Graduation Date
Spring 1988
Document Type
Thesis
Program
Other
Program
Master of Arts
Committee Chair Name
Dr. John Gai
Committee Chair Affiliation
Cal Poly Humboldt Faculty or Staff
Second Committee Member Name
Dr. Jerrald D. Krause
Keywords
Art
Subject Categories
Art
Abstract
Pre and Postsynaptic receptors were long suspected of acting upon the brain in relation to such processes as negative feedback of neurochemical secretion, alterations in sensory detection and recognition thresholds and changes in mood and affective state. However, the ability to measure and characterize pre and postsynaptic receptors in brain and to identify sites of hormone action in relation to behavioral and neuroendocrine effects of these hormones has progressed incrementally over the past twenty years. This thesis provides a progress report on current activities in the action of pre and postsynaptic receptors on the brain which are related to the stress response. The underlying hypothesis is that neurochemical transmitters mediate some of the responses of the brain to repeated stress and that these responses are involved in the adaptation of the brain to stressful situations. Stresses differ not only in frequency and duration but also in relation to the "attitude" of the subject, i. e., whether or not the subject is in control of the stressor. "Hopelessness" appears to involve different biological responses from "coping," such as the greater susceptibility in the former state to tumor growth. The neurochemical responses of the brain to repeated stresses differ between subjects having different "attitudes".
Recommended Citation
Paquin, Marlene C., "Recent Research on Neurochemical Processes and Psychosocial Behavior" (1988). Cal Poly Humboldt theses and projects. 2430.
https://digitalcommons.humboldt.edu/etd/2430