The Body\'s Response to Stress

The subjective experience of a lack of fit between a person and their environment (i.e where the perceieved demands of a situation are greater than a persnon's perceived ability to cope).

Increased pupil size lets in more light for better vision

Bronchial tubes in lungs dialate for greater oxygen intake.

Increase in heart rate allows for greater blood to flow to skeletal muscles

Stimulated to produce more sweat

Glycogen stored in liver is converted to glucose for energy

Stimulated to release adrenaline

Arouse autonomic nervous system(ANS)

Divided into sympathetic branch (sympathetic nervous system or SNS) and parasympathetic branch.

Arouses the animal fro fight or flight

Returns the animal to a state to relaxation

SNS is activated. Key part of this response is the sympathetic adrenal meduallry system(SAM); SNS + SAM=sympathomedullary pathway

Noradrenaline the neurotransmitter released by SNS travel to virtually every organ and gland within the body to activate internal body organs to preapare the body for fight or flight.

Alerts animal through release of adrenaline(epinephrine) to bloodstream to prepare body for fight or flight. regulated by SNS and adrenal medulla.

Neurons of SNS travel to medulla, so when activated it releases adrenaline to bloodstream. Once in bloostream it effects the body's physiologicalsystems, e.g. boosting supply of oxygen and glucose to brain and muscles and suppressing non-emergency bodily processes such as digestion.