AAMC FL Practice Exam

General Adaptation Syndrome describes the body's response to what factor?

1. Stress

2. Fear

3. Relief

4. Fatigue

The correct answer is: Stress

General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) describes the body's physiological response to stress. Developed by Hans Selye in the 1930s, this model outlines how the body reacts to prolonged or chronic stress through three stages: alarm, resistance, and exhaustion. During the alarm stage, the body recognizes the stressor and activates the fight-or-flight response, leading to physiological changes such as increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, and heightened alertness. In the resistance stage, the body attempts to adapt to the stressor through continued physiological and psychological effort, often at a cost to other bodily functions. If the stress persists too long without adequate recovery, the body reaches the exhaustion stage, where its resources are depleted, leading to potential health issues or a breakdown in immune function. While fear can certainly be a component of stress, it is not the sole factor that GAS addresses. Relief, on the other hand, typically reflects a reduction in stress, which would not align with the concept of adaptation to stressors. Fatigue is often a consequence of the prolonged stress response but is not the defining factor that GAS describes. Therefore, the concept of General Adaptation Syndrome is specifically centered around the broader construct of stress and the body's responses to it.