Date post: | 20-Dec-2015 |
Category: |
Documents |
View: | 212 times |
Download: | 0 times |
Stress and Illness
What is stress?
• Things going on around you
• How you respond to those things going on around you
• How do you know when you are stressed?
The Effect of Stress on the Cardiovascular System
Short-term stress
Nervous system
Central nervous system
Peripheral nervous system
Brain Spinal cordSomatic
nervous systemAutonomic
nervous system
Afferent nerves
Efferent nerves
Afferent nerves
Efferent nerves
Sympathetic nervous system
Parasympathetic nervous system
• Sympathetic nervous system
• Adrenal gland
• Release of hormones
Sapolsky (2004)
Sympathetic nervous system
Releases epinephrine Rapid heart rateBlood to muscles
Breathe faster
Autonomic nervous system’s response
SNS also releases norepinephrine
What is happening to the cardiovascular system?
• Blood pressure increases– Blood vessels become stiff and narrow
Sapolsky (2004)Sapolsky (2004)
What is happening to the cardiovascular system?
• Blood enters heart– What is the impact of increased blood
pressure?• Blood enters heart with greater force• Heart expands greater than normal, then snaps
back with great force
Sapolsky (2004)Sapolsky (2004)
Long-term stress
What is happening to the cardiovascular system?
• Long-term impact on blood pressure and blood vessels– Chronic blood pressure– Blood vessels respond to increased work by
becoming even stiffer and more narrow
• Long-term impact on heart– Muscle on one side of heart becomes bigger
Sapolsky (2004)Sapolsky (2004)
What is happening to the cardiovascular system?
• Damage to blood vessels, blockage of blood flow– Build up of cholesterol, platelets, and immune
cells
• Health consequences: thrombus, heart attack, stroke
Sapolsky (2004)Sapolsky (2004)
The Effect of Stress on the Immune System
The Effect of Stress on the Immune System
• Hypothalamus
• Pituitary gland
• Adrenal gland
Sapolsky (2004)Sapolsky (2004)
Releases hormone (CRH)
Releases hormone (ACTH)
Releases stress hormone glucocorticoids
Hypothalamus
Short term: Enhances immune system
Long term: ImpairsImmune system
Hormonal response
Pituitary gland
Adrenal gland
Short-term stress
What is happening to the immune system?
• With the help of glucocorticoids– More white blood cells are now circulating
through the body– Immune cells are better at responding to
signals from messenger cells
Sapolsky (2004)Sapolsky (2004)
What is happening to the immune system?
• With the help of glucocorticoids– More antibodies are produced
• Antibodies are like guards that hold germs under arrest to await execution by other members of the immune system
Sapolsky (2004)Sapolsky (2004)
Long-term stress
What is happening to the immune system?
• Fewer new white blood cells are forming
• Fewer white blood cells are released into circulation
• Existing white blood cells don’t stay in circulation as long as usual
Sapolsky (2004)Sapolsky (2004)
What is happening to the immune system?
• White blood cells die a premature death
• Fewer antibodies are being made
Sapolsky (2004)Sapolsky (2004)
Short and long-term impact
• In the short run, this simply returns the immune system to normal functioning
• In the long run, this suppresses the immune system below normal functioning
Sapolsky (2004)Sapolsky (2004)
What is happening to the immune system?
• Autoimmune diseases can develop/get worse
Sapolsky (2004)Sapolsky (2004)
A few final comments…
• IMPORTANT: Stress does not cause disease
• Stress can increase risk for disease, along with genetics, germs, lifestyle, psychological factors, etc.
Sapolsky (2004)Sapolsky (2004)
Psychological Factors in the Stress Response
• Interpersonal relationships
• Personality
• Coping
Figure 12.17 The cognitive appraisal processKlein/Thorne: Biological Psychology© 2007 by Worth Publishers
Stress Management
Stress Inoculation Training
• Phase 1: Education
Stress Inoculation Training
• Phase 2: Rehearsal
Stress Inoculation Training
• Phase 3: Application
Traumatic Stress and Health
What doesn’t kill you actually makes you weaker (physically)
Hysteria
The Wandering Womb
Normal Response to Danger/Threat
Arousal adrenalin rush
Attention and Perception heightened awareness
Emotions fear and anger
Action fight or flight
Herman, 1992
Traumatic Experience
Arousal adrenalin rush
Attention and Perception heightened awareness
Emotions fear and anger
Action fight or flight
Herman, 1992
Combat-related PTSD
Traumatic Experience
Arousal adrenalin rush
Attention and Perception heightened awareness
Emotions fear and anger
Action fight or flight
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Intrusive re-
experiencing
Intrusive images/thought
s
Recurrent nightmares
Flashbacks
Avoidance
Effortful avoidance
Amnesia
Interest
Range of emotions
Hyperarousal
Sleep problems
Concentration difficulties
Hypervigilence
Easily startled
Video PTSD military
Research Strategy
History of trauma +
current PTSD
compared with
History of trauma + lifetime PTSD
History of trauma, never developed
PTSD
No history of trauma
Research Strategy
Activity At rest
Data Baseline
Kaloupek & Bremner (1996)
Research Strategy
Activity Stressful stimulus
Data Reactivity
Kaloupek & Bremner (1996)
Reactivity Phase: Stressful Stimulus
Presented to participant
Auditory Example: sounds of
combat
Visual Example: photos of
combat scenes
Research Strategy
Activity At rest
Data Recovery
Kaloupek & Bremner (1996)
Research Strategy
Activity At rest
Data Baseline
Activity Stressful stimulus
Data Reactivity
Activity At rest
Data Recovery
Kaloupek & Bremner (1996)
Reactivity
Combat Veterans
Robust finding – Greater arousal: Heart rate Blood pressure
Phase II
Activity Stressful
stimulus
Data Reactivity
Present sound/pictures related to the war
This reminds veteran of experiences during the war
Activates emotions linked with those experiences
Physical changes in the body (heart rate, blood pressure)
Recovery?
Activity At rest
Data Recovery
Kaloupek & Bremner (1996)