emotion and stress lecture

Emotion

A subjective mental state accompanied by distinctive behaviors, feelings, and involuntary physiological changes

Autonomic nervous system

A part of the nervous system that controls involuntary bodily functions such as heart rate, digestion, and breathing

Sympathetic nervous system

The branch of the autonomic nervous system responsible for the “fight or flight” response and preparing the body for action

Parasympathetic nervous system

The branch of the autonomic nervous system that promotes relaxation, recovery, and “rest and digest” functions to restore homeostasis

Plutchik’s core emotions

A theory proposing eight basic emotions arranged in opposite pairs: joy/sad, affection/disgust, anger/fear, expectation/surprise

Emotional expression

Darwin’s argument that emotional expression originated from a common ancestor.

8 Distinct Emotional expressions

anger, sadness, happiness, fear, disgust, surprise, contempt, and embarrassment 

Mouse facial expression study

Research showing that AI analysis of mouse facial movements can identify emotional states such as disgust, pleasure, pain, fear, sickness, and flight

Evolutionary function of emotions

Emotions evolved as motivational programs that coordinate behavioral and physiological responses to adaptive challenges

Adaptive problems

Challenges related to survival and reproduction such as avoiding predators, finding food, choosing mates, and cooperating with groups

Facial feedback hypothesis

The theory that sensory feedback from facial expressions can influence emotional experiences; acting out a facial expression causes greater feelings of that emotion

Emotion brain circuits

Emotions are produced by distributed networks of brain regions rather than a single brain structure

Limbic system

A network of brain regions involved in emotional processing and regulation

Insula

A brain region involved in emotional awareness and internal bodily states

Amygdala

A brain structure crucial for processing fear and emotional learning

Caudate

A brain structure involved in motivation, reward, and emotional processing

Putamen

A brain structure associated with movement and emotional processing

Cingulate cortex

A brain region involved in emotional regulation and decision making

Prefrontal cortex

A brain region involved in emotional regulation, planning, and higher cognitive processing

Fear conditioning

A form of classical conditioning where a neutral stimulus becomes associated with a negative experience and triggers a fear response

Brain plasticity

The brain’s ability to change and adapt through experience and learning

Fear circuitry

Neural networks involving the amygdala, hippocampus, and cortex that process and store fear memories

Amygdala damage effect

Individuals with bilateral amygdala damage show little or no fear response

Love brain activity

Romantic love increases activity in the insula, anterior cingulate cortex, caudate, and putamen

Stressor

Any environmental, physical, immunological, or psychological factor that disrupts physiological balance

Stress response

The body’s adaptive physiological reaction to perceived threats or challenges

Neuroendocrine response

Hormonal signaling responses activated during stress

Immunological response

Changes in immune system activity triggered by stress

Behavioral response

Behavioral changes that occur in response to stress

Allostasis

The process by which the body actively adjusts physiological systems to maintain stability during changing conditions

Allostatic load

The cumulative physiological cost of repeated or chronic stress responses on the body such as energy expenditure, tissue damage, vulnerability to disease

Fight or flight response

The hypothalamus activates the sympathetic nervous system to cause the adrenal medulla to release epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine

Epinephrine

A hormone (adrenaline) that increases heart rate, blood pressure, and energy availability during stress

Norepinephrine

A hormone (noradrenaline) that increases alertness and prepares the body for action during stress

Hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis

A slower hormonal stress-response pathway that regulates long-term stress responses.
- the hypothalamus releases CRH (corticotropin-releasing hormone), which acts on the anterior pituitary
- The pituitary then releases ACTH (adrenocorticotropic hormone), which causes the adrenal cortex to release adrenal steroid hormones such as cortisol to ready the body for action

Cortisol

A glucocorticoid stress hormone that mobilizes energy and helps the body respond to prolonged stress

Stress-related disease

Illnesses that develop when stress responses are activated too frequently or for too long

Chronic stress pathology

Health problems caused by long-term exposure to stress hormones

Immune responsiveness

The effectiveness of the immune system in responding to pathogens

Stress and infection relationship

Higher stress levels increase susceptibility to illness and worsen symptoms during infections

Control in stress

The perception that one has influence over a stressful event reduces stress hormone levels

Predictability in stress

Predictable stressors produce lower stress responses than unpredictable stressors

Outlet of frustration

Having a way to release frustration reduces stress responses and physiological damage

social support

Social isolation increases stress responses compared to being in supportive social groups

Personality and stress

Individual goals, traits, and genetic differences influence how stressful a situation is perceived to be

Early life stress (ELS)

Chronic activation of the stress response during early developmental periods; can cause ACEs

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs)

Stressful or traumatic events during childhood that can negatively affect long-term mental and physical health

Postnatal ELS

Environmental influences occurring after birth that affect brain development and behavior; Romanian orphanages, profound physical, cognitive, and social development delays, youth who experienced differential brain development showed increased psychopathology correlates

Prenatal ELS

Environmental exposures occurring before birth that can influence fetal brain development and later behavior; Dutch Hunger Winter → Fetuses “learned” about food availability during this famine, resulting in babies that were born having severely altered metabolism and increased risks of metabolic disorders such as diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and unhealthy cholesterol profiles; Offspring had epigenetic changes that remained throughout life

Paternal famine transgenerational effect

Children of fathers exposed prenatally to famine had higher body weight and BMI

Maternal immune activation (MIA)

Activation of the mother’s immune system during pregnancy that can alter fetal brain development; linked to disorders like autism

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

A neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by significant impairments in social interaction and communication; males 3.8 more likely to develop autism than women

environmental pollution and stress

Exposure to toxicants is not equally distributed; higher instances are associated with those living in lower SES. Lower SES also correlated with higher exposure to stress. There is an association between exposure to air pollution, as well as high levels of prenatal stress, and the development of neurodevelopmental disorders like autism

Gut gene expression changes

Environmental exposures can alter gene expression within the gastrointestinal system

Stress resilience

The ability to adapt successfully to stress or adversity

Stress is adaptive

Stress responses evolved to mobilize energy and resources to deal with challenges; Acute stress can improve survival during immediate threats or crises; Long-term or repeated activation of stress responses contributes to disease