Ch. 3 The Body's Response to Stress

If high blood pressure is left untreated (3)

1) 3 times more likely to have heart disease; 2) 6 times more likely to develop congestive heart failure; 3) 7 times more likely to have stroke

Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome (3 Phases)

1) Alarm Phase 2) Resistance Phase 3) Exhaustion Phase

A stressed heart (2)

1) Attempts to predict the impact of stress before it occurs. 2) Increases activity of the system, pumping more blood, in anticipation of the physiological and metabolic demands.

What happens when antigen enters the body?: Blood flows continuously through...? When antigen enters bloodstream...? When lymph passes through...? Plasma cells synthesize...?

1) Blood is continuously flowing through the lymph nodes, leaving residue in the lymph. 2) When antigen enters bloodstream it gets collected in the lymph. 3) When lymph passes through the lymph node Antigen meets B cells and stimulates B cells which then evolve into plasma cells. 4) Plasma cells synthesize specific antibodies--Antibodies attack the invading antigen

Vascular Headaches (Migranes): Caused by? What follows Constriction? What does this cause? What reactions in human?

1) Caused by an exaggerated constriction of blood vessels in and around the brain. 2) Constriction--followed by a reflex dilation or enlarging of those vessels. 3) This causes the release of toxic chemicals that irritates local nerve endings and adds to the pain. Person becomes unusually sensitive to light and noise, and also becomes irritable and feels nauseous.

Hypertension (4)

1) Chronically elevated blood pressure- above 160/95. 2) 15 to 20 percent of the adult population suffers from this disease. 3) 90% of the cases are essential hypertension. 4) When blood pressure is high-- heart has to work harder to overcome the pressure in the arteries--contributing to cardiovascular problems.

Atherosclerosis (3): Destruction of blood vessels by...? Stress constantly saturates system with...? What will eventually happen to the Artery?

1) Destruction of the vessels by the infusion of fatty plaques, which contain cholesterol, triglycerides, and other fatty elements. 2) Stress is constantly saturating the system with unneeded fats (meant to provide energy but underutilized). 3) Artery infused with such plaques will eventually lose elasticity and harden

Skins response: Electrical Language and Temperature

1) Electrical language: When body becomes stressed the chemical activity of the skin changes, causing different electrical activity. (For eg. This is useful in detecting guilt in lie detector tests). 2) Temperature: Blood vessels under the skin, change in response to emotion. When an individual is anxious blood vessels don't let much blood pass, causing skin to appear pale and temperature decreases--becomes stressed (neuropeptides make this change in blood flow possible)

What happens when the heart contracts fewer times? When influences the hearts' rhythm? What else does the heart get signals from?

1) Fewer times a heart contracts--gets more rest. 2) Heart is constantly receiving impulses by the brain, influencing its rhythm. 3) However, heart also gets signals from epinephrine (to increase the contractibility of the heart muscle) increasing speed and strength of contraction.

Factors responsible for Heart attack (7)

1) High cholesterol diet as well as one with saturated fats. 2) Lack of exercise. 3) Smoking. 4) Obesity. 5) Sex (males). 6) Age. 7) Heredity

Gastrointestinal Response (3)

1) Hunger and satiety are emotional states and as such affect the functioning of the GI system. 2) GI system responds to emotional situations in a more complex manner than the typical sympathetic versus parasympathetic process. 3) Response to stress arousal can be measured in every structure along the alimentary canal, starting with the mouth.

Selye's Lab Findings (Rat Study) (3)

1) Increased activity and enlargement of the Adrenal Cortex. 2) Atrophy of the thymus gland and the lymph nodes. 3) Development of ulcers in the gastrointestinal system. (same response to different stressors such as heat, cold, trauma, infection and others)

GI Response--What does it influence? What does it induce? What does it affect?

1) Influences the flow of saliva in the mouth; E.g. mouth becomes dry just before delivering a speech. 2) Induces spastic contraction of the muscles in the esophagus, leading to the stomach; Contractions disrupt peristalsis--Making swallowing difficult. 3) Affects the stomach as well

Two Types of Immunity: Innate immunity and Acquired immunity

1) Innate immunity- provided by the skin, the acidic secretions of the stomach, mobile white blood cells, and other natural body structures and biochemical that defend against all invaders in a non specific manner. 2) Acquired Immunity : This is a process whereby the body recognizes foreign agents called antigens and responds to each by producing antibodies specific to it

How the systems Respond to Stress (6)

1) Muscular response; 2) Gastrointestinal response; 3) Brain response; 4) Cardiovascular response; 5) Skin response; 6) Immune response

More about Migranes: Serotonin levels...? Which causes? More prevalent in people who...? Recent studies show...?

1) Serotonin levels are depleted, this may cause reflex dilation of the vessels and the accompanying intense pain. 2) This may also be more prevalent in people that have abnormal metabolism of serotonin. 4) Recent studies have shown that certain types of migraine headaches can be alleviated by controlling the CNS through relaxation training (this is more so due to the control over the initial psychogenic trigger as opposed to the alleviation of any chemical imbalance)

The Stress Response Pathway (7)

1) Stress occurs due to some kind of stressor. 2) The stressor is immediately appraised and arousal begins. 3) Feeling tone is added, which prolongs the stress response. 4) Appropriate body systems are asked to solve the stressful problem. 5) Upon solution, the body returns to normal. 6) Arousal may continue to occur, increasing reactivity tone of the CNS. 7) If arousal continues, higher resting nervous reactivity becomes normal, which may cause disease.

Effects of fright, depression, listlessness, with withdrawal on stomach lining. What is stress arousal associated with? (3)

1) The lining functions below its normal level; 2) Blood flow is decreased to the mucus secreting glands--reducing the natural protection of the area against certain harsh substances like HCL. 3) Stress arousal is greatly associated with onset and exacerbation of ulcers.

Effects of anger, resentment, and aggression on the stomach lining (2)

1) the lining to increase its secretions of HCL. The lining also becomes gorged with blood. 2) Membrane becomes frail and eruptions occur on the membranes spontaneously and ulcerations develop.

The following different waves can be detected in a person (4)

1. Alpha waves- Quiet state, stress arousal is minimum(8 to 13 cycles per second). 2. Beta waves- Wide awake- focusing attention, problem solving- stress arousal is possible (3 to 50 cycles per second). 3. Theta waves- Thought patterns are directed internally and less about specific external events. Day dreams, fantasies, and "creative images" may occur in this state (4 to 7 cycles per second). 4. Delta waves- less than 4 cycles per second ( deep sleep).

Muscles have 2 states

1. Contraction and 2. Relaxation; Relaxation = absence of contraction; Activities we call relaxation, i.e. watching TV , is better termed as recreation. These activities relax the mind, not the muscles

Adapting to Stress: The cost

Adapting to stress can be lifesaving. However, it sacrifices a lot of the body's normal functioning in the process.

Hyperactive Immune response

An example of asthma: Involves highly irritable mucosal lining of the lungs. When lining is irritated, the resulting hyperactive immune response can cause symptoms ranging from mild discomfort to respiratory failure.

What happens when--organ system responding to prolonged stress?

Body organs break down. OR Emotional patterns become conditioned and individuals continue to react inappropriately long after the initial arousal.

Resistance Phase

Body tries to resist the stressor by engaging different organ systems. 1) This is the phase where arousal is channeled specifically to different organ systems- that are most capable of dealing with the stressor. 2) Body begins to become a little flexible to adapt and combat stressor. 3) Specific organ system becomes aroused--with prolonged arousal and chronic resistance--organ fatigues and may start to malfunction. (e.g. stress arousal in the nervous or cardiovascular systems can produce life threatening debilitation in a short time)

Immune system and stress response: Both T-cells and B-cells have...? Epinephrin and norepinephrin can attach to...?

Both have receptor sites that respond to neurotransmitter substances of the autonomic nervous system, to hormones of the endocrine system, and to other informational substances that keep the whole body 's communication network up to speed. E.g. epinephrin and norepinephrin can attach to immune cells and change their ability to multiply and destroy invading agents.

Brain's Response to stress: constant exchange of--? This activity forms...?

Brain neurons constantly exchange ions across their cell membranes. This activity forms wave patterns, which can be followed through the use of an electroencephalograph (EEG)

Relationship between Thoughts&Emotions and Muscles&Organs (What is the brain responsible for? Organs? How do they work together?

Brain responsible for - thinking and emotional storage (cannot move or act). Action belongs to the organs. Emotional and thought processes occur in a directed attempt to resolve conflict; Organs are activated in an attempt to resolve stress arousal (background action)

People who experience stress react in an appropriate way to alleviate the stress--BUT

But then the individual becomes conditioned to that mind-body response, such that even when the original stress is over, the body tends to continue to react in this newly learned way.

A stressed heart: When cortex decides that no action is best action (in case of psychological/symbolic threat)

Cardiovascular response goes unutilized. Many such psychological situations increase cardiovascular response when its not needed. Causes high blood pressure

Effects of High Blood Pressure: Areas most affected (5)

Causes problems over many years, can affect entire body. Areas most affected: 1) Blood Vessels 2) Heart 3) Brain 4) Kidneys 5) Eyes

organ specificity

Certain emotional conflicts afflict certain internal organs and behaviors. How a person assigns stress response to a particular organ. Each person has a different one

Different manifestations of stress

Developing back pain Hypertension Depression Withdrawal Alcohol abuse Drugs

Movements of different parts of the body are due to--(2)

Different parts of the brain- cerebellum and motor cortex.

The Exhaustion Phase leading to adaptation process can be a very dangerous process--Why?

For eg. In the case of hypertension as a response to stress. The body must react to stressor SO pumps more blood to muscles WHICH causes blood pressure to increase--this sets off another set of alarms (for the parasympathetic to bring the pressure back to normal). ONCE increased, body adapts to it and shuts off the second set of alarms SO the parasympathetic no longer struggles to bring pressure down--learns to live with elevated pressure WHICH causes kidney and heart damage--It can permanently alter your system.

Congestive Heart Failure

Heart can no longer pump out all the blood in its chambers

Misguided Immune Response: A case of Autoimmune disorder and examples

Immune system misguidedly attacks its own tissues, as well as those of invading antigens. Examples are- Multiple Sclerosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis

Immune Response

Immune system: provides defense against foreign elements that enter the body through the air we breathe, the food we eat, or in other ways

How does our mind talk to our muscles? Pathway responsible?

Impulses from motor cortex of brain travel to the spinal cord, causing neurons to carry that message to the target muscle. The cable of neurons responsible for this is the pyramidal tract.

The Symbolic Threats of Society and its effect on stress: Why does Symbolic Threat last longer?

In our modern society, we can seldom resolve psychological threats to the ego with physical activity in order to resolve stress. Symbolic threat tends to last longer because of emotional input and internal dialogue, and therefore is not as easily dissipated.

Prolonged skin response: Change what? Resulting in what condition? Why does it happen (2)? (Redness/itching due to--; Fluid discharge due to--)

It could change the activity of the skin for long enough to cause disease and malfunction. Eczema--redness, itching, swelling and fluid discharge. Why does this happen? 1) Redness and itching: Due to abnormal blood flow to the area. 2) Fluid discharge: Due to increased fluid production by the skin cells in that area

Effects of High Blood Pressure: Kidneys

Kidney's tissues will not get the blood they need if blood vessels are blocked, and so lose ability to function

Motor cortex

Motor cortex contains specific areas corresponding to particular areas of the body, such as the finger area, leg area, neck area; Stimulation of these areas results movement of muscles in the corresponding body area

What stimulates muscles?

Muscles are stimulated by nerve impulses--in preparing for action--they can shorten--moving bones and causing traction WHICH causes muscle tension

How the systems respond to stress: Muscle Response and Chronically tense muscles

Muscles are under the command of will, However most of the commands we give our muscles are subconscious. Chronically tense muscles complete a feedback loop and further stimulate the mind, resulting in increased stress, which appears as irritability and hostility

What happens each time you are about to engage in "Fight or flight" or "cope" ? What is often responsible for prolonged muscle contraction? (and example) Why should you listen to your body?

Muscular contraction as you prepare for specific intentional response; Emotions are often times the cause of prolonged contraction--Carrying tension in your shoulders--For eg. Anger causes contraction all over the body to take body away from danger OR anger can cause contraction of hand muscles to make a fist to strike back. Listen to your body, it is trying to hint at your stress levels

Effects of High Blood Pressure: Eyes (Retina)

Retina--where the eye receives visual images. Here blood vessels are at risk of becoming narrow, rupturing, bleeding. This causes impaired vision and may lead to blindness

Effects of High Blood Pressure: Blood Vessels

Small blood vessels in the vital organs most affected over time. They become hard, scarred, and less elastic--meaning that they are more likely to get blocked/rupture. May also cause Atherosclerosis

What is sometimes the right action for organs? (As stressful situations occur throughout the day--?)

Sometimes the right action is to inhibit behavior or no action--but still leaves person physiologically prepared. Physiological aspects of a blocked action can be continued or repeated because no appropriate cut off signal is received. Through the day, each new stressful situation leaves a residual amount of tension in the body--keeps accumulating--resulting in active coping

Cellular Immunity: Stem cells travel to...? Some T-cells travel to the skin...?

Stem cells travel to thymus gland and mature into T cells that attack invading antigens directly. Some of the T-cells travel to the skin surface directly and make the entire body surface immune

Cardiovascular Response: What does stress affect (4)?

Stress affects: 1) Basic structure and rhythm of the heart. 2) Systemic blood flow and blood pressure. 3) Structure of the blood vessels. 4) Make up of the blood

Effects of Stress on Intestines. What 2 problems can this cause? What is stress arousal related to?

Stress alters the peristaltic rhythm in the large and small intestine. 1) Diarrhea- when movements take place too fast and the water absorption process does not take place; 2) Constipation- if movements through the intestine takes place too slowly and excessive drying takes place (chronic constipation may cause severe intestinal blockage); Stress arousal is also related to blockage of bile and pancreatic ducts as well as inflammation of the pancreas

Alarm Phase (3)

There is no specific organ system affected yet; almost all show some change. 1) Widespread sympathetic discharge; 2) Increased ACTH secretion in pituitary; 3) Stimulation of the adrenal glands. (This in turn causes full blown fight or flight response)

Exhaustion Phase

This occurs after prolonged stress because the organs and systems of resistance have been depleted of their energy to perform. Sometimes exhaustion of one weakened system can shift the resistance to stronger system, forcing that system into the adaptation process

Effects of High Blood Pressure: In Brain

Through blockage, so blood vessels do not get to brain, and so doesn't get oxygen/nutrients. HIGH blood pressure is major cause of strokes/bleeding in the brain.

Underactivity

Underactivity of immune system occurs due to stress-induced release of adrenal cortex hormones (i.e. epinephrine/ adrenaline) Increases susceptibility to pathogens

Immune system may become dysfunctional and lead to stress-related illness in three ways:

Underactivity, Hyperactivity, Misguided activity

Athero/Arterio Sclerosis

When arteries reach this stage, they lose elasticity--elevating blood pressure--adding to hypertension. The atherosclerotic plaques narrow the diameter of the blood vessels, diminish oxygen delivery and may bring on a myocardial infarction or heart attack, if the coronary arteries are affected (completely blocks blood vessels from entering heart)

Normally the heart pumps blood at a steady rate and pressure. When heart completes contraction? Relaxation? What is the pressure used to indicate (through what instrument)?

When the heart completes contraction: 120 mmHg; When the heart completes relaxation: 80mmHg. The pressure indications are used to express blood pressure, by an instrument called sphygmomanometer.

Background action and communication between the Hypothalamus and Upper Limbic Area? Pathway responsible? What does this lead to? Over time it can lead to--?

sends impulses TO target muscles (background action i.e. postures and rhythmic movements that you are unaware of). This pathway or cable of neurons responsible is called the extrapyramidal motor system. This leads to a nonspecific tonus--or a general increased tension in the body. Over time it can lead to a "voluntary" bracing action or cause muscular overreaction

Humoral Immunity

stem cells travel from the bone marow to the various lymphatic tissues throughout the body, where they mature into white blood cells called beta- cell lymphocytes (B-cells)