Stress and Health Flashcards
(41 cards)
What is the earliest model of stress and what does it state?
- Cannon, 1915
- States that stress is a natural fight or flight response from an evolutionary perspective.
What does the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) state?
States that stress comes in 3 processes: alarm (this stage happens no matter what), resistance (person coping with the stressor) and exhaustion (reached when a person is repeatedly exposed to a stressful situation).
What does the Holmes & Rahe stress model state?
States that stress related changes occur in response to life changes or events.
What is different about the Holmes & Rahe model compared to the other two models?
Tried to distinguish between different types of stress.
List a few limitations of stress models.
- Fails to acknowledge individual or psychological factors
- Response the same regardless of stressor
- Individual perception is very important!
- No consideration of positive/negative or acute/on going
- Life experiences may interact with each other
How many steps are there in the transactional model of stress?
2
Give a criticism of the transactional model of stress.
- Appraisal is not always necessary.
- Some events are perceived as more stressful than others
- Doesn’t take into account situational factors - cultural and moral differences
Define allostasis.
The process by which organisms respond to changes in the environment through adjustments in multiple biological systems to maintain homeostasis.
What occurs when there are repeated threats to allostasis?
Initiates an acute stress response throughout the body.
Name the two systems activated during stress that are involved with allostasis.
- Hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenocortical (HPA) axis
- Sympatho–adrenomedullary (SAM) axis
How does the HPS axis work?
- Begins in the hypothalamus in the brain
- Releases a corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) which affects the pituitary gland
- Pituitary gland secretes a adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)
- Adrenal cortex releases cortisol
How does the hypothalamus regulate its secretions?
Negative feedback system.
What is the end product of the HPS axis?
Cortisol
Why is cortisol vital for life?
- mobilisation of energy stores (gluconeogenesis)
- increases blood flow to muscles
- through collaboration with sympathetic system increases blood pressure
- suppresses the inflammatory response
How does the SAM axis work?
- Begins in the locus coeruleus in the brain
- This releases noradrenaline
- Noradrenaline activates the adrenal medulla
- Adrenal medulla releases adrenaline
What are the immediate changes resulted from adrenaline and noradrenaline secretion?
- Increased mental activity
- Increased heart rate and blood pressure
- Increased cardiac output and blood flow to muscles
- Dilation of the bronchioles in the lungs (changes to breathing)
- Increased sweat production
- Pupil dilation
Which processes decrease in function when the stress response is activated?
- Parts of the immune system are suppressed
- Decreased perception of pain
- Constriction of blood vessels, except to running and fighting muscles
- Digestive system stops metabolising food normally
- Reproductive systems stop working normally
What is acute stress?
Temporary stress, e.g. tube delays, exams, arguments
What are the impacts of acute stress?
- Can be motivating, increases energy by mobilising the body, improve concentration etc.
e.g. acute stress can improve immune response to vaccines
What is chronic stress?
Long term stress with no obvious end-point, e.g. financial difficulties
What are the impacts of chronic stress?
Can have negative health implications such as mental illness e.g. depression or chronic disease e.g. heart disease, diabetes
What is the antecedent model?
Model that suggests an initially healthy population fall ill due to stress.
What is the consequence model?
Model that suggests that those with an existing illness acquire stress because of it.
What can psychological stress factors be divided into?
External stressors (exposure to stressful circumstances e.g. work stress), emotional disorders (e.g. depression) and personal traits (e.g. hostility).
