stress and illness. what is stress? things going on around you how you respond to those things going...

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)