Stress and the Brain

The system I choose is the brain which controls many of the other systems as well. The brain is a very delicate organ and has a lot to deal with the endocrine system, the autonomic system, the cardiovascular system, the gastrointestinal system and has some involvement in the muscles with movements. Psychological and sociological stressors are noticed by the mind and explained by the brain. Other stressors can be also influenced by being sick or temperature change in the body. Our senses pass information to the brain that helps us deal with stressors. The brain includes two major parts which are; the cerebral cortex that is the upper part of the brain that is responsible for thinking. The subcortex that is the lower part of the brain and is responsible for various physiological processes to stay alive. The brain has more chemical processes that are stimulated and secreted that are responses to stressors and it takes a lot to react to the stressor from the brains responses.

The subcortex includes the cerebellum, the medulla oblongata, and the pons. Each part of these sections play important roles throughout the body. The cerebellum coordinates body movement. The medulla oblongata which regulates heartbeat, respiration, and other physiological processes. The pons are responsible for our sleep cycles and diencephalon. The diencephalon is part of the subcortex that is responsible for the regulation of our emotions. The diencephalon relay messages to the thalamus and hypothalamus. Thalamus plays a part in sensory impulses from parts of the nervous system to the cerebral cortex. The hypothalamus is the major activator of the autonomic nervous system that is responsive to stress. The autonomic nervous system controls body processes like our hormone balance, temperature, and the constriction and dilation of our blood vessels. The limbic system is also part of the diencephalon that deals with emotions and our behavioral expressions. The limbic system is known for emotions like fear, anxiety, and joyful responses that are physical and psychological. The limbic system can be important to stress response because it have involvement to do with psychophysiology. In the brain the cerebral cortex controls high orders of functioning for language and judgment. When the diencephalon gets a response to fear the cerebral cortex will use the judgment with the situation and see that it is not threatening and can over-rule the diencephalons response.

The reticular activating system (RAS) is a network of nerves that are associated with connections between the body and mind. This is part of the cortex and subcortex of the brain. These neurons are responsible for interpreting the signals from the outside world to where feelings and thoughts meet. These connections help with learning and processing information and for paying attention to detail. The RAS