17 Consciousness

Question 1

What are the 2 THEORIES of consciousness?

Answer 1

Dualism

Naturalism

Question 2

What philosopher believed in Dualism?

Answer 2

Descartes - Mind-Body dualism

Question 3

Define Descartes’ DUALISM

Answer 3

Mental/Physical world exist in 2 SEPARATE realms

• Res extensa - PHYSICAL world
• Res cognitans - MENTAL world

Question 4

What did Descartes think was the INTERFACE between the physical and mental realms?

Answer 4

Pineal gland

Question 5

Define Naturalism

Answer 5

Mental events ARISE FROM brain processes

NO distinction between mental/physical realms

Question 6

Define perception WITHOUT awareness

Answer 6

Processing information from eyes WITHOUT processing that information to UNDERSTAND it?
(Perceive without knowing it)

Question 7

Explain a LESION that proves the existence of “Perception WITHOUT awareness”

Answer 7

“Blindsight” = lesion in V1
= “blind” in part of visual field
= “Cortical blindness”

Question 8

The extend of cortical blindness in “Blindsight” depends on?

Answer 8

EXTENT of V1 dmg

Question 9

Name 2 famous patients who had Blindsight

Answer 9

DB

GY

Question 10

What SYMPTOMS did DB and GY have?

Answer 10

BLIND for part of visual field, but COULD respond to visual info with NO AWARENESS of what they were seeing

Question 11

What happened when Blindsight patients were subjected to “Forced-choice responding”?

Answer 11

Accurately “guess” line orientations and striped vs grey patches in the “BLIND” area
= INSIST they see nothing
= responses are PURE guesses

Question 12

Why do Blindsight patients still ACCURATELY “guess” things in their “blind” area?

Answer 12

Some visual pathways that BYPASS V1

= allows some “vision” in the “cortically blind areas”

Question 13

What is a key example of “Perception without awareness” in all NORMAL people?

Answer 13

Semantic Priming

Question 14

Define Semantic Priming

Answer 14

If shown words of RELATED MEANING (eg. Bread + Sandwich)

= FASTER response to target word

Question 15

What is the 3 step PROTOCOL for semantic priming?

Answer 15

1. PRIMING word shown briefly (Bread)
2. Scrambled letters shown briefly
3. TARGET word shown briefly

= people respond FASTER to related words

Question 16

What does the Semantic Priming effect prove?

Answer 16

Even NORMAL people show “Perception without Awareness”

Perceived priming words WITHOUT perceiving them

Question 17

What research technique was used to compare BRAIN activity during CONSCIOUS vs NON-CONSCIOUS perception?

Answer 17

Neuroimaging

Question 18

What did neuroimaging show for CONSCIOUS perception of a VISIBLE word?

Answer 18

WIDESPREAD activity

= “Cerebral ignition” (information becomes GLOBALLY available”

Question 19

What model comes from “Cerebral Ignition”

Answer 19

Global Neuronal Workspace model

= “SHARED workspace” accessible to ALL brain areas

Question 20

What does neuroimaging reveal about NON-conscious processing when an INVISIBLE word is shown?

Answer 20

SPECIALISED areas of visual pathway ONLY
= restricted by limited information from specialised processors
(NOT whole brain activation)

Question 21

What did Chalmers come up with?

Answer 21

EASY vs HARD problems of consciousness

Question 22

Name Chalmers’ “EASY” problems of consciousness

Answer 22

Simple distinguishing of CONSCIOUS vs NON-conscious

• Perception
• Learning (Iowa Gambling Task)

Question 23

The EASY problems of consciousness can be STUDIED using…

Answer 23

Cognitive NEUROSCIENCE methods

Accessible using technology, measurable

Question 24

What is Chalmers’ HARD problem of consciouenss

Answer 24

“Qualia”

= Subjective experience of the individual

Question 25

What is Chalmers’ THEORY about consciousness?

Answer 25

Consciousness as a “FUNDAMENTAL FEATURE” of the universe = cannot be analysed into anything more basic = cannot be explained by BASIC neural/physical processes = most simple building block element?

Question 26

Who DISAGREES with Chalmers? | What does he say about Chalmers’ theory?

Answer 26

Dennett: | Chalmers appeals to our INTUITIONS but our intuitions can be UNRELIABLE

Question 27

List 5 ways in which STATES of consciousness can be ALTERED (acronym)

Answer 27

SHNDD (‘Shinned so hard you lose consciousness’) * Sleep * Hypnosis + meditation * Neuropsychological syndromes * Drugs + alcohol * Disorders (coma, vegetative)

Question 28

STATES of consciousness are STUDIED using... | What is this?

Answer 28

EEG = electroencephalography | Small electrical charges due to brain activity measured using ELECTRODES

Question 29

What PATTERNS are seen on EEGs?

Answer 29

WAVES that follow CYCLIC changes

Question 30

List the 4 types of EEG patters from LARGEST to smallest waves Explain what STATE of consciousness each wave represents

Answer 30

``` BATD β - normal WAKING, alert α - DROWSY, meditation θ - LIGHT sleep ∆ - DEEP sleep ```

Question 31

How many STAGES of SLEEP are there?

Answer 31

5

Question 32

What happens in the FIRST stage of sleep? What is it CALLED? For HOW LONG does it last?

Answer 32

Hypnogogic sleep (~5 min) = breathing DEEPER + more regular = EASY to awaken = HYPNIC jerks

Question 33

What kind of WAVES does stage 1 sleep show on an EEG?

Answer 33

THETA (light sleep)

Question 34

What happens in the SECOND stage of sleep? | For HOW LONG does it last?

Answer 34

Stage 2 = ~20 min = Relatively easy to awaken (but KNOW they were asleep) = SLEEP SPINDLES on EEG

Question 35

What are ‘Sleep Spindles’ on an EEG?

Answer 35

SPIKES followed by BURSTS of activity

Question 36

What happens in the THIRD + FOURTH stages of sleep? | What is it CALLED?

Answer 36

“SWS - Slow Wave Sleep” = DEC breathing + HR + body temp = HARD to awaken

Question 37

What kind of EEG waves are seen during SWS

Answer 37

``` DELTA waves (deep sleep) = slow, high amplitude waves ```

Question 38

What is a VISIBLE chracteristic of stage 1 sleep?

Answer 38

Hypnic jerks

Question 39

What is a EEG characteristic of stage 2 sleep?

Answer 39

Sleep spindles

Question 40

What is the 5th stage of sleep?

Answer 40

REM sleep | = Rapid Eye Movement sleep

Question 41

What happens in the REM leep? | WHEN does it begin?

Answer 41

``` REM sleep = ~90 min after falling asleep = FAST + IRREGULAR breathing, HR = Genital arousal = HARDEST to awaken = DREAMING ```

Question 42

What does EEG during REM look like? | Therefore, what is REM also called?

Answer 42

Resembles WAKING pattern | = “Paradoxical” sleep

Question 43

How does sleep change throughout the night?

Answer 43

CYCLES throughout the night * SWS dominates EARLY * REM dominates LATER

Question 44

Name 4 DoC (Disorders of Consciousness) + acronym

Answer 44

CVML * Coma * Vegetative state * Minimally-conscious state * Locked-in syndrome

Question 45

Explain COMA

Answer 45

* Completely unresponsive * NO wakefulness * Closed eyes

Question 46

Explain Vegetative state

Answer 46

* Wakefulness (eyes open) | * Reflexive behavior

Question 47

Explain Minimally-conscious state

Answer 47

* Wakefulness * SOME non-reflexive behavior * SOME ability to follow COMMANDS

Question 48

Explain “Locked-in Syndrome”

Answer 48

Awake/conscious but CANNOT make responses

Question 49

What technique is used to detect/confirm CONSCIOUSNESS in DoCs?

Answer 49

Neuroimaging

Question 50

Explain how neuroimaging may be used to detect consciousness?

Answer 50

Ask patients to imagine playing tennis | = similar excitation patterns in CONTROL + PATIENT

Question 51

What is another TECHNOLOGY which has improved DoC confirmations and Tx?

Answer 51

BCIs = Brain Computer Interfaces

Question 52

What does BCI allow us to do?

Answer 52

Allows COMMUNICATION + Tx tailoring

Question 53

Give examples of BCIs

Answer 53

EEG | fMRI