Psych 4644 Exam 4 Questions And
Complete Answers
Stress - ANSWER A state of threatened homeostasis or disruption in homeostatic
balance
Stressor - ANSWER The thing responsible for the imbalance
-can be environmental (temp), physiological (food/water), or psychosocial
-for those with food and housing needs and medical access satisfied, it's mostly
psychosocial (relationships, exams, etc)
Stress response - ANSWER Body's response to the imbalance
-suite of physiological and behavioral responses that help reestablish homeostasis
-non-specific (all stressor have same response)
Amygdala - ANSWER Perceived threat and sends signals to hypothalamus
-sensory to amygdala
-amygdala interprets info
-if danger, sends distress signal to hypothalamus
SNS actication - ANSWER -hypothalamus to preganglionic sympathetic neurons in
spinal cord via hypothalamo-spinal tract
-then to sympathetic chain or other ganglia
-postganglion neurons project to every organ where NE is released
-preganglion neurons activate adrenal medulla to put NE/E into blood
-"fight or flight" response turns off low priority systems and O2 is sent to most
necessary organs
-inhibit saliva, relax airways, increase heart rate, decrease digestion, construct blood
vessels
Catecholamines - ANSWER NE and Epi
Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal Axis (HPA) - ANSWER -paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of
,hypothalamus releases corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) to anterior pituitary
-pituitary releases ACTH to adrenal glands
-adrenal releases cortisol or corticosterone (CORT)
CORT - ANSWER -boosts available energy for dealing with stressor
-influences many neurons in brain
-affects release of several NT to increase arousal and vigilance
Other stress hormones - ANSWER -vasopressin (posterior pituitary)
-B-endorphins and prolactin (anterior pituitary)
-glucagon (pancreas)
Adaptive - ANSWER -in the short term, changes made to help cope with merge by
situations
-ideally, the stress response is deactivated quickly after emergency subsides
Maladaptive - ANSWER -if activated for too long or too frequently (chronic stress) or is
not released for a physiological reason
-can endanger health
Metabolic stress response - ANSWER -when stressed = immediate need for energy
(glucose in blood)
-stress response = mobilization of energy for immediate use
1) prevent energy storage
-via glucagon inhibition of insulin secretion from pancreas
2) release of energy store
-via increased secretion of glucocorticoids, catecholamines, and glucagon
Pathological consequence of metabolic stress - ANSWER -constantly metabolizing
energy at the cost of storage can be detrimental
-ex: myopathy = muscle loss including muscles in the heart
-weakness and fatigue
Immune stress responses - ANSWER -acutely, GC enhance some immune aspects (ex:
move immune cells to injuries) and inhibit others (ex: inflammatory response to reduce
, swelling)
-both = useful
Pathological consequences of immune respinse - ANSWER -sustained inhibition of
swelling = more difficult to heal injuries
-sustained suppression of immune system increases vulnerability to infection (GC
suppress lymphocytes/WBC)
Cardiovascular response to stress - ANSWER -must increase tone in order to deliver
more mobilized glucose and oxygen to tissues that need it
1) stimulate SNS
-increases HR, BP, and decrease flow to some organs (like digestive tract)
2) increased vasopressin
-vasoconstriction leads to increases blood volume and BP
Pathological consequences of cardiovascular response - ANSWER Chronic
hypertension damages heart muscle, weakens vessel walls, and promotes deposition of
cholesterol and formation of plaques
-lead to heart stack and stroke
GI tract response to stress - ANSWER -stressor = must curtail nonessential functions
(digestion)
-response = inhibit GI tract and primarily mediated by shift from PNS to SNS
Pathological consequences of GI response - ANSWER -gastric ulcers
-stress makes stomach more vulnerable to certain damaging bacteria which increases
inflammation and compromises the ability of cells lining the wall of the stomach to
defend themselves against acid
Microbiome - ANSWER -stress changes the microbiome
-decreases beneficial bacteria, decreases diversity, and increases overgrowth of
harmful bacteria
-bacteria can make NT (5HT, GABA, DA) and testosterone
-changes in microbiome leads to stress related behaviors
Complete Answers
Stress - ANSWER A state of threatened homeostasis or disruption in homeostatic
balance
Stressor - ANSWER The thing responsible for the imbalance
-can be environmental (temp), physiological (food/water), or psychosocial
-for those with food and housing needs and medical access satisfied, it's mostly
psychosocial (relationships, exams, etc)
Stress response - ANSWER Body's response to the imbalance
-suite of physiological and behavioral responses that help reestablish homeostasis
-non-specific (all stressor have same response)
Amygdala - ANSWER Perceived threat and sends signals to hypothalamus
-sensory to amygdala
-amygdala interprets info
-if danger, sends distress signal to hypothalamus
SNS actication - ANSWER -hypothalamus to preganglionic sympathetic neurons in
spinal cord via hypothalamo-spinal tract
-then to sympathetic chain or other ganglia
-postganglion neurons project to every organ where NE is released
-preganglion neurons activate adrenal medulla to put NE/E into blood
-"fight or flight" response turns off low priority systems and O2 is sent to most
necessary organs
-inhibit saliva, relax airways, increase heart rate, decrease digestion, construct blood
vessels
Catecholamines - ANSWER NE and Epi
Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal Axis (HPA) - ANSWER -paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of
,hypothalamus releases corticotrophin releasing hormone (CRH) to anterior pituitary
-pituitary releases ACTH to adrenal glands
-adrenal releases cortisol or corticosterone (CORT)
CORT - ANSWER -boosts available energy for dealing with stressor
-influences many neurons in brain
-affects release of several NT to increase arousal and vigilance
Other stress hormones - ANSWER -vasopressin (posterior pituitary)
-B-endorphins and prolactin (anterior pituitary)
-glucagon (pancreas)
Adaptive - ANSWER -in the short term, changes made to help cope with merge by
situations
-ideally, the stress response is deactivated quickly after emergency subsides
Maladaptive - ANSWER -if activated for too long or too frequently (chronic stress) or is
not released for a physiological reason
-can endanger health
Metabolic stress response - ANSWER -when stressed = immediate need for energy
(glucose in blood)
-stress response = mobilization of energy for immediate use
1) prevent energy storage
-via glucagon inhibition of insulin secretion from pancreas
2) release of energy store
-via increased secretion of glucocorticoids, catecholamines, and glucagon
Pathological consequence of metabolic stress - ANSWER -constantly metabolizing
energy at the cost of storage can be detrimental
-ex: myopathy = muscle loss including muscles in the heart
-weakness and fatigue
Immune stress responses - ANSWER -acutely, GC enhance some immune aspects (ex:
move immune cells to injuries) and inhibit others (ex: inflammatory response to reduce
, swelling)
-both = useful
Pathological consequences of immune respinse - ANSWER -sustained inhibition of
swelling = more difficult to heal injuries
-sustained suppression of immune system increases vulnerability to infection (GC
suppress lymphocytes/WBC)
Cardiovascular response to stress - ANSWER -must increase tone in order to deliver
more mobilized glucose and oxygen to tissues that need it
1) stimulate SNS
-increases HR, BP, and decrease flow to some organs (like digestive tract)
2) increased vasopressin
-vasoconstriction leads to increases blood volume and BP
Pathological consequences of cardiovascular response - ANSWER Chronic
hypertension damages heart muscle, weakens vessel walls, and promotes deposition of
cholesterol and formation of plaques
-lead to heart stack and stroke
GI tract response to stress - ANSWER -stressor = must curtail nonessential functions
(digestion)
-response = inhibit GI tract and primarily mediated by shift from PNS to SNS
Pathological consequences of GI response - ANSWER -gastric ulcers
-stress makes stomach more vulnerable to certain damaging bacteria which increases
inflammation and compromises the ability of cells lining the wall of the stomach to
defend themselves against acid
Microbiome - ANSWER -stress changes the microbiome
-decreases beneficial bacteria, decreases diversity, and increases overgrowth of
harmful bacteria
-bacteria can make NT (5HT, GABA, DA) and testosterone
-changes in microbiome leads to stress related behaviors
