STRESS AND

PSYCHO-NEUROIMMUNOLOGY

DEFINITIONS
Stress
Set of emotional, physical, and cognitive reactions
to change
Homeostasis disruption due to physical or
psychological stimuli
Stressor
Any factors that causes stress
Can be mental, physiological, anatomical, or
physical reaction

CLASSIFICATION BY RICHARD
LAZARUS
Eustress (good stress)
Positive stress that motivate to continue working
Distress (bad stress)
Persistent stress that is not resolved with coping or
adaptation
May lead to escape anxiety or withdrawal
depression behavior

Eustress

Solve the problem and improves

performances
Short-term in nature
Motivates and focuses energy

Distress

Demotivating, displace energy

Short- or long-term in nature
Causes anxiety, worry, concern
Feels unpleasant or painful

Feels exciting and energizing

Decreases overall performance or abilities

Believed to be within our coping abilities

May lead to mental and physical problems

Eustress

Getting married
Starting school
Beginning a job
Making new friends
Learning new skill

Distress

Financial problems
Death of loved one
Academic difficulty
Breakup of relationship

CAUSE OF STRESS

MECHANISM OF STRESS

STAGE OF STRESS
Alarm stage
The body releases adrenaline in order to bring
about the fight-or-flight response
Mobilization of the body to prepare for muscular
activity in response to threat
The digestive, urinary, and reproductive activities
are inhibited

 Resistance or adaptation stage

The stressor persist Adrenal cortex secretes
cortisol Raise blood glucose to sustain energy
It is common and not necessarily harmful but must
include periods of relaxation and rest
Prolonged The resource gradually depleted
Fatigue, concentrating lapses, irritability, lethargy

 Exhaustion stage
All the bodys resource are depleted so that the
mental, physical, and emotional resources suffer
heavily
Long-term stress Adrenal exhaustion Blood
glucose levels decrease Decreased stress
tolerance
The immune system is impaired and can manifest
in illness
The initial autonomic nervous symptoms may
reappear such as sweating and raised heart rate

NEURO-ENDOCRINE
RESPONSE
Neurotransmitter response
Release NE from locus ceruleus Activate
sympathetic center in spinal cord Release
cathecolamine from adrenal medulla
Dopamine is increased via mesoprefrontal
pathways
Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis
Release CRF from hypothalamus Release ACTH
from anterior pituitary Release cortisol from
adrenal cortex
Hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis
Release TRF from hypothalamus Release TH
from anterior pituitary Release T3 and T4 from

 Effects of cortisol and

HPA
Gluconeogenesis,
lipolysis, protein
catabolism
Sensitized blood vessels
Increased susceptibility
to atherosclerotic
Exacerbation of gastric
irritation
Reduced immune system
Appetite suppression
Feeling of depression,
hopelessness,
helplessness, loss of
control

Effects of epinephrine
Increase blood pressure
Increase HR and CO
Increased stimulation of
skeletal muscles
Increase plasma FFA,
triglycerides,
cholesterol
Increased release of
endogenous opioids
Decreased blood flow to
kidneys, GI tract, skin
Increased risk of
thrombosis,
arrhythmias