Psychology Concepts: Stress As A Psychological Process

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10 Oct 201604:13

Summary

TLDRThe script delves into the biological underpinnings of stress, highlighting the fight-or-flight response. It explains how the thalamus, amygdala, and hypothalamus work in tandem to prepare the body for immediate action in the face of danger. The sympathetic nervous system and adrenal glands are activated, releasing hormones like adrenaline and cortisol to increase energy and focus. This response also involves the constriction of veins and the suppression of non-essential functions, ensuring the body is primed for a quick defense or escape.

Takeaways

🧠 Stress is a response to demands that exceed our coping abilities, involving both psychological and biological factors.
🏃‍♂️ The 'fight-or-flight' response, coined by Walter Bradford Cannon, is a biological reaction to immediate danger, preparing us to confront or escape threats.
👀 The thalamus processes sensory information and sends it to both the amygdala and sensory cortices for immediate and detailed analysis.
🔁 The amygdala acts quickly to initiate responses, while the cortex can override it if a threat is deemed non-existent, cancelling the response.
🚨 The hypothalamus links the nervous and endocrine systems, activating the sympathetic nervous system for immediate stress reactions.
💓 The sympathetic nervous system triggers various bodily responses, including pupil dilation for better vision, increased heart rate, and lung dilation for more oxygen.
🚀 The adrenal medulla releases epinephrine and norepinephrine into the bloodstream, stimulating organs and increasing blood sugar for quick energy.
🔄 The adrenal cortex, activated by the pituitary gland's ACTH, releases hormones that prepare the body for a prolonged stress response.
💪 Hormones from the adrenal cortex cause veins to constrict in the skin, enhancing blood flow to muscles, and tense them for action.
🛑 Non-essential systems like digestion and immune response are temporarily shut down to conserve energy for the body's defense mechanisms.
🔍 The script emphasizes the intricate interplay between different parts of the brain and the body's hormonal systems in managing stress.

Q & A

What is stress and how does it affect us?
-Stress is a response to demands that exceed our ability to cope. It's not only psychological but also involves a significant biological component, affecting our ability to respond to danger or threats.
Who coined the term 'fight-or-flight response'?
-American physiologist Walter Bradford Cannon coined the term 'fight-or-flight response' to describe our body's reaction to a perceived threat.
What is the role of the thalamus in the stress response?
-The thalamus relays visual, auditory, and touch information to other parts of the brain. When sensing danger, it sends this information to both the amygdala and the relevant sensory cortices.
How does the amygdala respond to a potential threat?
-The amygdala acts immediately to ensure a quick response to danger. If the sensory cortex determines there is no real threat, it sends a message back to the amygdala to cancel the fight-or-flight response.
What is the hypothalamus and what does it do during stress?
-The hypothalamus is the part of the brain that links our nervous and endocrine systems. It activates two systems to prepare us for fight-or-flight: the sympathetic nervous system and the endocrine system.
What is the sympathetic nervous system and its effects on the body during stress?
-The sympathetic nervous system activates the body to deal with a stressful situation. It causes various effects such as pupil dilation for better vision, increased heart rate, and the release of stress hormones like epinephrine and norepinephrine.
What hormones are released by the adrenal medulla during the fight-or-flight response?
-The adrenal medulla releases hormones epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline) into the bloodstream during the fight-or-flight response.
What is the role of the adrenal cortex in the stress response?
-The adrenal cortex is activated by the pituitary gland's release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), which in turn is stimulated by the hypothalamus's release of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF). The adrenal cortex releases around 30 hormones, most importantly cortisol, to prepare the body for a prolonged response to danger.
How do the effects of cortisol help in a prolonged stress response?
-Cortisol and other hormones released by the adrenal cortex prepare us for a prolonged response to danger by constricting veins in the skin for improved blood flow to muscles, making muscles tense and energized, and shutting down non-essential systems like digestion and the immune response to free up energy for defense.
What is the role of the liver in the body's stress response?
-The liver plays a role in the stress response by producing glucose to increase blood sugar levels, which quickly supplies the body with more energy during a stressful situation.
How does the body's stress response affect non-essential systems during a stressful situation?
-Non-essential systems like digestion and the immune response are shut down to conserve energy and redirect it towards the body's defense mechanisms during a stress response.

Outlines

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🛡️ Fight-or-Flight Response Mechanism

This paragraph delves into the biological stress response, particularly the fight-or-flight reaction. It explains how the brain prepares the body to react to danger by engaging the thalamus, amygdala, and sensory cortex. The amygdala's immediate response is contrasted with the sensory cortex's analytical approach. The hypothalamus's role in activating the sympathetic nervous system and the release of stress hormones like epinephrine and norepinephrine is highlighted. These hormones stimulate organs and increase blood sugar for quick energy. The adrenal cortex's activation and the release of hormones like cortisol for a prolonged stress response are also covered, detailing the body's physical changes in preparation for defense or escape.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Stress

Stress is a natural response to a perceived threat or demand that exceeds an individual's capacity to cope. In the context of the video, stress is the central theme, illustrating the biological and psychological reactions to danger or overwhelming situations. The script explains how stress is not just a mental state but also involves a complex biological response.

💡Fight-or-flight response

The fight-or-flight response, coined by Walter Bradford Cannon, is a physiological reaction that prepares the body to either confront or escape from a perceived threat. The video script describes this response as a key mechanism in the body's stress reaction, highlighting how it mobilizes the body's resources for immediate action.

💡Thalamus

The thalamus is a part of the brain that acts as a relay station for sensory information. In the video script, it is mentioned as the component that sends visual, auditory, and touch information to other parts of the brain when danger is sensed, playing a crucial role in initiating the stress response.

💡Amygdala

The amygdala is an almond-shaped structure in the brain involved in processing emotions, particularly those related to fear and stress. The script explains how the amygdala acts immediately upon sensing danger, preparing the body for a quick response, and can cancel the fight-or-flight response if the sensory cortex determines there is no real threat.

💡Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus is a region of the brain that links the nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland. The video script describes its role in activating the sympathetic nervous system and the adrenal glands, which are critical for the body's stress response.

💡Sympathetic nervous system

The sympathetic nervous system is a part of the autonomic nervous system that prepares the body for action in response to stress. The script details how this system is activated during the fight-or-flight response, causing various physiological changes such as increased heart rate and dilated pupils.

💡Epinephrine (Adrenaline)

Epinephrine, also known as adrenaline, is a hormone released by the adrenal medulla in response to stress. The video script mentions its role in stimulating organs and increasing blood sugar levels, providing the body with a quick burst of energy to deal with a stressful situation.

💡Norepinephrine (Noradrenaline)

Norepinephrine, also known as noradrenaline, is another hormone released during the stress response, working alongside epinephrine to further stimulate the body's organs. The script highlights its role in the body's preparation for a fight-or-flight situation.

💡Corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)

Corticotropin-releasing factor is a hormone released by the hypothalamus that stimulates the pituitary gland to release adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). The script explains how CRF is part of the body's endocrine response to stress, preparing the body for a prolonged reaction to danger.

💡Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)

ACTH is a hormone produced by the pituitary gland in response to CRF, which in turn stimulates the adrenal cortex. The video script describes ACTH's role in activating the adrenal cortex to release stress-related hormones, contributing to the body's ability to cope with prolonged stress.

💡Adrenal cortex

The adrenal cortex is the outer part of the adrenal glands that releases hormones in response to ACTH. The script mentions the adrenal cortex's role in releasing around 30 hormones, including cortisol, which helps prepare the body for a sustained response to stress by constricting veins and shutting down non-essential systems.

Highlights

Stress is a response to demands that exceed our coping ability, involving both psychological and biological factors.

The fight-or-flight response is a biological reaction to danger, preparing us to defend or escape.

Walter Bradford Cannon coined the term 'fight-or-flight response'.

The thalamus relays sensory information to the brain during a perceived threat.

The amygdala acts immediately to prepare for a quick response to danger.

The sensory cortex and hippocampus analyze the threat, with the cortex potentially canceling the fight-or-flight response if it's not real.

The hypothalamus links the nervous and endocrine systems, activating the fight-or-flight response.

The sympathetic nervous system is activated to deal with a stressful situation.

The adrenal medulla releases hormones like epinephrine and norepinephrine into the bloodstream.

Stress hormones stimulate organs, increasing blood sugar and energy supply for the body.

The adrenal cortical system is activated by the hypothalamus releasing corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF).

The pituitary gland releases ACTH in response to CRF, activating the adrenal cortex.

The adrenal cortex releases hormones that prepare the body for a prolonged response to danger.

Hormones from the adrenal cortex cause constriction of veins in the skin and tension in muscles.

Non-essential systems like digestion and the immune response may shut down to conserve energy for defense.