Transcript Chronic Stress and the Endocrine System

Chapter 6
The Effects of Stress on
the Body and Mind
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Overview
This chapter
Explains the role of two types of
psychosomatic illnesses on disease
Examines the relationship of acute stress
responses to the development of physical
and mental illnesses
Explores the impact of chronic stress on
the development of physical and mental
illnesses
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Outline
From stress to disease: The medical
model and psychosomatic models
The effects of acute, high-level stress
on physical and psychological disease
The effects of chronic, low-level
stress on physical and psychological
disease, including suicide
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From Stress to Disease: The
Medical Model
Separates mind and body
Used to explain disease and treatment
Koch’s Postulates: Every disease has a
single etiologic agent, a microorganism
No recognition of interaction of mind
and body
GAS model clearly includes interaction
of mind and body
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Psychosomatic Disease Models
Term coined by Philip Deutsch to
illustrate the interaction between the
mind and body in the disease process
All illnesses involve mental processes
Common misunderstanding: belief that
psychosomatic diseases are all in one’s
head
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Psychosomatic Models
 Selye’s GAS model was a clear break from a
medical model approach to disease development
 Everly & Lating identified six major
psychophysiologic disease models that expand on
Seyle’s research
Lachman’s Model
Sternbach’s Model
Kraus & Raab’s Hypokinetic Disease Model
Schwartz’ Dysregulation Model
Alexander’s Conflict Theory Model
Everly & Benson’s Disorders of Arousal Model
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Everly & Benson’s Disorders of
Arousal Model (Fig. 6-1 in Text)
 Potential stressors trigger limbic system
arousal (can become Limbic
Hypersensitivity Phenomenon, or LHP)
 Limbic arousal triggers neurological,
neuronendocrine, and endocrine stress axes
 Overstimulation of those axes triggers
stress arousal (can become arousal
disorder)
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Two Categories of Psychosomatic
Disease
Psychogenic disease
No disease-causing pathogen
Occurs when chronic stress
response alters structure and
function of body
Examples: colitis,
atherosclerosis
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Two Forms of Psychosomatic
Disease (continued)
Somatogenic disease
A causative organism exists
The long-term effects of the
stress response weaken the
body’s defenses
Example: Mononucleosis
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Acute Stress
Alarm-phase stress
State of complete mental and
physical readiness
Prepared to fight or flee
Result is fatigue
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Acute Stress Effects on Physical
Illness
The body suffers no harm when
the lifestyle is balanced
Proper nutrition and exercise
Adequate rest
The greater the frequency of high
level stress, the greater the need
for rest
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Acute Stress Effects on
Psychological Illness
Anxiety disorders
Panic attacks
Acute stress disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD)
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Chronic Stress
Long-term resistance-phase stress
response
General wear and tear on body
Body parts and systems forced to
work for long periods without
adequate rest
Result is malfunction and
breakdown
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Effects of Chronic, Low-Level
Stress on Physical Illness
The effects are most clear in
psychogenic diseases
Five body systems are most susceptible
Endocrine
Muscular
Cardiovascular
Immune
Digestive
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Chronic Stress and the Endocrine
System
The endocrine system perpetuates
low-level stress response
Responsible for a wide range of
other functions
Chronic stress can interfere with
and shut down the endocrine
system
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Chronic Stress and the Endocrine
System (continued)
The role of three hormones
Epinephrine
Norepinephrine
Cortisol
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Chronic Stress and the Endocrine
System (continued)
Epinephrine production causes blood
vessels to constrict
Forces heart to pump under greater
pressure
Chronic increase in blood pressure
results in hypertension
Hypertension is primary risk factor
for stroke and heart attack
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Chronic Stress and the Endocrine
System (continued)
Norepinephrine production disturbs
platelets and red blood cells
Causes damage to endothelium
Precursor to atherosclerosis
Converts testosterone into estradiol
Estradiol not completely
understood
Often elevated in men who have
heart attacks
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Chronic Stress and the Endocrine
System (continued)
Cortisol production inhibits
breakdown of epinephrine and
norepinephrine
Interferes with the body’s
ability to relax
Increases blood cholesterol
and fat levels
These are recognized risk
factors for heart disease
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Chronic Stress and the Endocrine
System (continued)
Sexual disorders
Men under chronic stress
Show reduced levels of testosterone
Demonstrate reduced sexual desire
Return to normal when stress is
removed
Women under chronic stress
Exhibit increased premenstrual
syndrome (PMS) symptoms
Research about causes and treatment
lack consistency
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Chronic Stress and the Muscular
System
Stress affects all three types of
muscle tissue
Skeletal muscles
Smooth (internal organ) muscles
Cardiac (heart) muscle
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Chronic Stress and the Muscular
System (continued)
Stress causes a chronic state of muscle
contraction called bracing
Skeletal muscles bracing results
Headache
Backache and muscle pain
Temporomandibular-joint (TMJ)
syndrome
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Chronic Stress and the Muscular
System (continued)
Smooth muscles bracing results
A chronic state of internal tension
Stomach ache and diarrhea
Hypertension
Cardiac muscle bracing results
Angina-like symptoms (chest pains)
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Chronic Stress and the
Cardiovascular System (continued)
The cardiovascular system is a closed
system with three components
Heart
Blood vessels
Blood
Main purpose is to provide food and
oxygen to cells and to remove waste
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Chronic Stress and the
Cardiovascular System (continued)
Stress
Accelerates the heart rate
Makes the heart pump faster and
under greater pressure than
necessary
Increases cholesterol and fats in
blood
Causes atherosclerosis in blood
vessels
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Chronic Stress and the Immune
System
 The immune system performs five primary
functions
Identifies foreign substances such as
germs
Attacks these invaders
Prevents reinfection from these invaders
Destroys mutant cells
Resists recurrent chronic infections
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Chronic Stress and the Immune
System (continued)
Chronic stress can alter the
immune system
Depletes nutritional factors
associated with immunity
Causes an imbalance in the system
Weakens T cells
Exerts a general
immunosuppressive effect
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Chronic Stress and the Digestive
System
Stress upsets the digestive process
Smooth muscle tension
Excessive stomach acids
Spasms of esophagus and colon
Ulcers
Incomplete digestion
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Effects of Chronic Stress on
Psychological Illness
Stress is related to many psychological
factors
Burnout
Anxiety disorders
Stress-related specific phobia
Stress-related generalized anxiety disorder
Mood disorders
Stress-related major depressive disorder,
dysthymic disorder, and bipolar disorders (and
seasonal pattern specifier condition)
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Stress and Suicide
 Suicide: a permanent solution to a
temporary problem
 People who take their own lives don’t see
options
 Suicide rates for adolescents and collegeage people are rising
 Three stress-related suicide risk factors
Depression
Major loss
Stressful life events
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Chapter 6: The Effects of Stress on
the Body and Mind
Summary
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