Psychology revision unit 2

Acute Stress- Acute stressors arouse the automic nervous system (ANS). It is automactic, (hense the name). The system is of Great  importance as without it some of out bodily fuctions e.g (heart) may not work so well if they didn't work automatically.

The ANS is divided into the sympathtic branch (SNS- Sympathetic nervous system) and also into the parasympathetic branch. The SNS readys an animal for a fight or flight-(the fight or flight response) where as the parasympathetic returns the animal to at state of relaxation.

When an animal is exposed to acute stressor the SNS is activated and prepares the body for flight or fight response. A Key part of the response is the sympathetic adernal medullary (SAM). Together they make up the sympathomedullary pathway.

Neurones from the SNS travel to basically every organ and gland in the body and prepares the body for rapid action when the animal or person is under threat.

Responses: increases in heart rate, blood pressure and cardiac output, increased pupil size. Also changes in the fat and glycogen in the bloodstream. Noradrenaline is the neurotransmitter released by the SNS