Biology-Behaviour J Kitchen

8/11/2019 Biology-Behaviour J Kitchen

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Linking Social & Behavioral

Sciences with BiologyJessica Kitchen

EPI 6181Wednesday, April 2, 2008


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Overview

Description of Psychosomatics

History & Background Information

Theoretical Approaches

Introduction to Mind-Body

The Mind

The Limbic System

The Mind-Body Pathway

Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis (HPA)

Sympathetic-Adrenal-Medulla Axis (SAM)

Link between Social Status & PhysiologicalResponses


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Psychosomatics

Psychosomatics = A branch ofpsychiatry that looks at therelationship between emotional and

physical health: can feelings &emotions influence physical health?

Psychosomatic: psyche = soul and

soma = body


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Background Information

Hysteria Seen as an imaginary disease

In Greek "hysteria" = uterus

Believed the uterus could detach andmove throughout the body andhysterical symptoms would emanatefrom wherever the uterus was lodged

By the 17th & 18th centuries thedisorder was recognized as beingassociated with emotional causation


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History

Johann Christian August Heinroth introduced theterm psychosomatic in 1818 to describe thenotion of the mind being capable of enticing bothmental and physical illness

Sigmund Freud believed that hystericalsymptoms resulted from undischargedmemories connected to physical andpsychological trauma

Franz Alexander tried to establish a linkbetweenphysiology and Freudian theory (early 20th

century) Emotion leadsto physical illness as a result of prolonged

overarousal of the autonomic nervous system Identified that unconscious wishes and infantile desires

in the psychic stimuli precipitate specific physiologicalresponses


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History

Adolf Meyer introduced psychobiology;emphasized that biological, psychologicaland social factors all contribute to disease(early 20thcentury)

Cannon (1927) mapped the anatomic andchemical pathways showing how differentemotions produced patterns ofphysiological alterations

Pavlovs dogsdemonstrated how visceralsomatic organs could respond to mentalsignals


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Theoretical approaches

Psychophysiology focuses on howemotion, thoughts etc. modify thephysiological response to a stimulus Selyenoted that the stress response is

dependent on the nature, the intensity and theindividuals previous experience with thatstimulus

Psychoanalytical Approaches noted thatstress produces a general effect;

attempted to explain why a particularorgan was affected in under certaincircumstances


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Theoretical approaches

Cognitive Theories evaluated the linksbetween stress, personality and coping Martin (1985) identified the alexithymic

personality:

Inability to identify stressful situations and expressemotions, leading to inability to modify and cope

Oriental Theories oriental medicineattempts to restore balance of the kienergy, which regulates somatic and

psychosocial aspects Other approaches include Sociological,

Family Systems theoryetc.


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Introduction

StimulusInterpretationEmotional response Biological

response Our physiological reaction to an

event is dependent on our perceptionand interpretation of it

i.e.itspredictability, controllability,implications


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The Mind

Three levels:

Awareness - the ability to perceive andrespond to stimuli

Conscious mind - our emotional reactions tothose stimuli and our intelligent behaviour

Self-conscious mind - knowing that one knows

Philosophical problem: the mind has no

direct access to the body, mediatedthrough the brain


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The Limbic System

Part of the brain that translates ideas andaffects into feelings and emotions

Structurally it is composedof an upper

and lower circuit, which bridge theneocortex (thinking brain) to parts of theendocrine system

Upper circuit appears to be involved in

feeling states, while the lower circuit isinvolved in emotional states specific tosurvival (flight or fight response)


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The Limbic System

Functions of the limbic system include:

Olfaction

Arousal, motivation, etc.

Coding in laying down new memories Emotional responses, learning and higher

control over exchanges between the body andthe external world through emotions

Regulation of homeostasis through theautonomic and endocrine systems


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Body-Mind Pathway

Stimuli are recognized and processed inthe neocortex (thinking brain)

The limbic system interprets and perceives

thesestimuli as stressful or not (emotionalresponse)

Suggestionthat emotions are stored in bodyas peptides or receptors, and resulting

emotions are due to binding

Results in a physiological responsethrough the endocrine system


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Body-Mind Pathway


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HPA Axis

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis part ofneuroendocrine system, controls reactions tostress and regulates various body processes

Amygdala, hippocampus and hypothalamus

(lower circuit of limbic system) facilitateactivation of HPA axis, which leads to the releaseof cortisol

Prolonged high levels of cortisol have beenassociated with suppressed immune function,

depression and may facilitate central adiposity, arisk factor for coronary heart disease anddiabetes (Cohen S. et al. 2006)


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HPA Axis


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SAM Axis

Sympathetic-adrenal-medulla (SAM) axispart of the sympathetic nervous system,responsible for initiating fight or flightresponse

Stress stimulates nerves that directlyinnervate the adrenal medulla, releasingnorephinephrine and epinephrine

Resultsin increased heart rate, increasedblood flow to muscles and diverted bloodflow from digestive system, inhibitedsalivary flow, dilatedpupils etc.


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SAM Axis


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Link between Social Status &

Physiological Responses Sapolsky et al. (1997) showed baboons of higher

rank had greater cortisol suppression, suggestingmore effective glucocorticoid negative feedback

Steptoe & Marmot noted that cardiovascularreactivity is generally greater in lower SESindividuals (confounding by stressorcharacteristics, or hostility, etc.?)

Lupien, et al. (2000) showed lower SES childrenhad higher salivary cortisol levels than higherSES children

Cohen et al. (2006) found higher SES wasassociated with lower levels of cortisol andepinephrine, independent of race, age, genderand body mass


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Link to Disease

Chronic stress chronic HPA & SAMactivation:

May increase other risk factors (abdominal

obesity, immune functioning, insulinresistance)

May disrupt normal homeostatic processesresulting in abnormal physiological functioning

May have long-term effects on the immuneand cardiovascular systems, increasing risk ofdisease and leading to more rapid progressiononce established (Adler, N. & Ostrove, J, 1999)

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