Stress: Influences and Determinants of Psychopathology

Abstract

The stress response is a natural physiological reaction of the organism, elicited to maintain the internal environment and evoke adaptive behaviors, ultimately leading to survival. However, at the turn of the century, stress-related disorders gained increasing significance. The aim of entry is to explore the fundamental question of when the stress system changes from a beneficial to a detrimental system, contributing to a higher risk of the development of disorders and/or diseases. To develop context, here, we explore the different concepts of stress and reveal the complexities, perspectives, and multiple relationships between the neurochemistry, cerebral functional network, and associated pathologies. According to the literature, the stress response affects nearly every biological system through the close interactions between the physiological, nervous, endocrine, and immune systems when faced with a real or perceived threat. Considering today’s challenging times, where people are facing multiple unavoidable adversities in their lives and a level of uncertainty never before seen, this review emphasizes the importance of understanding the potential consequences of being unable to cope with stressful events. Susceptibility and resilience to stress have gained recognition as important areas of study. The literature presented here enhances our understanding and identifies the causes of various psychopathologies, mental health conditions, disabilities, and even mortality that are closely linked to vulnerability to stress. Experimental studies from recent decades have demonstrated the many factors affecting our ability to cope with stress, including differences between individuals due to their genetic background, epigenetic regulation, gender, and early-life experiences. Finally, there is an urgent need to change the paradigm of modern lifestyles as a potential strategy to prevent the spread of the “health epidemic of the 21st century”, which is stress. Therefore, we acknowledge different approaches to enhance resilience, focusing on perception, tolerance, and positive lifestyle behaviors.

Keywords

• stress response
• defense mechanism
• stress and health
• neurobiological pathways
• allostatic load