Cortisol

According to Ader, the response to a stressful challenge involves many different interactions among the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems (Ader). During a stressful event, the body may undergo a series of biological and chemical changes. For example, the sympathetic nervous system and hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis system are activated and hormones are released (lecture). This promotes the process of turning fats into energy for the body to use and therefore, this energy, which could…

The Role of Alpha-1 Adrenergic Receptor in Disease Adrenergic receptors are a class of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) which are activated by catecholamines in the central and peripheral nervous systems. Alpha-1 adrenergic receptors (1-AR) are systematic vasoconstrictors: their activation constricts blood vessels by the contraction of vascular smooth muscle. These transmembrane receptors are activated by the binding of epinephrine or norepinephrine, which creates intracellular signals via…

The article “Evolutionary Origins and Functions of the Stress Response” initially presents stress as an advantage. More often, stress is portrayed dangerously or negatively that we forget the usefulness of stress response. To illustrate, the release of glucocorticoids could, in part, protect against other aspects of defensive systems. Moreover, ACTH (hormone involved on stress release) is also found in amphibians, reptiles, and insect, and they are usually associated with immune cells that set…

Your response to stress is the result of physiology, genetics and environment. Stress is a result of the flight fight response. The brain recognises a threat, the adrenal gland produces chemicals that affect changes in the brain and bodies functioning. The factors that cause variation in stress responses would be what the brain identifies as stress and the capacity of the adrenal gland to function. A person that lives in a fairly isolated location, the country say, may have very few challenges…

Many teenagers have had lots of challenges, I for one have. As a child I was very stressed out a lot, mostly because I was thinking about things too much in-depth. With that stress I also went to see a counselor and she helped me realize a little bit about myself. It was a hard time and it still is with high school and college coming up. Teachers and parents trying to get you do show off to colleges when that is hard to do. All of the stress and problems that I have faced all started when I…

Everyone is subjected to stress, however, how one responds to it can be a determinant factor regarding risk of Heart Disease, a leading cause of death globally. Research correlates personality and negative reactions to stress as contributing factors in Heart Disease. It’s been established that a certain type of person is more at risk for Heart Disease and our ability to modify behavior can help individuals adapt to stress and manage their health. Psychological responses and perceptions of…

The autonomic nervous system is apart of the nervous system that receives instructions from the brain. It has two parts which are the sympathetic and parasympathetic. The sympathetic nervous system controls the bodes response to a perceived threat and is responsible for the fight, flight or freeze response. Where as the parasympathetic nervous system function is to control the homeostasis and the bodies rest and digest response. The sympathetic nervous system has a thoraco-lumbar outflow from…

Chief Complaint: My 62-year-old male, Hispanic, cancer patient was sent to LA County last Friday, October 15, by his home care nurse who noticed that an existing ulcer-like wound at his coccygeal region had worsened, as well as severe swelling/scabbing in his lower limbs. History of Presenting Illness: My patient was diagnosed with a squamous carcinoma three years ago that was found in his neck posterolateral neck area. He underwent chemotherapy (at LA County) and the cancer was subdued. It…

Studies on Human Stress at Louis-H. Lafontaine Hospital, "I have not seen such a dramatic effect before." Cortisol the telltale indicator of stress To detect stress-levels, Lupien and colleagues measured the amount of cortisol present in the saliva of autistic children. Cortisol is a hormone that is produced by the body in response to stress. It peaks half-hour after waking up, known as the cortisol awakening response (CAR) and decreases throughout the day. Moreover, it is detectable in the…

Originally described by Hans Selye (1907–1982), an Austrian-born physician who emigrated to Canada in 1939, the general adaptation syndrome represents a three-stage reaction to stress. Selye explained his choice of terminology as follows: "I call this syndrome general because it is produced only by agents which have a general effect upon large portions of the body. I call it adaptive because it stimulates defense…. I call it a syndrome because its individual manifestations are coordinated and…