W3

• Allostasis: The ability to adapt to challenges based on context or circumstance dependent set points
• Atrophy of thymus gland: Chronic stress can cause this which leads to immune system suppression
• Alarm: First stage of GAS when person perceives stress and hypothalamus releases corticotropin stimulating hormone to stimulate adrenal medulla and anterior pituitary
• Resistance: Second stage of GAS during which there is a reduction in alarm reaction because the body uses allostasis to change bodies homeostasis
• Resistance: This stage has fewer overt S/S but body is still in hypermetabolic state
• Resistance: Atrophy of thymus gland occurs during this stage and causes immune depression.
• Exhaustion: Stage of GAS when body can no longer compensate for stress and reach new homeostasis
• Adaptation: Combination of neurological, endocrine, immunologic mechanisms to respond to stress
• Epinephrine: Produces positive chronotropy and inotropy as part of SNS stimulation
• Glycogenolysis: Response to stress that is stimulated by epinephrine and increases blood glucose
• RAAS: SNS produces increase in blood pressure using this mechanism
• Norepinephrine: Constricts smooth muscle to create peripheral vasoconstriction in SNS response
• Reticular formation: Brain region that is the connection between brainstem and diencephalon
• Thalamus: Brain region that directs sensory information and is involved in memory
• Limbic system: Brain system that is involved in feeling emotions and releasing endorphins
• Endorphins: Chemical released by laughter and happiness that reduces pain perception
• Reticular formation: Brain region the length of the brain stem that includes cardiac and respiratory centers
• Substance P: Some neurons can release this after injury to stimulate a pain response
• Extracranial headaches: Tension headaches, nasal sinus headaches, ocular changes, temporomandibular joint disorder
• Subcutaneous tissue: Layer of skin that produces aching and throbbing pain
• Dermis: Layer of skin that produces superficial pain
• Referred pain: Pain that localizes away from source and is due to c fibers crossing over into a-delta fibers
• Dermatomes: Sensory areas of skin that discrete spinal nerves
• Enkephalins: The neurotransmitters that inhibit the release of substance p to provide analgesia as part of endogenous pain control
• Spinothalamic tracts: Pain signals ascend by this to thalamus
• Cutaneous pain: Pain that is direct and acute and localized from the skin
• Occipital headache: Pain caused by stimulation of nociceptors bellow tentorium
• Alcohol: This substance causes pain by irritating the meninges
• RAS: Many c fibers terminate in RF and stimulate this
• Gates for this fiber may be closed by guided imagery/visualization
• Hyperalgesia: Hyperactivity of pain receptors that is also known as neuralgia that causes severe pain even with light stimulation
• Epidermis: Layer of skin that produces itching and burning
• Enkephalins and serotonin: Neurotransmitters involved in the endogenous pain control system
• Serotonin: The neurotransmitter that acts on neurons to make them secrete enkephalin as part of endogenous pain control
• Chemotactic: Substances like prostaglandins, bradykinins and histamines also stimulate nociceptors
• Radiculopathy: Neurologic pain that also usually follows dermatomal distribution patterns
• Internal headache: Pain caused by vascular stretching, meningeal trauma, low ICP
• Frontal headache: Pain caused by stimulation of nociceptors above the tentorium
• Visceral pain: Pain that is diffuse, poorly localized, and can be dull, gnawing, or burning
• COX 2 is a pathway that creates prostacyclin and prostaglandins to promote blood cycling.