Emotions, Stress & HealthEmotions, Stress & Health

Michelle McBrideMichelle McBride

Graduate AssistantGraduate Assistant

CCSU Psychology Dept.CCSU Psychology Dept.

What would you do?What would you do?

What is Emotion?What is Emotion?

Internal conscious states that we infer Internal conscious states that we infer in ourselves and others.in ourselves and others.

Do animals have emotion? Do animals have emotion? How about fish? Insects?How about fish? Insects?Emotions are private experiencesEmotions are private experiencesWe use operational definitions We use operational definitions because we cannot actually see because we cannot actually see feelingsfeelingsWe infer observable behavior We infer observable behavior associated with emotion.associated with emotion.

Sympathetic Nervous SystemSympathetic Nervous System

Scream, Run away…infers fear Scream, Run away…infers fear What other external operations do What other external operations do we use to define fear or other we use to define fear or other emotions?emotions?Must be conscious to feel Must be conscious to feel emotionsemotions Absence seizures in epilepsy leaves Absence seizures in epilepsy leaves

person with no memory and no person with no memory and no emotionsemotions of that time of that time

We do not need to feel strong We do not need to feel strong emotions to be conscious though.emotions to be conscious though.

Limbic SystemLimbic SystemA group of structures in the interior of brainA group of structures in the interior of brain

Form a border around brain stem Form a border around brain stem

Critical for emotionCritical for emotion

More important for consciousness than More important for consciousness than previously thought…previously thought…

It is possible to have an emotion without It is possible to have an emotion without being conscious of what caused it.being conscious of what caused it.Ex: Severe memory loss, but emotional Ex: Severe memory loss, but emotional attachment remains intactattachment remains intact

Limbic SystemLimbic System

Are Emotions Useful?Are Emotions Useful?

Extreme emotions can impair reasoningExtreme emotions can impair reasoningDecisions require prediction of outcomeDecisions require prediction of outcomeWill you or others feel good or bad about Will you or others feel good or bad about the decision and consequences?the decision and consequences?People who cannot anticipate the People who cannot anticipate the unpleasantness of likely outcomes tend to unpleasantness of likely outcomes tend to make bad decisions.make bad decisions.Damage to Prefrontal cortex experience Damage to Prefrontal cortex experience loss of emotion and make poor decisionsloss of emotion and make poor decisions

James-Lange TheoryJames-Lange TheoryAutonomic arousal and skeletal actions come Autonomic arousal and skeletal actions come beforebefore emotional response emotional response I experience fear I experience fear because because I run awayI run away

Cognitive awareness is Cognitive awareness is separateseparate Brain can categorize events as pleasant or unpleasant Brain can categorize events as pleasant or unpleasant

in as little as 120 millisecondsin as little as 120 milliseconds

What we experience as an emotion is actually What we experience as an emotion is actually the label we give to our response.the label we give to our response. I am afraid I am afraid becausebecause I run away I run away I am angry I am angry becausebecause I attack I attack

Common Sense vs. James-LangeCommon Sense vs. James-Lange

Common Sense right?Common Sense right?

Frightening Situation Frightening Situation

FearFear

Running Away and Running Away and Increased Heart rate Increased Heart rate

etc.etc.

James-Lange TheoryJames-Lange Theory

Frightening SituationFrightening Situation

Running Away and Increased Heart Running Away and Increased Heart rate etc.rate etc.

FearFear

James-LangeJames-Lange

Your Perception of your body influences your emotionYour Perception of your body influences your emotionLocked-in syndrome:Locked-in syndrome:

Damage in the ventral part of brain stemDamage in the ventral part of brain stemPeople can only blink eyes to communicatePeople can only blink eyes to communicatePatients remarkably tranquil…Patients remarkably tranquil…

Cannot send out messages for fidgeting, butterflies in stomachCannot send out messages for fidgeting, butterflies in stomach Brain only receives messages of tranquility from bodyBrain only receives messages of tranquility from body

Key Assumptions:Key Assumptions:1.1. Body’s response comes before emotionBody’s response comes before emotion2.2. Each discriminable emotion produces a different body Each discriminable emotion produces a different body

responseresponse

Sympathetic (S) and Sympathetic (S) and Parasympathetic (P) ReactionsParasympathetic (P) Reactions

Every situation calls for its own special mixture Every situation calls for its own special mixture of arousal by the sympathetic (fight or flight) and of arousal by the sympathetic (fight or flight) and parasympathetic (conservation of energy) N.S.parasympathetic (conservation of energy) N.S. Flight: Sympathetic response includes Flight: Sympathetic response includes

redirection of blood flow to redirection of blood flow to specificspecific muscles muscles Nausea: Nausea:

Parasympathetic response includes increased Parasympathetic response includes increased stimulation of the stomach (decreased secretions)stimulation of the stomach (decreased secretions)

Sympathetic response includes increased Sympathetic response includes increased salivation and intestinal contractionssalivation and intestinal contractions

Other TheoriesOther Theories

Cannon-Bard TheoryCannon-Bard Theory Emotional experience and physical arousal Emotional experience and physical arousal

occur simultaneously but independentlyoccur simultaneously but independently

Schachter-Singer TheorySchachter-Singer Theory Physiological changes need to be appraised Physiological changes need to be appraised

cognitively to be able to identify which cognitively to be able to identify which emotion it is.emotion it is.

Sympathetic and Parasympathetic flow of Sympathetic and Parasympathetic flow of Autonomic Nervous SystemAutonomic Nervous System

Stress and HealthStress and HealthStress is the nonspecific response of the body to Stress is the nonspecific response of the body to any demand made upon it.any demand made upon it.

Failing gradesFailing gradesScary movieScary movie

Even positive events in your life such as:Even positive events in your life such as:GraduationGraduationNew jobNew job

Stress activates the Autonomic Nervous System Stress activates the Autonomic Nervous System rapidly rapidly Stress activates the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Stress activates the Hypothalamus-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) Axis more slowly.Adrenal (HPA) Axis more slowly.Both systems have major effect on health and Both systems have major effect on health and well-being.well-being.

Hypothalamus-Anterior Pituitary-Adrenal Cortex AxisHypothalamus-Anterior Pituitary-Adrenal Cortex Axis

Prolonged stress leads to Prolonged stress leads to the secretion of the the secretion of the adrenal hormone cortisoladrenal hormone cortisol

Cortisol (stress hormone) Cortisol (stress hormone) elevates blood sugar and elevates blood sugar and increases metabol.increases metabol.

Body is then able to Body is then able to sustain prolonged activitysustain prolonged activity

But immune system But immune system activity is decreased as a activity is decreased as a resultresult

The Immune SystemThe Immune System

Cells that protect the body against Cells that protect the body against intruders such as viruses and bacteria.intruders such as viruses and bacteria.

Like a police forceLike a police force Too weak and criminals (viruses etc.) run wildToo weak and criminals (viruses etc.) run wild Too strong and it attacks law-abiding citizens:Too strong and it attacks law-abiding citizens:

The body’s own cells (Autoimmune disease)The body’s own cells (Autoimmune disease) Ex. Lupus ErythmatosisEx. Lupus Erythmatosis Ex. Hashimoto’s DiseaseEx. Hashimoto’s Disease

Immune Response to BacteriaImmune Response to Bacteria

Elements of the Immune SystemElements of the Immune SystemLeukocytes (Leukocytes (White blood cellsWhite blood cells))

Most important elementsMost important elements

Patrol the blood & fluidsPatrol the blood & fluids

Antigens: Intruders have Antigens: Intruders have different surface proteins different surface proteins (nonself) than our own (self)(nonself) than our own (self)

WBCs attack antigensWBCs attack antigens

Macrophages and B Cells are Macrophages and B Cells are specific defensesspecific defenses

Antibodies search for specific Antibodies search for specific antigens to attach toantigens to attach to

T cells: cytotoxic and helperT cells: cytotoxic and helper Cytotoxic: direct attackCytotoxic: direct attack Helper: stimulates Ts & B’s Helper: stimulates Ts & B’s

to multiply rapidlyto multiply rapidly

Natural Killer CellsNatural Killer CellsAttach to certain kinds of Attach to certain kinds of tumor cells and infected cells.tumor cells and infected cells.

Relatively non-specificRelatively non-specific

CytokinesCytokinesChemicals released to activate Chemicals released to activate immune system cells to attack immune system cells to attack and communicate with brainand communicate with brain

Tells brain that body is illTells brain that body is ill

Stimulate vagus nerve Stimulate vagus nerve receptorsreceptors

Relays message to Relays message to hypothalamus and hypothalamus and hippocampushippocampus

Some Symptoms ExplainedSome Symptoms Explained

Cytokines are instigatorsCytokines are instigators FeverFever

Viruses do not thrive at high temperaturesViruses do not thrive at high temperatures SleepinessSleepiness Decreased Muscle ActivityDecreased Muscle Activity Decreased Sex DriveDecreased Sex Drive Decreased appetiteDecreased appetite

Viruses need ironViruses need iron

To Conserve energy

Effects of Stress on Immune SystemEffects of Stress on Immune System

Psychoneuroimmunology:Psychoneuroimmunology: The study of the relationship between the The study of the relationship between the

nervous system and immune systemsnervous system and immune systems

All experiences, especially stressful ones, All experiences, especially stressful ones, alter the immune systemalter the immune system New antibodies, B & T cells, etc.New antibodies, B & T cells, etc.

The Immune system in turn influences the The Immune system in turn influences the central nervous system.central nervous system. Hypothalamus and Hippocampus involvementHypothalamus and Hippocampus involvement

Effects of StressEffects of Stress

Continued, long term anxiety, anger or Continued, long term anxiety, anger or stress is harmful.stress is harmful. A body focused on the cycle of increased A body focused on the cycle of increased

cortisol & increased metabolism, it is not cortisol & increased metabolism, it is not producing new proteins for the immune producing new proteins for the immune system and other systems.system and other systems.

Ex. Three-Mile-IslandEx. Three-Mile-Island

High cortisol levels damage hippocampus High cortisol levels damage hippocampus (brain damage folks) (brain damage folks) Learning and memory suffer as a resultLearning and memory suffer as a result

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)(PTSD)

Traumatic experience leads to:Traumatic experience leads to: Months or even years of flashbacks and nightmaresMonths or even years of flashbacks and nightmares Exaggerated arousal response to noises etc.Exaggerated arousal response to noises etc. Avoidance of reminders of the eventAvoidance of reminders of the event

Combat veterans, rape victims, 9/11Combat veterans, rape victims, 9/11

Most PTSD victims have a smaller than average Most PTSD victims have a smaller than average hippocampus (which came first?)hippocampus (which came first?)

Symptom of stress OR mechanism of coping with it?Symptom of stress OR mechanism of coping with it?damage from prolonged elevation of cortisol?damage from prolonged elevation of cortisol?

OR predisposed vulnerability to stress?OR predisposed vulnerability to stress?

Emotions, Stress and HealthEmotions, Stress and Health

They are all intricately related.They are all intricately related.