For Your Health & Wellness
Educational Purposes
The Life Long
Psychological Effects Of The Stress-Response
The Stressors of our modern day, though very diverse from the more ancient times, have a significant impact on human behavior, health, and one’s own individually perceived well-being.
An acknowledged threat to a person’s welfare is referred to as a “Stressor” and the response that is brought about by this Stressor is termed the…
“Stress Response.”
Our Stress Response evolved as an adaptive process; based on the judgment of an observed threat to one’s own security.
However…
Individuals do differ in their capacity to cope with Stress.
How one views specific circumstances, the varying degrees of individual
temperaments and one’s own physical condition; are just a few of the major factors that determine how one will respond to a Stressful episode or to a repeated Stressor.
In general, Stress indicates the experience of Tension or Hardship; as life
continuously subjects us to Pressures within our daily lives.
This can include –
- Physical-Stress a consequence of Disease…
- Emotional-Stress the result of Grief, perhaps the loss of a loved one…
- Psychological-Stress the impact of Fear or Anxiety…
Genetic and Environmental factors, possibly even occurring within the Womb, can affect how the person will manage Stressful situations throughout their life.
Most have heard of the Stress-Response… The feelings that one experiences when threatened.
The body responds to this Stressor with the release of particular Stress-Hormones.
This will include the secretion of –
- Cortisol…
- Adrenaline also called Epinephrine…
- Vasopressin also called Antidiuretic-Hormone…
These Hormones enhance Focus and Attention while directing Blood-Flow.
Vasopressin compresses blood vessels within the Frontal-Lobe, the largest lobe of the Brain. Directing blood flow towards the Occipital Lobe; for the purposes of receiving the visual stimuli from the Eyes. This information is then processed and directed toward the Frontal-Lobe. 
This allows for the increased response within our reaction times.
The Heart-Rate and Blood Pressure increase as well.
Vasopressin once again directs Blood-Flow towards the Skeletal Muscle.
Increasing the ability for Strength and Speed; reducing blood flow to the
Internal-Organs.
Stress… is considered to be the natural enemy of the Pre-Frontal Lobe; which effectively regulates our Thoughts, Actions, Judgment, and Emotions through widespread connections with our other Brain-Regions.
The Pre-Frontal-Lobe is the most sensitive Brain Region to the harmful effects of any Stress exposure.
Even a mild short lasting uncontrolled Stress-Reaction can cause an accelerated and dramatic loss of Prefrontal cognitive abilities. The more lengthened Stress exposure causes structural changes in Prefrontal Neurons. Altering the functional receiving abilities of stimuli through their Dendritic Processes, therefore altering our behavioral responses for the long term.
Just for clarity, the Pre-Frontal-Lobe is referring to the actual Gray Matter – the Cell-Bodies of the anterior part of the Frontal-Lobe; which is highly developed within us, Humans. Regulating complex mental processes of Understanding, Judgement, Memory, and therefore Behavioral Functions.
As already mentioned, Genetic-Inheritance indeed represents a determining factor in the differences of our individual responses to Stressful Situations.
However, the Environmental influence, whether physical or emotional have an effect on our Blood-Chemistry and therefore Physiological functions.
Studies suggest that our very early neonatal experiences – relating to newborn children and their encounters; have shown to produce long term effects on
Cognitive-Emotional-Responses. Correlating the conscious intellectual activity of problem-solving and behavioral control during any charged event of Emotional Stimuli.
For example…
Recent studies have taken into consideration, whether or not children have been raised within a nurturing, attentive environment; while going forward with the comparison study between the 2 differing circumstances.
Studies have shown that even Rats raised by the attentive, nurturing mother have an increased level of Central Serotonin activity.
Serotonin,
A Neurotransmitter that is contributing to the feelings of well-being and happiness.
This has been compared to that of a less nurturing environment; showing in contrast that depriving one of a nurturing environment creates a larger, more frequent Stress-Response, that is lasting throughout one’s lifetime.
This Behavioral-Induced Genetic-Expression shows how a nurturing environment promotes the development of the Lowered-Anxiety-Adult. Who in turn, will now become the nurturing parental figure with the Reduced Stress Responses.
For several years now, many researching scientists have questioned whether Genetics or Environment is more important to an individuals development and well-being.
Within Psychology, this is known as the “Nature vs. Nurture Debate”
Nature representing Genetic Influence, while Nurturing represents the Environment Influence.
Intellectually, It is no longer rational to take for granted the Environmental-Influence on Genetic-Expression.
The Human body is a receiver.
Receiving information from the outside world.
These signals go on to influence the circulating chemistry within the blood; from which Cellular Genetic-Expression works upon.
Genetic Expression?
Is referring to the formation and then the release thereof the newly synthesized biologically functioning proteins, as well as any of the modified functioning protein-products.
These proteins\protein-products help to control physiological functions, within the cell and throughout the body. Going forth creating Bodily-Balance, also known as Homeostasis.
These Self-Regulating processes maintain stability while still adjusting to match the conditions of the environment; whether it is for the Physical-Stimuli or Emotional-Stimuli.
Epigenetics…
the newer science that literally means control above the Genes,
Environmental Genetic Expression Control.
The community of Cells that comprises each human body is controlled by their individual awareness to the Internal Environment of the body; which is brought about by the circulating chemistry within the blood.
The Loving Care of our Families… The Foods consumed, or Not consumed… The Air that we breath-in…
The Medications that are taken… The Exercise Participation, or the lack thereof Physical Activity…
The Inability to Relax while on the Job… Going onto the People from which we choose to spend our time…
The Science of Epigenetics has turned upside down our understanding of Genetic Control. Bringing to fore-front the awareness of the Genetic Remodeling in response to our life Experiences.
For Your Health & Wellness
Educational Purposes
Resources & Data For Your Viewing
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2568977/
http://www.scholarpedia.org/article/Cognition_and_emotion
http://www.scholarpedia.org/article/Neural_basis_of_emotions
https://academic.oup.com/jcem/article/91/2/E2/2843213
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/vasopressin
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2907136/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/neonatal-stress
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Behavioural_genetics
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1392256/
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