Download Stress and Health

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
Brain
Spinal cord
Peripheral
nervous system
Somatic
nervous system
Autonomic
nervous system
Afferent nerves
Afferent nerves
Efferent nerves
Efferent nerves
Sympathetic
nervous system
Parasympathetic
nervous system
• Sympathetic nervous system
• Adrenal gland
• Release of hormones
Sapolsky (2004)
Autonomic nervous system’s response
Sympathetic nervous system
Rapid heart rate
Blood to muscles
Breathe faster
SNS also releases
norepinephrine
Releases epinephrine
What is happening to the
cardiovascular system?
• Blood pressure increases
– Blood vessels become stiff and narrow
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)
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)
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)
The Effect of Stress on the
Immune System
The Effect of Stress on the Immune
System
• Hypothalamus
• Pituitary gland
• Adrenal gland
Sapolsky (2004)
Hormonal response
Hypothalamus
Releases hormone
(CRH)
Pituitary gland
Releases
hormone
(ACTH)
Short term: Enhances
immune system
Long term: Impairs
Immune system
Releases stress hormone
glucocorticoids
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)
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)
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)
What is happening to the
immune system?
• White blood cells die a premature death
• Fewer antibodies are being made
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)
What is happening to the
immune system?
• Autoimmune diseases can develop/get
worse
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)
Psychological Factors
in the Stress Response
• Interpersonal relationships
• Personality
• Coping
Figure 12.17 The cognitive appraisal process
Klein/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/thoughts
Avoidance
Hyperarousal
Effortful
avoidance
Sleep problems
Recurrent
nightmares
Amnesia
Concentration
difficulties
Interest
Hypervigilence
Flashbacks
 Range of
emotions
Easily startled
Video
PTSD military
Research Strategy
History of trauma
+ lifetime PTSD
History of trauma
+ current PTSD
compared with
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
Activity
Stressful stimulus
Activity
At rest
Data
Baseline
Data
Reactivity
Data
Recovery
Kaloupek & Bremner (1996)
Reactivity
Phase II
Combat Veterans
Activity
Stressful stimulus
Robust finding – Greater arousal:
 Heart rate
 Blood pressure
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)