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Stress research paper
Research study on stress
Research study on stress
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One of the most common sensations in all humans is that of stress. This may be induced by everything from more serious life-or-death situations, to more mundane concern over deadlines or relationships. The body has a somewhat graded response to these events depending on their severity, but its response, regardless of severity, is rooted in the same neuroendocrine response of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA Axis). This response is characterized by the feedback interactions and influencing of three of the bodies endocrine glands: the hypothalamus, the pituitary gland, and the adrenal glands (1). In response to stress, the hypothalamus releases corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), which travels through the hypophyseal portal system …show more content…
Egg-Roulette is a game of chance, popularized by “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon,” where two players face off against each other, with the loser ending up covered in raw egg. This lab uses a revised version of the stress-inducing game to study the bodies physiological and psychological responses to stress. As mentioned previously, it has been well documented that the bodies stress response begins in the brain, specifically the hypothalamus, and continues on through the bodies autonomic nervous system to effect involuntary bodily functions, such as blood pressure, respiratory rate, and heartbeat (3). These physiological effects are well-sourced in literature, and one such experiment speaks to a stress-inducing situation, similar to Egg-Roulette, and how that effected the physiological parameters of the test subjects before and after, and the results concurred with the general trend of increased heart rate, bladder relaxation, and dilated pupils, among others (4). In this lab, it is hypothesized that there will be an increase in heart rate in the moments leading up to, and immediately after, the egg is smashed on the forehead, regardless if it is boiled or not. It is also hypothesized that the there will be an increase in breathing rate during the lead-up to smashing the egg on one’s head. A decline in heart rate after contact is also expected, and so a trend of
The anterior pituitary is an endocrine gland controlled by the hypothalamus in several different fashions. Releasing and release-inhibiting hormones are synthesized in the paraventricular, periventricular, and the supraoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus. They control anterior pituitary hormone secretion. Paravocellular neurons in these nuclei send their axons into the tuberoinfundibular tract and terminate on a capillary bed of the superior hypophyseal arteries located around the base of the median eminence. A given paravocellular neuron may release one or more releasing factor into the capillaries that coalesce in six to ten small straight veins that form the hypophyseal-portal blood circulation which descends along the infundibular stalk and forms a second capillary plexus around the anterior pituitary. The releasing-hormones gain access to the five distinct types of target cells in the anterior pituitary back into the capillary bed that then drains into the systemic circulation and transports the hormones to peripheral target tissues. The target tissues are stimulated to produce final mediator-hormones that induce the physiologic...
What is stress? Physiological stress represents a wide range of physical responses that occur as a direct result of a stressor causing an interruption in the natural balance of a human body. When such a disruption occurs, either psychological or physical, the equilibrium in the body responds by stimulating the central nervous system, the endocrine system, and the human immune system. The reaction of these systems causes a number of physical changes that have both short and long term effects on the body. Members of the healthcare and Allied Helping Professions have devoted the last three decades to researching the specific short and long term effects of stress and the effects on the human body. This has led to highly specialized stress appraisals and the development of sophisticated coping techniques in all disciplines of the healthcare industry. Recent innovations have focused on the fact that stress impacts everyone in different ways, and that individual differences must be factored into the treatment milieu. Research continues to explore the correlati...
When a receptor is activated and the stimulus is taken to the hypothalamus and then relayed out to the “limbic system and neocortical areas…impulses stimulate the neuroendocrine and autonomic nervous system,” which can cause an array of issues if not careful and if the stress signal is prolonged. (3)
The amygdala is where all the information is gathered from all our senses. It requests all the stress hormones to be released from the hippocampus or the hypothalamus, the pituitary and the adrenal glands. This gets the body ready for either flight, freeze or fight mode (Rosenthal, 2015). These glands releases noradrenaline, epinephrine, cortisone and glucose which gets pumped into your limbs making you ready to fight or run away from the situation (Seahorn, 2016). The increase in stress hormones interferes with the body to regulate itself and the nervous systems remains highly activated leading to the body being fatigue (Rosenthal, 2015).
Adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH): a hormone produced in pituitary gland that targets the adrenal cortex to release corticol
Cortisol is in the class of hormones called glucocorticoids and affects almost every organ in the body. One of the most important functions of cortisol is to help regulate the body’s response to stress. Cortisol is also responsible for other necessary functions including: helping to maintain blood pressure and cardiovascular functions, helping to slow the immune system’s inflammatory response, helping to balance the effects of insulin in breaking down sugars for energy, helping to regulate the metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, and helping to maintain proper arousal of sense of well being. The amount of cortisol is precisely balanced and regulated by the brain’s hypothalamus.
...ll gland at the base of the brain, under the control of the hypothalamus, can signal the adrenal glands to increase the production of stress hormones such as cortical and adrenaline even further.
To a great extent, stress can be a helpful response, especially for prehistoric humans. During this era, our species needed to react quickly to outside stimuli through a response of “fight or flight”. Through stress, certain hormones are released to help the individual resist the stressor, which may have meant running away from a natural predator. Thus, stress is a positive response that ensures the survival of the species. However, stress over a prolonged period of time causes exhaustion in the individual. Consequently, although stress can be helpful for individuals today, many often experience chronic stress, inflicting varying degrees of damage to their bodies.
When faced with a dangerous situation, the common mind will flood with consternation, while the body changes its customary routine to adjust to this new development. One of the first things to change is the release of adrenaline. That adrenaline will cause the release of stored energy and move blood between the muscle groups (Conger 2). This allows the subject to move faster, work harder, and be stronger. All of these traits improve the individual to better survive the dilemma and find safety. Besides contributing to an increase in energy and power, the adrenal glands release cortisol too (Conger 1). The stress o...
Stressors initiate a response within the organism and causes changes in the body, specifically responses in the body’s autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system has two branches: the sympathetic and parasympathetic autonomic nervous system. The sympathetic autonomic nervous system helps the body deal with the stress it encounters, initiating the ‘fight or flight’ response. Once the threat has passed, the parasympathetic autonomic nervous system will take over, relaxing the body. There is a balance between these two in a healthy person. However, when someone stays on guard, using the sympathetic autonomic nervous system, all sorts of physical effects can
The experiment apparatus consisted of an extra-large egg, 1/10 spoon of salt, olive oil, water, a spoon, a small sized bowl, a Continental Electric egg beater, an 8” flat frying pan, a cooking stove, and a kitchen stopwatch.
Margaret Atwood's “Bluebeard's Egg” is a story centred upon a woman called Sally, describing her relationship with her husband, Ed, and her best friend, Marylynn. The story is told in a third person perspective, a “God-like” figure that takes us through the whole narration, but only revealing the thoughts of one character, Sally. In the story “Bluebeard's Egg”, the main conflict is within the protagonist, Sally; that is, her external self versus her internal self. Sally's external self does not act according to her internal self. In other words, Sally does not express her emotions and thoughts due to the many concerns that she has, both psychological and environmental.
The HPA axis, which is formally known as hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, is composed of the following central nervous system structures: the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus, the anterior lobe of the pituitary gland, and the adrenal gland. The HPA axis is a very integral part of the stress response, and it works in a fairly straightforward manner. The HPA axis response is characterized by the release of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) from the hyporthalamus when presented with a stress-inducing external stimulus. CRF is also known as CRH or corticotropin-releasing hormone. When CRF binds to CRF receptors on the anterior pituitary gland, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) is released. ACTH then travels through the bloodstream and binds to receptors on the adrenal cortex and stimulates the release of the hormone, cortisol. In response to stressors, cortisol can typically be released for up to several hours, so blood concentration of cortisol could be high a while after the stressor was initially presented. At a certain blood concentration of cortisol, the cortisol eventually exerts negative feedback to the hypothalamic release of CRF and the pituitary release of ACTH. After this is eventually achieved, homeostasis
GCRs are found in the hippocampus, hypothalamus and cerebellum and are involved in the termination of the stress response (Banerjee & Adkins-Regan, 2011). This mechanism allows GCRs to play a critical regulatory role in the HPA axis (Banerjee & Adkins-Regan, 2011). An expression of a large number of GCRs indicates less sensitivity to stress, where as an expression of a low number of GCRs indicates an increased sensitivity to stress (Banerjee & Adkins-Regan, 2011). High levels of stress early in life are known to lead to increased corticosterone levels
This increases heart rate, respiratory rate, blood pressure and mental alertness, reduces digestive and urinary functions, and activates sweat glands and energy reserves (bio text). Stressors can also activate the HPA system in which the hypothalamus stimulates the pituitary gland to secrete hormones such as the adrenocorticopic hormone (ACTH). ACTH then stimulates the outer surface of the adrenal glands to secrete cortisol. Cortisol increases organ sensitivity to noradrenaline and adrenaline hence, increasing your physical arousal (Weiten, et al., 2012). This is only short term however; if stress persists this could lead to more health problems such as cardiovascular disease ( Poitras & Pyke, 2013). The emotional response follows the physical