W3 Chapter 5.2 Stress and Physical Health

Question 1

What is allostatic load?

Answer 1

The biological cost of adapting to stress

Question 2

What effect does stress have on our allostatic load?

Answer 2

It increases it

Question 3

Is stress is a key underlying theme in understanding the development and course of virtually all physical diseases?

Answer 3

yes

Question 4

Can stress aggravate and maintain certain disorders?

Answer 4

Yes

Question 5

Stress can increase the risk of …

Answer 5

heart attack

Question 6

What two factors of work-related stress contribute to the increase risk of heart attack?

Answer 6

1. high demand work environment
2. little control over decision making

Question 7

Mental stress is known to cause what two biological reactions?

Answer 7

1. raised blood pressure
2. elevation in epinephrine

Question 8

Which two systems are involved in the biological reaction to the treat of a stressors?

Answer 8

1. Sympathetic-adrenomedullary system (SAM)
2. Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system (HPA)

Question 9

What does the Sympathetic-adrenomedullary system (SAM) do in response to stress?

Answer 9

It prepares for a fight or flight response

Question 10

How (two processes) does the Sympathetic-adrenomedullary system (SAM) prepare for a fight or flight response?

Answer 10

1. The hypothalamus stimulates the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) causing the adrenal glands to secrete adrenaline (epinephrine) and noradrenaline (norepinephrine).
2. these hormones circulate through the blood and increase the heart rate

Question 11

What does the Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system (HPA) do in response to stress?

Answer 11

It causes the hypothalamus to release the hormone corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH)

Question 12

What function (two processes) does the the hormone corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) serve

Answer 12

1. It stimulates the pituitary gland to secrete the adrenocorticotropic hormone ACTH) causing,
2. the adrenal cortex to produce the stress hormones called glucocorticoids

Question 13

What is the glucocorticoid produced in humans called?

Answer 13

Cortisol

Question 14

What two purposes does cortisol serves in response to stress

Answer 14

1. Prepares the body for a flight or fright response
2. inhibits the immune response

Question 15

What are the two negative effects of sustained cortisol

Answer 15

1. damage brain cells
2. stunt growth in babies

Question 16

What is psychoneuroimmunology?

Answer 16

the study of the interactions between the nervous system and the immune system

Question 17

What two factors in a individual can affect immune functioning?

Answer 17

1. behaviour
2. psychological state

Question 18

How does the immune system influence mental states?

Answer 18

by affecting the blood levels of neurochemicals

Question 19

What is the function of the immune system?

Answer 19

to protects the body from viruses and bacteria

Question 20

What is the front line of defence in the immune system?

Answer 20

The white blood cells (leukocytes or lymphocytes)

Question 21

What are the two important types of leukocytes?

Answer 21

1. B-cell
2. T-cell

Question 22

What is the function of B-cells?

Answer 22

They produce antibodies to respond to antigens

Question 23

What are antigens?

Answer 23

foreign bodies (viruses or bacteria) and internal invaders (tumors or cancer cells)

Question 24

What is the function of T-cells?

Answer 24

When activated they destroy antigens

Question 25

How are T-cells activated?

Answer 25

When macrophages engulf antigens and release a chemical called interleukin-1