Stress Essay Plans
Physiology of stress
A01
Symptoms:
- Physical Symptoms: Headaches, sleep difficulties
- Behavioural Symptoms: excessive smoking, inability to get things done
- Emotional Symptoms: overwhelming sense of pressure, nervousness or anxiety
- Cognitive Symptoms: trouble thinking clearly, forgetfulness
Response to Short Term stressors:
- S: Sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is alerted as soon as stressor perceived
- M: Adrenal Medulla, signal sent to two endocrine glands. Medulla responds by
releasing adrenaline and small amounts of noradrenaline
- A: adrenaline and noradrenaline circulate body, increasing heart rate and raise blood
pressure. The animal is then ready to deal with stressor.
Response to Long Term stressors:
- H: Hypothalamus releases CRH into bloodstream
- P: Pituitary Gland, CRH causes pituitary to produce and release hormone ACTH into
bloodstream.
- A: Adrenal Cortex, Hormone ACTH simulates adrenal cortex to release various stress
related to hormones including cortisol. Cortisol, positives, e.g. Low pain sensitivity
and quick bursts of energy through glucose release. Negatives, e.g. impaired
cognitive performance and lowered immune system.
General Adaption Syndrome
A01
- General – same response to all agents
- Adaptive – best way for our body to cope with stress
- Syndrome – as several symptoms in the stress response
Stage 1: Alarm reaction – Stressor is recognised. Hypothalamus triggers noradrenaline and
adrenaline production from adrenal gland, leads to readiness to fight-or-flight.
Stage 2: Resistance – If stress continues to find a way to cope. Body adapts to demands of
the environment but as same time resources (sugars etc) are depleted. Body appears to
cope, but in reality, is deteriorating e.g. immune system less effective.
,Stage 3: Exhaustion – Body can no longer maintain normal functioning. Symptoms may
reappear. Adrenal glands may be damaged from over activity, immune system is weak as no
proteins. May result in a stress related illness like depression, cardiovascular disorders.
A03
Gender Differences Negative consequences
Taylor (2000) tend and befriend Stress response repeatedly active
Protecting their young (tend) and Increase in blood pressure leads to
maintain alliances with other blood vessel damage
women (befriend) Modern day stressors may have
Can’t generalise to females bigger impact
Support for GAS
Seyle observed same symptoms
Investigated with rats and response
always the same
Shows that it is a general response
to stress
Issues
Animal testing wouldn’t be acceptable today, experiment cant be replicated today.
, Role of stress in illness
A01
Immediate stress: Adrenaline and Cardiovascular Disorders
Williams (2000):
Procedure:
- 13,000 completed 10 question anger scale.
- Included questions on whether they were hot headed, felt like hitting someone, etc.
- None had heart disease at start of study.
Finding:
- 6 years later, health checked, 256 had experienced heart attack.
- Those who were higher in anger scale 2 ½ times more likely to have heart attack
- People who scored moderately were 35% more likely to experience coronary event.
Ongoing Stress: Cortisol and Immunosuppression
Kiecat-Glaser et al (1984):
Procedure:
- 75 medical students had blood samples taken 1 month before and during exams.
- Immune system functioning assessed by measuring natural killer (NK) cell activity.
- Completed questionnaire to measure other life stressors and loneliness test.
Finding:
- NK cells activity significantly reduced suggests ongoing stress reduces immune
functioning.
- High stress students lower NK activity
- Students with fewer friends had lowest NK cell activity
A03
Evidence immediate stress/heart disease Not a simple relationship between stress
link and illness
173 men + women a variety of Women show more hormonal
psychological tests, public speech changes in reaction to marital
Blood pressure dramatically conflict
increased Older age increases the effect
44% with erratic heart beat died stress has on immune response
within 4 years
Physiology of stress
A01
Symptoms:
- Physical Symptoms: Headaches, sleep difficulties
- Behavioural Symptoms: excessive smoking, inability to get things done
- Emotional Symptoms: overwhelming sense of pressure, nervousness or anxiety
- Cognitive Symptoms: trouble thinking clearly, forgetfulness
Response to Short Term stressors:
- S: Sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is alerted as soon as stressor perceived
- M: Adrenal Medulla, signal sent to two endocrine glands. Medulla responds by
releasing adrenaline and small amounts of noradrenaline
- A: adrenaline and noradrenaline circulate body, increasing heart rate and raise blood
pressure. The animal is then ready to deal with stressor.
Response to Long Term stressors:
- H: Hypothalamus releases CRH into bloodstream
- P: Pituitary Gland, CRH causes pituitary to produce and release hormone ACTH into
bloodstream.
- A: Adrenal Cortex, Hormone ACTH simulates adrenal cortex to release various stress
related to hormones including cortisol. Cortisol, positives, e.g. Low pain sensitivity
and quick bursts of energy through glucose release. Negatives, e.g. impaired
cognitive performance and lowered immune system.
General Adaption Syndrome
A01
- General – same response to all agents
- Adaptive – best way for our body to cope with stress
- Syndrome – as several symptoms in the stress response
Stage 1: Alarm reaction – Stressor is recognised. Hypothalamus triggers noradrenaline and
adrenaline production from adrenal gland, leads to readiness to fight-or-flight.
Stage 2: Resistance – If stress continues to find a way to cope. Body adapts to demands of
the environment but as same time resources (sugars etc) are depleted. Body appears to
cope, but in reality, is deteriorating e.g. immune system less effective.
,Stage 3: Exhaustion – Body can no longer maintain normal functioning. Symptoms may
reappear. Adrenal glands may be damaged from over activity, immune system is weak as no
proteins. May result in a stress related illness like depression, cardiovascular disorders.
A03
Gender Differences Negative consequences
Taylor (2000) tend and befriend Stress response repeatedly active
Protecting their young (tend) and Increase in blood pressure leads to
maintain alliances with other blood vessel damage
women (befriend) Modern day stressors may have
Can’t generalise to females bigger impact
Support for GAS
Seyle observed same symptoms
Investigated with rats and response
always the same
Shows that it is a general response
to stress
Issues
Animal testing wouldn’t be acceptable today, experiment cant be replicated today.
, Role of stress in illness
A01
Immediate stress: Adrenaline and Cardiovascular Disorders
Williams (2000):
Procedure:
- 13,000 completed 10 question anger scale.
- Included questions on whether they were hot headed, felt like hitting someone, etc.
- None had heart disease at start of study.
Finding:
- 6 years later, health checked, 256 had experienced heart attack.
- Those who were higher in anger scale 2 ½ times more likely to have heart attack
- People who scored moderately were 35% more likely to experience coronary event.
Ongoing Stress: Cortisol and Immunosuppression
Kiecat-Glaser et al (1984):
Procedure:
- 75 medical students had blood samples taken 1 month before and during exams.
- Immune system functioning assessed by measuring natural killer (NK) cell activity.
- Completed questionnaire to measure other life stressors and loneliness test.
Finding:
- NK cells activity significantly reduced suggests ongoing stress reduces immune
functioning.
- High stress students lower NK activity
- Students with fewer friends had lowest NK cell activity
A03
Evidence immediate stress/heart disease Not a simple relationship between stress
link and illness
173 men + women a variety of Women show more hormonal
psychological tests, public speech changes in reaction to marital
Blood pressure dramatically conflict
increased Older age increases the effect
44% with erratic heart beat died stress has on immune response
within 4 years
