntary response to a threatening, fearful or otherwise stressful situation.
physiological changes produced by the sympathetic ns:
fight - confronting, fighting threat
flight - escaping by running away to safety
freeze - still to avoid detection
adaptive reactions = minimise harm
excessive amounts of cortisol…
impaired immune system functioning - vulnerability to disease
build up of fat tissue + weight gain
prolonged levels of cortisol in blood stream: colds, flu, hypertension, digestive problems.
what happens when we freeze
firstly, there is a reflexive, ‘orienting response’ of the head or eyes towards the direction of the threat. This is accompanied by hypervigilance — being on guard, watchful, or extremely alert which lasts for a few milliseconds.
why do we freeze
adaptive values:
Help prey to avoid detection
Help to conserve energy until a predator loses energy or interest.
gut microbiota
Gut microbiota are comprised of the millions and trillions of bacteria and organisms that live in the gastrointestinal tract.
The population of microbiota in a defined environment is microbiome = can be affected by diet, infection, disease and lifestyle choices.
Microbiomes and disturbances to the balance of microbiota have been associated with:
changes in the production of neurotransmitters in the gut
stress reactivity
mood
