User:M.carrots/Stress (biology)

A link has been suggested between chronic stress and cardiovascular disease. Stress appears to play a role in hypertension, and may further predispose people to other conditions associated with hypertension. Stress may precipitate abuse of drugs and/or alcohol. Stress may also contribute to aging and chronic diseases in aging, such as depression and metabolic disorders. Studies have shown that men with low socioeconomic status have lower health levels due to coronary heart disease (CHD) that being the reason for chronic stress.

The immune system also plays a role in stress and the early stages of wound healing. It is responsible for preparing the tissue for repair and promoting the recruitment of certain cells to the wound area. Consistent with the fact that stress alters the production of cytokines, Graham et al. found that chronic stress associated with caregiving for a person with Alzheimer's disease leads to delayed wound healing. Results indicated that biopsy wounds healed 25% more slowly in the chronically stressed group, or those caring for a person with Alzheimer's disease

Stress also plays a role in certain mental illnesses. Indeed, schizophrenia, dissociative personality disorder and general adaptation syndrome are diseases affected by it. The onset of a (schizophrenic) psychosis and stress are intricately linked. It is far less understood how stress actually influences psychosis. A crucial function has been attributed to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal system, in particular the release of corticosteroids. But schizophrenia is a condition that distorts a lot of functions. Behavior, cognition, coping mechanisms, physiology, pituitary,ary-adrenal, and immune system functioning are all susceptible to dysfunction. Schizophrenic individuals exhibit a reduced cortisol response to psychological stress, which indicates a dysfunction in their physiologic reaction to stress. Based on biological dysfunctions in the prefrontal cortex and limbic system, the brain regions in charge of these activities, it is suggested that this actually represents cognitive dysfunction. The effects of the muted cortisol response are discussed with a focus on the immune system, taking into account that it is a maladaptive stress response. Finally, the importance of neuroleptics, and particularly the atypical ones, is explored in light of their positive impact on patients with schizophrenia that extends beyond their ability to reduce fear and anxiety. It is essential to retain that responses to the same danger that can vary widely even for the same person. By doing this, individuals might boost adaptability, perception of the environment, and a healthy response to stress. By including these mechanisms into stress research, new perspectives on the stress concept in schizophrenia may emerge. This reveals the degree to which human creations alter even the natural world.

Life involves a lot of stress. Different methods that our bodies react to stress usually result in the body recovering from it. Occasionally, the body is unable to handle the stress, and the toll it exacts on the brain is evident. Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), which shows how the body is affected by the psyche and vice versa, is one outcome of excessive stress. When a person experiences trauma or long-term stress, the mediators that assist the body to adjust to stressors become harmful. Cortisol, glutamate, and glucocorticoids are all involved in either making the body more resilient to stress or generating plasticity in areas of the brain that are crucial for mental health. The hippocampus and amygdala, the two limbic system regions that are smaller in DID patients, are discussed in detail in this research along with how stress affects them.

Stress factors that produce distress are not the only ones that set off general adaption syndrome. It can also be brought on by circumstances where the stressor is viewed as advantageous or enjoyable (known as eustress). The physiological alterations that your body experiences in response to stress are referred to as general adaption syndrome (GAS). There are three phases to these changes: an alarm response (also known as the "fight-or-flight" response), a resistance phase (during which your body heals), and an exhaustion phase. The body is affected both physically and mentally by prolonged stress. And the likelihood of long-lasting unfavorable impacts increases as your body moves through the stages of general adaptability. You can reduce your stress by comprehending GAS, especially how it is triggered. For instance, some people view the anxiety associated with an upcoming exam as a benefit because it keeps them focused. Some people could take pleasure in experiencing terror when watching a terrifying film.

One evaluation of the different stresses in people's lives is the Holmes Rahe Stress Scale, as well as the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). The Holmes Rahe Stress Scale is a study that was made to decide whether stress contributed to illnesses. This was tested by surveying medical patients and asking them about life-changing events and each event has a different level of stress. The lowest level of stress is between 0-150. If a patient is borderline high stress the total will be within 150-300. Lastly, the highest level of stress is over 300. Therefore, a patient with higher a higher score is more likely to be ill. The second evaluation of stress is the Perceived Stress Scale. This test which situations in a person's life is considered stressful. The test asks about situations in their life and their thoughts and feelings over the past months.

Adverse experiences during development (e.g. prenatal exposure to maternal stress, poor attachment histories, sexual abuse) are thought to contribute to deficits in the maturity of an individual's stress response systems. This is due to the fact that infants affected by abuse or toxic social environments will not have proper role models to emulate and base themselves on. Consequently, they will have an imbalanced body budget, which leads to higher stress levels and oftentimes depression.

The result can manifest itself in obvious ways such as, general with the digestive system (e.g. occult bleeding, melena, constipation/obstipation) diabetes, cardiovascular problems (angina pectoris), and osteoporosis. It had also been linked to mental illnesses like clinical depression, PTSD, and Mood Depressive Disorder (MDD). High-stress levels can also lessen libido, change the cycle of menstruating, and higher the likelihood of complications during pregnancy.

Infectious

Some studies have observed increased risk of upper respiratory tract infection during chronic life stress. In patients with HIV, increased life stress and cortisol was associated with poorer progression of HIV.[41]

For individuals with HIV, stress is of particular importance because of its depression effect on the immune system. Chronic stress, traumatic events, and depression can lead to an increased viral load and to a decrease of CD4 counts. This accelerates the progression of HIV disease. Diseases like HIV also bring their own stress form in scheduling doctor’s appointments, medication and monitoring side effects. PHAs (People living with HIV/Aids ) may also have to deal with stigma-related issues and discrimination. With the effects on HIV disease progression, it is extremely important that PHAs develop effective coping techniques to manage their stressors.

(http://pwatoronto.org/english/pdfs/topic-stress+HIV.pdf)

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References

Microsoft Word - Life Stress Self Assessment (Holmes and Rahe).docx (jibc.ca)

Feldman., Barrett, Lisa, Seven and a half lessons about the brain,]

Statpearls - NCBI Bookshelf. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430685/.