Skip to main content
Medicine LibreTexts

8.10: Key Terms

  • Page ID
    111227
  • \( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

    \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)

    \( \newcommand{\dsum}{\displaystyle\sum\limits} \)

    \( \newcommand{\dint}{\displaystyle\int\limits} \)

    \( \newcommand{\dlim}{\displaystyle\lim\limits} \)

    \( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\) \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

    ( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\) \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)

    \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\) \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\) \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)

    \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)

    \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\id}{\mathrm{id}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\kernel}{\mathrm{null}\,}\)

    \( \newcommand{\range}{\mathrm{range}\,}\)

    \( \newcommand{\RealPart}{\mathrm{Re}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\ImaginaryPart}{\mathrm{Im}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\Argument}{\mathrm{Arg}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\norm}[1]{\| #1 \|}\)

    \( \newcommand{\inner}[2]{\langle #1, #2 \rangle}\)

    \( \newcommand{\Span}{\mathrm{span}}\) \( \newcommand{\AA}{\unicode[.8,0]{x212B}}\)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorA}[1]{\vec{#1}}      % arrow\)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorAt}[1]{\vec{\text{#1}}}      % arrow\)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorB}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorC}[1]{\textbf{#1}} \)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorD}[1]{\overrightarrow{#1}} \)

    \( \newcommand{\vectorDt}[1]{\overrightarrow{\text{#1}}} \)

    \( \newcommand{\vectE}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash{\mathbf {#1}}}} \)

    \( \newcommand{\vecs}[1]{\overset { \scriptstyle \rightharpoonup} {\mathbf{#1}} } \)

    \( \newcommand{\vecd}[1]{\overset{-\!-\!\rightharpoonup}{\vphantom{a}\smash {#1}}} \)

    \(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)
    acute stress
    short-term bodily disruptions whose signs and symptoms last minutes, hours, or days
    acute stressor
    short-term experience that generally appears suddenly and may cause severe distress, but whose signs and symptoms may last only several minutes, hours, or days
    adaptation
    process of adjusting to the environment as conditions change, either suddenly or over time
    adaptive behavior
    behavior that enables one to decrease distress; may be either positive or negative
    allopathic
    referring to modern Western medicine
    alternative
    referring to health practices that are other methods not generally taught in Western medicine
    antigen
    something that generates an antibody response—hence the term “anti-gen”
    apoptosis
    normal cell death as controlled part of cellular growth and development
    autonomic dysreflexia
    condition seen in patients with spinal cord injury in which the body tries to rid itself of a stressor that the brain cannot recognize
    autonomic nervous system
    division of the peripheral nervous system that responds automatically to chemicals and hormones in the body through sensory and motor neurons
    autophagy
    death of a cell by self-destruction
    carcinogenic
    cancer causing
    chronic inflammatory response syndrome (CIRS)
    conditions of chronic stress caused by chronic inflammation in the body
    chronic stress
    long-term bodily disruptions whose signs and symptoms last weeks, months, or years
    chronic stressor
    long-term experience; it produces stress signs and symptoms that may last weeks, months, or years
    complementary and alternative medicine
    category of nontraditional medicine that explores other modalities to treat the body for healing and wellness
    coping
    ability to adapt and manage a stressful event
    cortisol
    natural hormone emitted from the adrenal cortex, known as the stress hormone, and related to increases in blood glucose and response to the sympathetic nervous system
    family health
    impact of health and illness upon the entire family that may be experienced by one individual in the family
    General Adaptation Syndrome
    theory by Dr. Hans Seyle of the physical stages the body experiences resulting from stress, including alarm, resistance, and exhaustion
    homeostasis
    state of balance in the body
    hypothalamic-pituitary axis (HPA)
    messages from hormones in the blood (the endocrine component) and the nervous system (the neurological component) pass through the hypothalamus and pituitary gland in the brain
    inflammatory response
    initial response of the body to fight against pathogens or insults to the body, beginning with vasodilation to increase oxygen, blood, and antibodies to the area of injury
    integrative medicine
    modalities and practices that are used with modern medicine
    local adaptation syndrome
    localized version of the inflammatory response to stress
    maladaptive behavior
    negative behavior performed to decrease distress
    maladaptive coping
    use of strategies to decrease stress that result in other negative outcomes
    negative feedback
    process of communication within the body to decrease an outcome of the body
    negative stress
    stressful event that produces unhealthful outcomes for the body, such as illness or disease; also causes distress
    parasympathetic nervous system
    one of the two divisions of the autonomic nervous system (aka, the “feed and breed” response); this system prepares the body to rest and digest
    physical stress
    involves measurable disruption to the body
    positive feedback
    communication process within the body to increase a desired outcome in the body
    positive stress
    stressful event that produces healthful outcomes for the body, such as stronger muscles or improved cardiovascular function
    psychosocial stress
    mental and emotional response to stress
    rhabdomyolysis
    massive destruction of muscle and resultant increase in byproducts of breakdown in the blood
    stress
    disruption to the body’s usual state
    Stress Adaptation Model
    model of health developed by Hans Seyle in which stress and health are biochemically linked
    Stress Transactional Model
    theory that stress is a transaction and cascade of events that occur in the body in response to a stressor
    stressor
    event or stimulus that activates an individual’s stress response
    sympathetic nervous system
    part of the nervous system that controls many of the body’s automatic functions, such as heart rate, blood pressure, and perspiration
    systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS)
    serious systemic condition characterized by massive vasodilation, hypotension, tachycardia, and tachypnea, in response to infection and autoimmune disorders or burns.
    telomeres
    distinctive structures at the end of a strand of a chromosome within the cell

    This page titled 8.10: Key Terms is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by OpenStax.

    • Was this article helpful?