Scenario: A person is driving on the highway, and another car coming from the opposite direction swerves into their lane almost causing an accident.
What happens to the persons brain
These hormones will than activate their sympathetic nervous system, and prepare their body to take necessary actions in trying to avoid the crash
Physical affects (these typically occur because of the stress hormones that are being released)
There is an increase in the person heart rate and blood pressure so the muscles are better prepared to make the necessary movements needed in this scenario. ex. somehow communicating with the other driver or moving their car out of the way (Heart of the body)
The persons pupils may widen to help improve vision as a better to assess the situation and reactions that may occur. (Eyes of the body)
The person may experience an increase in breathing, such as rapid breathing. This occurs because their body is preparing to take action. That rapid breathing is supplying more oxygen to the muscles and brain to help improve alertness, reaction time and readiness to respond to the threat. (Lungs of the body)
Flight or fight response for this scenario
Fight: the person may choose to honk their horn, turn on and off their car lights as a way to get the others drivers attention and help avoid the potential crash
Flight: the person may decide to quickly move their car out of its current area as a way to avoid crashing with the other car the is approaching
In response to this threat, the persons brain signals the release of stress hormones of adrenaline and cortisol into their bloodstream.
The person could experience muscle tension. This physiological change gets the body ready to act quicker against the threat by giving better strength and speed. There is no specific areas of the body that will experience muscle tension for this threat as the whole body will experience some form of tension. Ex. legs and feet (applying the brakes or gas), hands and arms (drivers tightly holds onto steering wheel), back and core (embrace for sudden movements), jaw (from grinding one biting down hard for the stress) or neck and shoulders (to stabilize the head for sudden movements)
Sweating may also occur as their body is trying to cool down after experiencing stress. Again, there are not specific areas of the body that will be affected by this physiological change as the body typically works as one to cool down the body and regulate temperature
The process starts at the hypothalamus where it is activated into two systems: Sympathetic nervous system and adrenal-cortical system
The brainstem controls a persons breathing, blood pressure and heart rate. This part of the brain will start to kick in for this threat. (relates to physical effects)
The cerebellum and thalamus will be responsible in playing a role for making the necessary movements in this scenario.
The brain will most likely become more aware and focused on the threat that is approaching. This will help the person assess the situation better for making appropriate responses.
The sympathetic nervous system uses nerve pathways in the body
The adrenal-cortical system uses the bloodstream
In a threat, the sympathetic system will send impulses to glands and smooth muscles, than tells the adrenal medulla to release adrenaline into the blood stream (a persons stress hormones)
The hypothalamus also releases CRF into another gland, which activates the adrenal-cortical system
This allows more hormones to be released as a way for the body to get prepared in how to deal with the threat
The amygdala found within the brain will also play a main role in processing emotions, such as fear and anxiety that will come about as a person experiences a threat. It will than activate the fight or flight response.