Week 1 (B) - Completed

Question 1

What is the name given to…

the type of stress that emerges from a single event, prompting flight or fight arousal?

Answer 1

Acute stress

Question 2

What is the name given to…

the type of stress that emerges from repeated but independent acute stress (life chaos, excessive worry about normal events)?

Answer 2

Episodic acute stress

Question 3

What is the name given to…

the type of stress that emerges from seemingly unending and uncontrollable events?

Answer 3

Chronic stress

war, family, repeated trauma, financial hardship

Question 4

What brain region is the key coordinator of the body’s two stress systems?

Answer 4

The hypothalamus

Question 5

What are the body’s two main stress systems?

Answer 5

Nervous system (sympathetic nervous system)

Endocrine system (adrenal cortical system/HPA axis)

Question 6

What is the FOUR STAGE stress response pathway associated with the SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM?

Answer 6

Stage 1
- Hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system (SNS)

Stage 2

• SNS activates the glands and smooth muscles
• SNS activates adrenal medulla

Stage 3
- Adrenal medulla released noradrenaline and adrenaline into the blood stream

Stage 4
- neural activity combines with hormones in bloodstream to launch flight or fight response

Question 7

What is the FOUR STAGE stress response pathway associated with the ADRENAL CORTICAL SYSTEM?

Answer 7

Stage 1
- Hypothalamus activates the adrenal cortical system but released CRF

Stage 2
- Pituitary gland secretes hormone ACTH

Stage 3
- ACTH arrives at adrenal cortex (adrenal gland) and releases approximately 30 hormones into the blood stream, including cortisones and adrenaline

Stage 4
- neural activity combines with hormones in bloodstream to launch flight or fight response

Question 8

What brain region is responsible for triggering the body’s stress response? (as opposed to coordinating it)

Answer 8

Amygdala

Question 9

Under MODERATE stress, what occurs in relation to the prefrontal cortex (PFC)?

Answer 9

It operates to regulate thought, action and emotion

Inhibits amygdala

Question 10

Under HIGH stress, what occurs in relation to the prefrontal cortex (PFC)?

Answer 10

PFC is impaired (‘offline’), increasing influence of emotion responses, habitual action and physiological arousal

Amygdala dominates

Question 11

Name three potential implications of ACUTE stress, in terms of changes in behaviour or brain function.

SA MC EFC

Answer 11

1. SUBSTANCE ABUSE through weakened PFC mediated inhibitory control
2. increased MEMORY CONSOLIDATION of stressful events, via increased amygdala response
3. ENHANCED FEAR CONDITIONING function of amygdala (as shown in rats)

Question 12

Name three potential implications of CHRONIC stress, in terms of changes to brain regions

A H PFC

Answer 12

1. AMYGDALA - more and stronger neural connections
2. HIPPOCAMPUS - number and strength of neural connections DECREASES
3. PFC - number and strength of of neural connections DECREASES

Question 13

What is the primary ACUTE effect of stress on the body?

Answer 13

increased energy availability in muscles

breaking down fats & proteins to glucose

Question 14

What is the THREE primary CHRONIC effects of stress on the body?

I B F

Answer 14

1. Suppression of IMMUNE system
2. High BLOOD pressure
   (increasing stroke and heart attacks)
3. Reduced FERTILITY

Question 15

What climatic variable is linked to crime and violence?

Answer 15

Temperature (hotter = more crime)

Question 16

What THREE brain function/structure abnormalities are seen in PTSD sufferers?

Answer 16

1. Smaller hippocampus
2. Increased amygdala and insular ACTIVITY to threat
3. Reduced ventromedial prefrontal INHIBITORY activity to threat

Question 17

What can we say about DEPRESSION and STRESS, in respect to how they both affect the brain?

Answer 17

Similar brain regions are implicated in both instances

Question 18

What can we say about SCZ and BIPOLAR and STRESS, in respect to how the latter interacts with the symptoms of the former two?

Answer 18

Triggers increased severity of symptoms

Question 19

What can we say about ALZHEIMER’S and STRESS, in respect to brain regions

Answer 19

Women with serious stressors in middle age are more likely to get Alzheimers

Question 20

Explain the basic mechanism by which bad memories can be theoretically ‘reprogrammed’

Answer 20

Experiment by Merel Kindt indicated that

1. PROPRANOLOL
2. blocks activation of the BETA ADRENERGIC receptor (which is usually activated by noradrenaline and adrenaline stress hormones)
3. Together this blocks both the flight or fight response and fear memory consolidation