Stress Physiology

Question 1

what are the main definitions of stress

Answer 1

• to emphasise certain words in speech
• a force applied to a body causing deformation or strain
• emotional or mental pressure

Question 2

what are physical stressors

Answer 2

injury
surgery
infection
pain
exposure to cold
sustained exercise

Question 3

what are threatening stressors

Answer 3

imprisonment, torture

Question 4

what are the body systems that interact with each other during stress

Answer 4

nervous
endocrine
immune

Question 5

what do the stress effects depend on

Answer 5

duration and severity of the stressor, and the effectiveness of any responses

Question 6

what is involved in the alarm reaction

Answer 6

fight, flight or fright response
physiological effects

Question 7

what occurs in the resistance phase

Answer 7

adapting to stressors

Question 8

what occurs in the exhaustion phase

Answer 8

occurs when there is severe, persistent stress
responses are futile, and systems fail
there are pathological effects

Question 9

describe the steps to the general adaption syndrome

Answer 9

alarm reaction
resistance phase
exhausation phase

Question 10

what is the benefit associated with small levels of stress

Answer 10

increased attention and learning

Question 11

what is the alarm reaction

Answer 11

this is the acute stress response including fight of flight
it is a physiological resopnse to a physical threat
neurological control from the sympathetic nervous system
hormonal control from the adrenal glands

Question 12

describe the hormonal control of the acute stress response

Answer 12

adrenaline and corticosteroids

Question 13

which gland produces corticosteroids

Answer 13

adrenal cortex

Question 14

what is the gland that produces adrenaline

Answer 14

adrenal medulla

Question 15

describe the impact of the alarm reaction on the cardiovascular system

Answer 15

increased cardiac output and redistribution of cardiac output

Question 16

describe how he alarm reaction increases cardiac output

Answer 16

increased heart rate and ventricular contraction

Question 17

describe how the alarm reaction redistributes cardiac output

Answer 17

increases flow to muscle and decreases the flow to the gut and kidney

Question 18

describe the metabolic impact of the alarm reaction

Answer 18

glycogen breakdown leads to glucose release
there is mobilisation of fat stores to release fatty acids

Question 19

describe why adrenaline is released in the alarm reaction

Answer 19

it releases augments and prolongs the action of the sympathetic nerves
increases cardiac output
redistributes cardiac output
has metabolic effects

Question 20

describe the impact of glucocorticosteroids in the alarm reaction

Answer 20

cortisol is the main stress hormone and its actions complement the SNS and adreanline
can have harmful impacts when the secretion is high

Question 21

what is the main stress hormone

Answer 21

cortisol

Question 22

describe the metabolic action of cortisol

Answer 22

increased energy production from glucose, amino acids and fats
increases protein breakdown

Question 23

what is the permissive effect of cortisol

Answer 23

enhances the action of adrenaline

Question 24

what are the four main actions of cortisol

Answer 24

metabolic
enhance adrenaline
anti inflammatory actions
immunosuppression

Question 25

how do glucocorticosteroids have immunosuppressant actions

Answer 25

they inhibit the release of prostoglandinds and leukotrienes, and they inhibit macrophages and helper t cells

Question 26

why do some people take cortisol

Answer 26

as anti inflammatories
it suppresses CRH and ACTH release to suppress the natural stress response

Question 27

describe the endocrine pathway of cortisol release

Answer 27

stress detected by hypothalamus, which releases corticotropin releasing hormone to the anterior pituitary
this releases adrenocorticotrophic hormone to the adrenal cortex
this releases cortisol

Question 28

when is pain diminished

Answer 28

during physical stress like in sports and in battle

Question 29

what is stress analgesia

Answer 29

this is when pain gets diminished during high stress situations due to the release of endogenous opioid peptides, endorphins, and enkepahlins
they suppress nociception and pain

Question 30

how is stress assessed

Answer 30

by changes in blood pressure and heart rate

Question 31

do women or men have greater responses to stress

Answer 31

women have greater heart rate changes, but they both have equal blood pressure

Question 32

how does systolic blood pressure change during stress

Answer 32

increases from 5-20mmHg

Question 33

how does diastolic blood pressure alter during stress

Answer 33

increases by 4-8mmHg

Question 34

describe how heart rate changes during stress

Answer 34

up to 20 beats per minute

Question 35

when are stress responses in dentists greater

Answer 35

when standing
during complex procedures
when patients are anxious

Question 36

describe the adaptation phase in detail

Answer 36

after there is persistent exposure, the stress response diminishes and the individual has adapted.
this means the stressor is no longer a threat
this happens if the indiviaduals responses are effective in removing the stressor is there is a perceived threat

Question 37

what happens if there is a failure to adapt to stress

Answer 37

adrenal failure
immunosuppression
peptic ulcers
CVS disease

Question 38

describe type A individuals

Answer 38

these are hard driving, competitive individuals that are more prone to high blood pressure

Question 39

what are type B individuals

Answer 39

these are those who are more relaxed and less impatient