Contemporary views on the mechanisms of development of stress are a synthesis of Selye’s and Cannon’s concepts. The authors present the contemporary model of the activation hypothesis modified by the authors of the review which presumes the existence of four levels. At the first level the event represents a certain information in the life of the individual. Within the framework of the second level the information is taken up by the central nervous system where activation of cognitive functions occurs which is interconnected with the activation of the limbic system and hypothalamus; this leads to an emotional reaction incl. a vegetative reaction. Via the reticular activation system activation of the cerebral cortex occurs and via the latter conscious and non-conscious associations are evoked; the new experience is confronted with previous experiences with similar or identical stimuli. Within the framework of the third level thus processed information is transferred by three mediating mechanisms: neurovegetative, neuroendocrine and neuroimmune. At the fourth level first a functional and then an organic disorder of the target organ or organ system occurs. In the conclusions the authors give an account of target sites of basic psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacotherapeutic interventions.

        Key words: target sites, emotional response, cognitive function, meliorstressor, diseases partly conditioned by psychosocial stress, psychopharmacotherapeutic intervention, psychotherapeutic intervention.