Hacking the stress system: the stress response as an adaptive trait that can work for or against
you
V – Why stress makes you stupid, most of the time

The focus of stress: speed!



What does the stress response do? And is it useful in an argument?
´Increased blood pressure and heart-rate to increase the transportation of
´Fuel (glucose)
´Oxygen
´Increased focus on speed (fight or flight
´Mild stress
´Enhanced cognitive function; implicit memory & declarative tasks
´Enhanced task oriented focus
´High acute or chronic stress
´Impairs the formation of complex memories: enhances implicit memory
´Repetitive tasks
´Increased immune system reactivity
´
Sandi, C. (2013). Stress and cognition. WIREs Cogn Sci, 4(June). https://doi.org/10.1002/wcs.1222

Calm down; the time to allow the system to return to baseline
´It takes time for neurotransmitters to be metabolised.
´
´Continuation of conflict after resolution
´
´Gender differences
´Perceptions of stress

Downregulated functions
´Growth
´
´Reproduction
´
´Digestion
Yamamora, D. L. R., & Reid, R. L. (1990). Psychological stress and the reproductive system.
Seminars in Reproductive Endocrinology, 8(1), 65–72. https://doi.org/10.1055/s-2007-1021424
Toyoda, A., Iio, W., Matsukawa, N., & Tsukahara, T. (2015). Influence of chronic social defeat
stress on digestive system functioning in rats. Journal of Nutritional Science and Vitaminology,
61(3), 280–284. https://doi.org/10.3177/jnsv.61.280
Oroian, B. A., Ciobica, A., Timofte, D., Stefanescu, C., & Serban, I. L. (2021). New Metabolic,
Digestive, and Oxidative Stress-Related Manifestations Associated with Posttraumatic Stress
Disorder. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, 2021. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/5599265

Processing stimuli; the hardware
´A stimulus is detected by one of our senses
´The amygdala relays signals if the stimulus is threatening
´Locus coeruleus (Norepinephrine)
´Hypothalamic adrenal axis (Cortisol)
´Ventral tegmental area (Dopamine)
´Medial prefrontal cortex
´
´

Autonomic nervous system
´
´Sympathetic nervous system
´
´Parasympathetic nervous system

(nor-)adrenaline / (nor-)epinephrine
´Setting the system up for movement
´Blood pressure / heart-rate
´Respiration rate
´ Task related focus and memory
´Heightened alertness & stressor related memory
´Three behavioural stages of nor-adrenaline
´Movement
´Erratic movement (panic)
´Shutdown
´
Ross, J. A., & Van Bockstaele, E. J. (2021). The Locus Coeruleus- Norepinephrine System in Stress
and Arousal: Unraveling Historical, Current, and Future Perspectives. Frontiers in Psychiatry,
11(January), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2020.601519

Cortisol
´Release glucose (fuel) from glycogen stores
´Highest in the morning
´Nightmares
´Interaction with nutrition
´
´Suppress inflammation
´
´Blood pressure
´

What does dopamine do to the stress response
´Dopamine: the great motivator (NO, it does not do reward!!)
´
´Training
´
´Uncertainty
´
´
Schultz, W. (2002). Getting formal with dopamine and reward. Neuron, 36(2), 241–263.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0896-6273(02)00967-4