title: More appraisal please: a commentary on Pfaff et al. (2007) "Relations between mechanisms of CNS arousal and mechanisms of stress".
abstract: This article provides a brief commentary on Pfaff et al's timely review of the relations between mechanisms of CNS arousal and mechanisms of stress. Pfaff and colleagues use the review as a platform to propose the existence of a coherent stress-arousal state. We suggest that this proposal is, on a number of grounds, flawed. In turn, we counter that the while the states of stress and arousal are related they are as entities fundamentally separate. Moreover, we propose that any productive attempt to unite the two states must acknowledge the importance of and therefore centrally include higher order integrative phenomena, such as, appraisal.
authors.affiliation: School of Biomedical Sciences, Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW 2308, Australia. trevor.day@newcastle.edu.au
authors.forename: Trevor A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: F Rohan
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Walker
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000311:Adrenal Glands / Q000473:pathology; D001143:Arousal; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000473:pathology*; D004644:Emotions; D006801:Humans; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000473:pathology; D008954:Models, Biological; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000473:pathology; D013315:Stress, Psychological