[libribook.com] Traumatic Scar Tissue Management 1st Edition

Figure 7.1
(A) Summary of the HPA mediated stress response.
(B) Summary of the SAM mediated stress response.
The stress cascade assists the body with making the necessary physiological and
metabolic changes required to cope with the demands of a homeostatic
challenge/stressor. If the stress cascade progresses normally there is a return to
homeostasis (Miller & O’Callaghan 2002).
HPA and Stress Response
Stress activation stimulates the HPA to orchestrate the release of various stress
hormones, with the eventual return to homeostasis (see Fig. 7.2).
The body strives to maintain glucocorticoid levels within certain boundaries.
Interference at any level will influence the other components via feedback loops.
Dysregulation of the HPA axis can have adverse health consequences including
the deposition of visceral fat, a feature of cardiovascular diseases such as
atherosclerosis (Miller & O’Callaghan 2002).
SNS and Stress Response
When an actual or perceived threat occurs, our normal stress response kicks in,
often involving some aspect of flight, flight and freeze, which is largely
mediated by the SNS.
The SNS orchestrates a cascade of events, including the release of stress
hormones (see Fig. 7.1b).