Explore how stress-related brain regions contribute to symptoms through the hippocampus, amygdala and prefrontal cortex, linking chronic stress hormones to memory and behaviour.
Lucy lost her job six months ago and has started to have difficulty sleeping. She finds that her heart rate increases when she is faced with new situations.
Lucy has been trying to find another job, but when she attends interviews she struggles to concentrate and cannot focus on the questions being asked. Lucy visited a doctor who diagnosed her with an anxiety disorder and stress.
Describe how the prefrontal cortex may be associated with Lucy's stress.
AO2 (2 marks)
Credit up to two marks for accurate description in relation to scenario.
For example:
- Lucy may have found that being exposed to the stressful situation
of losing her job has impaired the working memory function of her
prefrontal cortex (1). This means that she finds it difficult to focus
on the questions in interviews and loses concentration (1).
Look for other reasonable marking points.
Generic answers score 0 marks.
(2)