Question

What happens to your body when you get scared? 1. Explain the science in your own words as if you are describing it to someone with no scientific knowledge (make sure you use appropriate words). 1. Talk about fight or flight, tell me about NE and Epinephrine, explain it to me as if I don’t know what this is.

Answer 1

Fight, Flight Response in response to Fear .So 3 F ( Fear Flight Fight response )
Sometime 1 more F ( Freeze response )

When ever we come under stress For example Lion or tigger comes suddenly in front of us ,our brain already know the psychological fear of having lion in front of us and it is perceived as threat to us for our survival so there are two possoblities left with us either we should go and face the situation by Fighting or we can ran directly from the situation by Flight response .

The response instantly causes hormonal and physiological changes. These changes allow us to act quickly so as to protect us .It’s a survival instinct that has been developed over many years .

Fear is perceived as threat and reaction begins in amygdala, the part of your brain responsible for perceived fear. The amygdala responds by sending signals to the hypothalamus, which stimulates the autonomic nervous system (ANS).

The ANS consists of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The sympathetic nervous system drives the fight-or-flight response, while the parasympathetic nervous system drives freezing. Here we are already Scared under fear then the sympathetic nervous system is activated .

In simple terms , when Autonomic Nervous System is stimulated ( Sympathetic system ) body releases adrenaline{Epinephrine } and cortisol, the stress hormone. Sympathetic system stimulate the organ around Kidneys known as Adrenals whivh release Epinephrine ( Adrenaline ) ,Nor epinpehrine ( Nor adrenaline ) and Cortisol in blood . These hormones are stress hormones and try to cope up with stress quickly .These hormones act on different organs and exert their actions .
Nor epinephrine and epinephrine act as neurotransmitters in brain by communicating the signal from one neuron to another and as hormone at other places .
Actions at various organs are as follows .

*Heart ---->Heartrate. Sympathy is given to heart and heart start beating faster and the only aim to increase the blood flow to various organs and meet the metabolic needs of body .Increase in blood flow also circulate the epinephrine to all parts of body .

*Lungs. Breathing speeds up and trachea ( wind pipe ) along with small airways Widens so more and more amount of oxygen can be taken in from atmosphere which is then carried to various parts of body to meet the metabolic needs

*Eyes. Pupils dilate so that to increase the entry of light in eye and it increases the peripheral vision so surroundings are more clearly visible and also enhance the vision in dark to run faster .

*Skeletal muscles -- When there is Fight or flight response ,then the supply of blood to Skeletal muscles increases so as to ease the running process.In such a way the supply of blood vesses to other organs like stomach ,intestine ,urinary bladder decreases .Hence these non essential functions ( Digestive ,salivation ,urination ) are decreased so that the Essential functions are fullfilled .Also blood flow to hands and feet is decreased hence we feel the cold hands and feet while we get panicked .

*Gastrointestinal system -->While running we will not think to go for toilets to pass the stools ( SH*T)as during flight response the supply of blood to stomach and intestine are very kuch decreased .

*Urinary system ---> While running we will not think to pass urine .

* Salivary glands ----> It produces secretions which increases the appetite and hunger .During flight response secretion decreases as we never think of eating anything durjng this period

*Skin. While running skin produces more sweat so that excess of heat which is generated in body evaporates and cool s the body .This done by Epinephrine acting on Sweat glands .