Health Psychology

Class 3

Physiology, Part II

Power Point Slides

http://nwkpsych.rutgers.edu/ ~kharber/healthpsychology

What a piece of work is a man, how noble in reason, how infinite in faculties, in form and moving how express and admirable, in action how like an angel, in apprehension how like a god!

High Five the Body!

Hamlet Act 2 Scene 2, Wllm. Shakespeare

Respiratory System: Functions

1 Take in Oxygen

2 Expel CO2

3 Regulate relative composition of blood

Medulla regulates resp. system, responsive to blood chemistry

Air↓

Nose & Mouth↓

pharynx & larynx↓

trachea↓

Primary bronchi↓

Lungs↓

secondary bronchi↓

bronchioles↓

alveolar ducts↓

alveoli↓

blood

Respiratory System

From Air to Blood

Asphyxia: Too little Oxy, too much CO2

Anoxia: Insufficient Oxy.

Hyperventilation: Too much Oxy

Hay fever: foreign bodies (dust, pollen) histamines inflammation of lung capillaries fluids (mucus) sneezing.

Asthma: triggers contraction of muscles around air tubes clogging of air tubes air intake. ALSO, inflammation mucus production obstructs bronchioles less Oxy and too much CO2.

Respiratory Disorders

Viral Infections: Common cold, influenza, bronchitis

Bacterial infections: Strep, whooping cough, diphtheria

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD):

Emphysema -- 4th deadliest diseasealveoli become inelastic—can’t exhaleDue mainly to smokingIncurable

Chronic bronchitis

Pneumonia

Tuberculosis and Pleurisy

Respiratory Disorders, cont.

Poor compliance production of hardier microbes production more powerful drugs poor compliance:

Poor compliance hardier microbes, etc.

Health psych issues:a. Doctor/patient communicationb. Obstacles to compliance

Failed Rx Compliance and the Generation of “Super Bugs”

Mouth (saliva bolus)

↓Esophagus(peristalsis)

↓Stomach

(pepsin, hydrochloric acid)

↓Duodenum

(carbs, proteins, fats)↓

Jejunum↓

Small intestine↓

Large intestine↓

Rectum↓

Anus

Digestive Tract

Digestive Tract, Cont.

Vagus Nerve: gastric juices, stomach

Pancreas: enzymes to duodenum; insulin

Liver: bile, stored in gall bladder

Parasymp. NS speeds up/slows down metabolism?

Symp. NS speeds up/slows down metabolism?

During stress, ___ Parasymp or ____ Symp is activated?X

Disorders of the Digestive System

Intestines:

Stomach:

Gall Bladder:

Liver:

Gastroenteritis, diarrhea, dysentery

Peptic ulcer: Stress aggravates, doesn’t cause

Gall stones

Hepatitis

Hep. A: Water/food borneHep. B: Blood borne (needles, sex)Hep. C (blood transfusions)Hep. D, E

Gut Feelings in the Desert:Antoine De Saint Exupery and the Dragon Fly

I shaved carefully in a cracked mirror. From time to time I went to the door and looked at the naked sand. … I was thoughtful. … For the moment everything was all right. But I heard something sizzling. It was a dragonfly knocking against the lamp. Why it was I cannot say, but I felt a twinge in my heart.

I went outdoors and looked round. The air was pure. … Over the desert reigned a vast silence as of a house in order. But here were a green butterfly and two dragonflies knocking against my lamp. Again I felt a dull ache which might as easily have been joy as fear, but came up from the depths of me.

Saint Exupery in the Desert, continued

Something was calling to me from a great distance. Was it instinct?

Once again I went out. The wind had died down completely. The air was still cool. But I had received a warning. I guessed, I believed I could guess, what I was expecting.

I climbed a dune and sat down face to the east. If I was right, the thing would not be long in coming. What were they after here, those dragonflies, hundreds of miles from their oases inland?

Saint Exupery in the Desert

Wreckage thrown up upon the beach bears witness to a storm at sea. Even so did these insects declare to me that a sand storm was on the way, a storm out of the east that had blown them out of their oases.

Solemnly, for it was fraught with danger, the east wind rose. … But that was not what excited. What filled me with a barbaric joy was …that I had been able to read the anger of the desert in the beating wings of a dragonfly.

St. Exupery, A. (1939). Wind, sand, and stars.

1. More neurons than spinal cord

2. Fibers non-mylinated—like in big brain

3. Bathed in same neurochemicals as big brain

4. Suffers damage to big-brain diseases

5. Responsive to psychotropic drugs

Brain in Gut (aka Neurogastroenterology)

1. Big brain and gut brain communicate

2. Stressful event #1: Big brain stores threat in “emotion memory”

3. Stressful event #2: Limbic system responds, sends signal to gut. Gut may get signal before cortex.

4. Result—gut feeling

Are “Gut Feelings” Real?

Renal System

Anatomy: Kidneys, ureters, bladder, urethra

Function: Rid body of waste fluids Chemical balances in blood

Nephrons: Filters in kidneys

Disorders: Urinary tract infections Nephritis: kidneys inflamed

Kidney failure: Deadly

Genetics, Health, and Psychology

Many serious illnesses are hereditary:

Cystic Fibrosis Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS)

Down Syndrome Tay-Sach’s Disease

Ethical Issues: Tell / Don’t tell person if they have gene.

Psychological contribution: Genetic counseling

* At-risk pregnancies

* Dramatic precautions (e.g., preventive hysterectomy)

Direct transmission

Indirect transmission

Biological

Mechanical

Transmission of Disease

Course of InfectionIncubation

Non-specific Symptoms

Acute Phase

Infection TypesLocalized: Remain at site—don’t spread

Focal: Contracted at site but spreads

Systemic: Affects multiple areas at once

Defined: Body’s defenses against invading organisms.

Natural Immunity: Breast feeding, disease encountersArtificial Immunity: vaccinations, inoculations

Non-specific immunity1. Anatomical barriers2. Phagocytosis3. Anti-microbial substances (interferon, e.g.)4. Inflammatory responses (histamines)

Specific immunity1. Dedicated to fighting specific microorganisms2. Acquired via previous infection3. Mechanism: antigen/anti-body reaction

Immunity

Defense 1Mechanical

Defense 2Humoral

Defense 3Cell-Mediated

Antigen enters body

Coughing, sneezing Phagocytes absorb antigens (phagocytocis)

B cells: Mature Memory

macrophage signals to TH cells

TH cells signal to TC

cells, B cells, natural killer (NK) cells.

TC cells, B cells, natural killer (NK) cells attack antigen.

Immunologic Defense

AIDS: Retards T-cell production

Cancer: Uncontrolled cell growth.

Autoimmune diseases: immune system attacks healthy tissue.

a. Triggered by bacterial infectionb. Aggravated by stressc. Examples: MS, Lupus

Diseases of the Immune System

Defined: Body’s defenses against invading organisms.

Natural Immunity: Breast feeding, disease encountersArtificial Immunity: vaccinations, inoculations

Non-specific immunity1. Anatomical barriers2. Phagocytosis3. Anti-microbial substances (interferon, e.g.)4. Inflammatory responses (histamines)

Specific immunity1. Dedicated to fighting specific microorganisms2. Acquired via previous infection3. Mechanism: antigen/anti-body reaction

Immunity

Immunologic Defense

Non-Specific

Anatomical Barriers (skin, mucous membranes)

Mechanical (coughing, sneezing)

Phagocytosis

Antimicrobial

Inflamatory Response

Specific

Humoral: B Cells (memory, mature) -> antibodies (faster)

Cell-Mediated:

Macrophage -> TH --> Tc, B, NK->TH -> Stops reaction (slower)

White blood cell (macrophage) attacking anthrax bacilli (in orange)

AIDS: Retards T-cell production

Cancer: Uncontrolled cell growth.

Autoimmune diseases: immune system attacks healthy tissue.

a. Triggered by bacterial infection, mimics legit. substancesb. Aggravated by stressc. Examples: MS, Lupus, arthritis

Diseases of the Immune System