Chapter 13: Health and Stress

What exactly is Substance Abuse? 1. How would you describe it? In other words, how is abuse different from use? 2. Psychologist (DSM-IV) definition

How do we use animals to study S.A.? 1. We look for self-administration in animals 2. Self-stimulation of the brain is one research paradigm used for studying SA 3. Researchers have found the nucleus accumbens is a key structure

Biological Reinforcement 1. Why is the nucleus accumbens important? 2. Dopamine is a very ‘reinforcing’ neurotransmitter  What does this make you think about treatment?

Stimulants 1. This class of substances produce mental and physical excitement, decreased fatigue, increased motor activity, alertness and positive mood 2. Different stimulants manipulate DA activity in different ways

Nicotine 1. This is the highly addictive substance found in ‘cancer sticks.’ 2. Nicotine stimulates Acetylcholine receptors on Dopamine neurons in the nucleus accumbens

Opiates 1. These are depressant drugs that act by stimulating the endorphin receptors 2. They act to decrease responsiveness to pain

Marijuana 1. The active component in marijuana is THC  It stimulates cannabinoid receptors in the CNS 2. It does have medical use, is not physically addictive, but does increase the risk of memory problems, Parkinson’s disease, and lung cancer

Hallucinogens 1. These drugs distort our perceptual abilities  Cause visual, tactile, and auditory hallucinations 2. LSD and other hallucinogens are potent serotonin agonists 3. They are not physically addictive

Alcohol 1. Alcoholism is continued use of alcohol despite medical or social consequences 2. Alcohol effects GABA, glutamate, dopamine and serotonin 3. It also decreases the ability of Na+ to move across the membrane

Important Factors in Alcohol Abuse  Genetics 1. There are actually two types of Alcoholism – Types I and II 2. Type II is worse – stronger genetic component, earlier onset, associated with criminality  Not as sensitive to alcohol  Abnormal sense of ‘relief’  Brain differences

The Knot that is Emotion 1. Is there a difference between emotions and feelings? 2. Can unconscious people have feelings/emotions?

Emotions and Arousal 1. With every emotion we experience an activation of the autonomic nervous system  Anyone remember what this means?

Theories of Emotion 1. James-Lange 2. Cannon-Bard

Is Autonomic Activation Enough? 1. Is every autonomic arousal interpreted as emotion? Is that all emotions are? 2. Extreme activation is interpreted (often inappropriately) as emotion – panic disorder

Facial Expressions 1. Can adopting a certain facial expression change the way you feel? 2. Research says… 3. This is a route to empathy

Brain Areas Important to Emotion 1. Specific areas are important for recognizing other emotions  Insular cortex & disgust 2. Hemispheric differences 3. Limbic system  Amygdala

Anger and Aggression 1. Genetics 2. Environment 3. Hormones 4. Brain dysfunction/damage 5. Neurotransmitter activity

What is Stress? 1. Stress is a physiological and behavior response to a threat (stressor) 2. Can Stress ever be a good thing?

The History of Stress 1. Stress has been of interest to philosophers since the early Greeks 2. Walter Cannon  He called this physiological reaction the fight or flight response 3. Hans Selye  General Adaptation Syndrome has 3 phases: 1) alarm reaction, 2) resistance, 3) exhaustion

Stressful Life Events 1. Catastrophes 2. Significant life changes 3. Daily hassles

Physiology of Fight or Flight  Stress causes a host of physiological changes in the body: 1. Autonomic activation 2. Activation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary- Adrenal (HPA) axis  Cortisol

Effects of Long-term Stress  Exposure to long periods or extreme, uncontrolled stress can have serious consequences on your health 1. Development of gastrointestinal ulcers 2. Heart disease and heart attack 3. Death

Stress and the Immune System 1. Psychoneuroimmunology 2. Stress can have two basic effects on the immune system

Diseases and Stress 1. Autoimmune diseases like lupus and arthritis can be made worse (cause flare-ups) by stress 2. Stress can speed up the progression of the HIV virus to full-blown AIDS illness 3. Cancerous growths are fueled by stress  You are more likely to develop cancer following a traumatic life event