PSYC 3330 Chapter Notes -Coronary Artery Disease, Occupational Stress, Natural Killer Cell

• School: University of Windsor
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 3330
• Professor: Brown

Document Summary

This is the acute (immediate) response to stress (it uses electrical signals). Higher brain areas (cortex) detect and perceive something as a stressor, triggering the hypothalamus, which in turn activates the. Sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system, stimulating the adrenal medulla, producing two hormones, adrenaline and noradrenaline, which cause the fight or flight response, which causes bodily changes and has evolved for survival. This is the chronic (slow, long-term) response to stress. Higher brain areas (cortex) detect and perceive something as a stressor, triggering the hypothalamus, which in turn release the hormone. In the long term, corticosteroids can suppress the immune system. This is where stress directly causes an illness of the malfunction of the immune system. For example, coronary heart disease has been shown to the have a link with the s. a. m response. High blood pressure and strokes are also linked to stress.