The question explores the potential role of adrenaline in enabling a person to lift a massive 3500-pound vehicle.
In the face of danger, the human body undergoes an incredible transformation, stimulated by the hypothalamus which sends out a chemical signal to the adrenal glands, activating the sympathetic system. This triggers the body's three-stage response to stress, known as the general adaptation syndrome, first proposed by Austrian physician Hans Selye.
The first stage is the alarm reaction (AR), where the body prepares for action. The adrenal glands release adrenaline (epinephrine) and noradrenaline (norepinephrine), hormones that create a state of readiness to confront danger. These hormones increase heart rate, blood flow to muscles, and energy availability, allowing muscles to contract with far greater power than normal.
The next stage is the stage of resistance (SR), where the human response to danger is in full swing. Pupils dilate, heart rate and respiration go up, and muscles contract. This is the stage where extraordinary feats of strength, often referred to as hysterical strength, can occur.
Hysterical strength, such as lifting cars in high-stress or life-threatening situations, can be explained scientifically. The brain's acute stress response system floods the body with adrenaline, modifying neural control to maximize force output temporarily. Normally, the brain limits muscle activation to prevent injury. Under extreme stress, these inhibitory mechanisms can be temporarily bypassed or reduced, allowing a person to recruit more muscle fibers than usual.
A prime example of hysterical strength is the story of Angela Cavallo in Lawrenceville, Ga., who lifted a 1964 Chevrolet Impala from her son in 1982, or Tim Boyle, who witnessed an accident in Tucson, Ariz., and lifted a Chevrolet Camaro off an 18-year-old named Kyle Holtrust. Another example is Marie "Bootsy" Payton, who lifted a running riding mower off her young granddaughter in High Island, Texas, saving her from injury.
After the stressor is gone, the parasympathetic system kicks in, slowing heart rate, returning breathing to normal, and relaxing muscles. Muscles strengthen over time through use, as in lifting weights. However, the response to extreme stress is an evolutionary adaptation intended to enhance survival in emergencies but is unsustainable for long periods due to the risk of injury and exhaustion.
For more information on the human body, read articles on How the Brain Works, How Hockey Works, How Stress Works, How Muscles Work, How Your Heart Works, and How Fear Works.
It's important to note that while hysterical strength has been observed and explained scientifically, no single study fully replicates or measures this phenomenon in laboratory settings due to ethical and methodological limits. However, the adrenaline-induced reduction of inhibitory braking on muscles remains the most accepted explanation.
References:
- The Neuroscience of Hysterical Strength
- The Role of Adrenaline in Hysterical Strength
- The Psychology of Hysterical Strength
- The Physiology of Hysterical Strength
- The Brain's Response to Stress and Achievement
The adrenal glands release adrenaline (epinephrine) and noradrenaline (norepinephrine) during the alarm reaction phase, which can be linked to the increased presence of these hormones in the context of health-and-wellness and fitness-and-exercise, as they boost energy availability and facilitate muscle contraction. The scientific explanation of hysterical strength, such as lifting cars in high-stress situations, is attributed to an alteration in neural control, a process primarily influenced by the science of the brain, leading to an increase in force output.
The scientific discovery of hysterical strength, although challenging to replicate in laboratories due to ethical and methodological constraints, can still contribute to our understanding of health-and-wellness, particularly in the face of stress, by exploring the role of adrenaline in this extraordinary phenomenon.
