Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Psychological Responses to Stress

Psychological Responses to Stress

Psychological responses to stress encompass the various cognitive and emotional reactions individuals experience when faced with challenging or threatening situations, such as a job loss. Prolonged exposure to stressors can disturb emotional balance, increasing negative emotions (e.g., anxiety and sadness) and diminishing positive emotions (e.g., joy and satisfaction). These persistent emotional shifts are associated with an increased risk of both physical illness and mental health issues, such...

Physiological Foundation of Stress

Physiological Foundation of Stress

Stress triggers a coordinated physiological response involving the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This dual activation ensures that the body is prepared for both immediate and prolonged stress management. The process begins with the perception of a stressor. This initial phase activates the SNS, leading to the rapid release of adrenaline (epinephrine) from the adrenal glands.
Role of the Sympathetic Nervous System
Adrenaline triggers the...

Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis

Hypothalamic-Pituitary Axis

The response to stress—be it physical or psychological, acute or chronic—involves activation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis. The HPA axis is part of the neuroendocrine system because it involves both neuronal and hormonal communication. Its function is to regulate homeostatic systems—metabolic, cardiovascular, and immune—providing the necessary means to respond to a stressor.

Stress Response System

Stress Response System

The stress response system, also known as the fight-or-flight response, is the body's automatic physiological reaction to perceived threats. Hans Selye introduced the concept of General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) to describe the predictable pattern of changes that occur in response to stress. GAS consists of three sequential stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. This model helps explain how chronic stress can contribute to health problems.
Alarm stage
In the alarm stage, the body's initial...

Introduction to Stress and Lifestyle

Introduction to Stress and Lifestyle

Stress is a multifaceted response to events perceived as challenging or threatening, highlighting physical, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral reactions. Physically, stress can lead to fatigue, sleep disruptions, and various health issues such as frequent colds, chest pains, and nausea. Emotionally, it can manifest as anxiety, depression, irritability, and anger triggered by both minor and major life events. Cognitively, it may result in difficulty in concentration, memory, and...

Sympathetic Activation

Sympathetic Activation

The sympathetic division can influence tissues and organs by releasing norepinephrine at peripheral synapses and distributing epinephrine and norepinephrine through the bloodstream. In times of crisis or stress, sympathetic activation occurs, which is regulated by sympathetic centers in the hypothalamus. As a result, sympathetic activation prepares the body for physical exertion, rapid ATP production, and heightened alertness, allowing individuals to respond effectively to challenging or...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Recognising disease progression in MGUS and smouldering myeloma: Biomarkers, symptom monitoring and imaging.

British journal of haematology·2026

Same author

Warming Up Body and Mind: Combined Cognitive and Exercise Priming Improves 1-Mile Time Trial Performance in Recreational Runners.

European journal of sport science·2026

Same author

Remote-Based Brain Endurance Training Enhances Bench Press, Preacher Curl, and Jump Squat Performance in Recreational Athletes.

European journal of sport science·2026

Same author

Highlighting the Role of Mental Fatigue as a Health Risk Factor: A Narrative Review.

Sports (Basel, Switzerland)·2026

Same author

The effect of acute aerobic exercise intensity on indices of blood flow to metastatic liver tumours using non-invasive imaging: a preliminary study.

European journal of applied physiology·2026

Same author

Effects of Separate Cognitive Training on Endurance Exercise Performance.

Journal of functional morphology and kinesiology·2025

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Polar Histogram Visualization of Acute Stress Disorder Scale Scores for Comprehensive Clinical Assessment

Polar Histogram Visualization of Acute Stress Disorder Scale Scores for Comprehensive Clinical Assessment

Published on: December 6, 2024

Complement cascade activation after an acute psychological stress task.

Victoria E Burns¹, Kate M Edwards, Christopher Ring

¹School of Sport and Exercise Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK. V.E.Burns@bham.ac.uk

Psychosomatic Medicine

|May 16, 2008

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Acute psychological stress activates the complement cascade, a key inflammatory process. This finding suggests a link between stress and inflammation, potentially impacting inflammatory disorders.

More Related Videos

Assessment of Stress Effects on Cognitive Flexibility using an Operant Strategy Shifting Paradigm

Assessment of Stress Effects on Cognitive Flexibility using an Operant Strategy Shifting Paradigm

Published on: May 4, 2020

An Alternative to the Traditional Cold Pressor Test: The Cold Pressor Arm Wrap

An Alternative to the Traditional Cold Pressor Test: The Cold Pressor Arm Wrap

Published on: January 16, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 5, 2026

Polar Histogram Visualization of Acute Stress Disorder Scale Scores for Comprehensive Clinical Assessment

Polar Histogram Visualization of Acute Stress Disorder Scale Scores for Comprehensive Clinical Assessment

Published on: December 6, 2024

Assessment of Stress Effects on Cognitive Flexibility using an Operant Strategy Shifting Paradigm

Assessment of Stress Effects on Cognitive Flexibility using an Operant Strategy Shifting Paradigm

Published on: May 4, 2020

An Alternative to the Traditional Cold Pressor Test: The Cold Pressor Arm Wrap

An Alternative to the Traditional Cold Pressor Test: The Cold Pressor Arm Wrap

Published on: January 16, 2014

Area of Science:

Immunology
Psychoneuroimmunology
Stress Physiology

Background:

Psychological stress can worsen inflammatory disorders.
The complement cascade is central to inflammation.
Its susceptibility to stress is under-researched.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate complement cascade activation following acute psychological stress.
To explore the relationship between psychological stress and inflammatory pathways.

Main Methods:

Three experiments involving healthy participants and an 8-minute psychological stress task.
Blood samples analyzed for complement components (C3a, Factor Bb, C5a) at various time points.
Comparison of stress vs. control sessions and different blood collection methods.

Main Results:

Significant increases in complement components (C3a, Factor Bb) observed during and immediately after stress.
C5a levels rose post-stress, with recovery by 30-60 minutes.
No significant difference in results based on blood collection method (venipuncture vs. cannula).

Conclusions:

The complement cascade is demonstrably susceptible to acute psychological stress.
This activation may represent a mechanism for stress-induced inflammation in susceptible individuals.
Findings highlight a potential link between psychological stress and inflammatory conditions.