While exposing the rats to stress, the researchers measured their endocrine response through the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA), which is the central
stress response system.
They discuss the specific biopsychosocial processes that constitute the helping relationship and explain the fundamentals of brain structure, development, and function, focusing on aspects most useful in understanding affect regulation; the neurobiology of memory, including research on the impact of stress and trauma on brain organization and function in ways that impact learning and memory; a neuropsychological conceptualization of affect; precursors to attachment that evolve in early life; and research on the
stress response system and how experiences of early adversity may become hardwired and influence brain development and the neuroendocrine systems underlying the stress response.
The HPA axis is the human body's central
stress response system. The researchers measured Cortisol levels in the saliva of 90 male undergraduate students as an indicator of HPA axis activity.
Chronic exposure to non-specific stressors results into chronic hyperactivation of both hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the SNS leading to constant state of hypervigilance and dysregulation of generalized
stress response system. [21] Integrated yoga practices most probably act through the cerebro-cortico-limbic pathways on the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary systems.
The impact of stress on the young child depends on how controllable the stress is, how often and for how long the body's
stress response system is activated, and whether the child has familiar, safe caregivers to turn to for support.
Adaptogens essentially help regulate the HPA axis or the body's major
stress response system.
A lack of sleep, chronic stress at home, poor nutrition--all these factors can activate the brain's
stress response system, Desautels says.
The element of depression may increase in cats with the increase of threat either related to any conflict (Moesta and Crowell-Davis 2011) or fetal developmental
stress response system (Westropp et al.
Trauma can over-activate a growing brain's
stress response system.
Decades ago, Hans Selye demonstrated that chronic activation of the
stress response system resulted initially in hyperactivity of the physiological stress response.