PSY 353: Detailed Notes on Stress and the Digestive System (The Gut-Brain Axis)

9/8 STRESS AND DIGESTION
- ​ STRESS AND APPETITE
O STRESS CAUSES ALTERATIONS IN APPETITE

O CULPRIT IN MILLIONS OF AMERICANS SAYING THAT WEIGHT PROBLEMS ARE AT LEAST
PARTIALLY CAUSED BY STRESS EATING

O WHY?
- ​ ZEBRA SURVIVES
O DURING STRESS RESPONSE, CHR RELEASED

§ SUPPRESSES APPETITE
O AND EPINEPHRINE
§ PUT EATING ON HOLD
O AFTER ITS OVER, PNS KICKS IN, RECOVERS AND APPETITE GOES BACK UP
- ​ EATING MORE OR LESS
O STRESS RESPONSE BOTH INHIBITS (IMMEDIATELY) AND INCREASES (LONGER TERM)

APPETITE

O IF STRESS IS CHRONIC, CORTISOL RELEASED
§ INCREASES APPETITE
O TYPE OF STRESSOR IS KEY
§ HYPOPHAGIA – ONGOING, CONSISTENT LEVEL OF STRESS (REDUCED
APPETITE)

§ HYPERPHAGIA – FREQUENT, INTERMITTENT STRESSORS (HIGHER APPETITE)
O “RESTRAINED EATERS” TEND TO BE HYPERPHAGIC IN STRESS
- ​ APPLES AND PEARS
O GLUCOCORTICOIDS – NATURAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORIES RELEASED DURING STRESS

RESPONSE

§ CORTISOL
O STIMULATE VISCERAL FAT CELLS (THOSE AROUND THE MIDDLE)
O “APPLE-SHAPED PEOPLE” MUCH HIGHER RISK FOR CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE AND
DIABETES

O PEAR PEOPLE, GAIN WEIGHT AROUND HIPS INSTEAD OF STOMACH
- ​ DIGESTION
O COMPLICATED PROCESS

O 10-20% OF CURRENT ENERGY IS SPENT ON DIGESTION
O DURING STRESS RESPONSE
§ SALIVA HALTED