8- sleep and consciousness

Question 1

describe how the cerebral cortex and reticular foramen maintain consciousness

Answer 1

positive feedback loop. form reciprocal excitatory projections.

Question 2

what are the three major relay nuclei from the reticular formation to cortex

Answer 2

1. basal forebrain nuclei send excitatory cholinergic fibres to cortex
2. hypothalamus sends excitatory histaminergic fibres to cortex
3. thalamus sends excitatory glutaminergic fibres to cortex

Question 3

what are sleep spindles

Answer 3

high frequency burst arising from thalamus

Question 4

what are K complexes

Answer 4

represent emergency of intrinsic rate of cortex