Survival vs. Cognition: Stress Mechanisms in Humans vs. Animals

Abstract

Stress is defined as the physiological and psychological reaction to perceived threats or demands that activates a cascade of neurobiological processes that help maintain homeostasis (McEwen, 2007). The hypothalamic-pituitaryadrenal axis (The HPA Axis) plays the primary role in regulating stress and the release of stress hormones such as cortisol and corticosterone. These hormones are used to regulate the physiological and behavioral responses in several species (Sapolsky, Romero, & Munck, 2000). Additionally, neurotransmitters play an equally important role in the regulation of stress and emotion. Specifically, dopamine and norepinephrine influence stress-related cognitive and emotional regulation (Joëls & Baram, 2009). Even with similar processes of regulating stress, animals and humans tend to respond to and process stress differently. Animals are primarily concerned with acute survival-linked stressors, such as predation or resource deficiency. Whereas, humans experience complex cognitive appraisal, differentiating between immediate threats and external concerns like societal or financial pressures. It is crucial to highlight and study these differences between human and animal stress responses as it allows us to improve the understanding of chronic stress disorders and coping strategies in humans while also enhancing animal stress research.