PSYC 1001 Lecture Notes - Lecture 37: Adrenal Medulla, Sympathetic Nervous System, Explanatory Style
21 Dec 2016
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Document Summary
Social neuroscience: study of brain systems involved in social thinking and behaving. What areas of the brain are active: pre-frontal cortex: evaluating intentions of others, emotional state, facial expressions, moral reasoning, and assessments, empathy. Insula (below the frontal cortex): active when we observe others in pain (empathy: amygdala (temporal lobe): assess potential threats (identification of harmful stimuli) Three levels of response to stress: physiological, emotional, cognitive, physiological response to stress. Two main biological pathways are activated: sympathetic nervous system. Rapid response of nervous system to stressor. Increases heart rate, blood pressure, blood sugar (energy: hypothalamus pituitary adrenal axis. Stressors activate interior hypothalamus cause release of acth in blood stream. Acth stimulates adrenal cortex to the release of cortisol. Cortisol increases blood sugar, and boosts metabolism. Also, increases alertness and memory in short run and suppressive inflammation. Note: hpa axis is critical for coping with stress. Two systems likely evolved to meet bodily demands in acute situations.
