fight or flight response

• When someone enters a potentially stressful situation, what is activated?

  The amygdala, part of the limbic system
• What does the amygdala respond to and do?

  Sensory input (what we see, hear, smell, etc.) and connects sensory input with emotions associated with the fight or flight response (e.g. fear and anger)
• What state is someone in when going through the fight/flight response?

  Sympathetic
• What is the first stage of the fight/flight response?

  If the situation is deemed as stressful/dangerous, the amygdala sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus, which activates the sympathomedullary pathway (SAM pathway)
• What is the second stage of the fight/flight response?

  The SAM pathway runs to the sympathetic nervous system and adrenal medulla. The SNS stimulates the adrenal medulla.
• What is the third stage of the fight/flight response?

  As a result, adrenaline to the endocrine system and noradrenaline to the nervous system.
• What is the fourth stage of the fight/flight response?

  Which prompts a number of changes in the body
• Adrenaline has number of effects on the body, what are these?

  Increased heart rate

  Faster breathing

  Muscle tension

  Pupil dilation

  Sweat production

  Reduced digestive and immune function
• What is the purpose of increased heart rate?

  To speed up blood flow to get the oxygen to muscles and spread adrenaline
• What is the purpose of faster breathing rate?

  To increase oxygen intake
• What is the purpose of muscle tension?

  To improve reaction time & speed
• What is the purpose of pupil dilation?

  To improve vision
• What is the purpose of sweat production?

  To facilitate temperature regulation
• What is the purpose of reduced functioning of the digestive and immune systems?

  To preserve energy for prioritised functions, such as running
• What happens following the fight flight response?

  The parasympathetic nervous systemis activated to return the body back to its ‘normal’ resting state
• What does the parasympathetic nervous system do?

  Slows down our heart rate and breathing rate and reduces our blood pressure. Furthermore, any functions that were previously slowed down are started again