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Psychology: Biopsychology > Biological Rhythms > Flashcards

Biological Rhythms Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the two main governors of biological rhythms

A
  1. Endogenous pacemakers: internal biological clock

2. Exogenous zeitgabers: changes in external environment

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2
Q

What are two examples of circadian rhythms

A
  1. Sleep/wake cycle

2. Core body temperature

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3
Q

Outline procedure of cave study

A
  1. Observed the effects of no natural light or clock

2. Two months in a cave in alps and then again for 6 months in Texas

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4
Q

What were Siffres findings

A
  1. Emerged from alps in mid September thinking it was mid August
  2. Free running biological rhythm settled at around 25 hours
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5
Q

Bunker study and what it shows

A
  1. A month in a bunker
  2. All went to 25 hour Sleep/wake
  3. Shows sleep wake around 25 but entrained by exogenous zeitgabers such as day and meal time
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6
Q

Study against role of exogenous zeitgabers

A
  1. 12 people, 3 weeks in cave
  2. Went to bed on time schedule
  3. Research’s sped clock to 22 hour
    Cycle
  4. Only 1/12 could adjust properly
  5. Show circadian rhythms are powerful
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7
Q

What are the two practical applications of circadian research

A
  1. Shift work and CVD
  2. When to take drugs
  3. Teenagers in school
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8
Q

Practical application to shift work

A
  1. Shown relationship between night shift and poor health
  2. 3 times more likely to develop CVD
  3. Due to stress of adjusting sleep/wake patterns and poor quality sleep during the day
  4. Cannot claim causal influence (could be these people have worse diet)
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9
Q

Practical application on drugs

A
  1. Circadian rhythms co-ordinate a number of body’s processes such as heart rate and hormone level
  2. Affects how well drugs are absorbed and distributed
  3. Led to development as to when to take medication for cancer or CVD (also anything)
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10
Q

3 mini a03

A
  1. Small samples (or individuals) not represtivtve of pop

2. Poor control: assumed artificial light had no affect but study showed S/W cycle can go from 22-28 using lights

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11
Q

Teenagers in school

A
  1. 2 hour later circadian rhythm than adults
  2. School disrupts this
  3. Research shown improved cognitive and emotional function
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12
Q

Describe the menstrual cycle

A
  1. An infradian rhythm governs by monthly changes in hormone oestrogen levels
  2. Between period and womb lining shred
  3. 28 days to complete
  4. Develops egg and womb lining growth thicker
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13
Q

Research into influence of exogenous factors

A
  1. 29 women with irregular periods
  2. Pheromones gathered from 9 other women each day of cycle via cotton pad
  3. Rubbed on upper lip
  4. Day one pads applied to all 20, day 2 next day, etc…
  5. 68% experienced changes that brought them close in sync with odour donor
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14
Q

Outline SAD

A
  1. Circannual rhythm but also circadian as distrust sleep
  2. Depressive symptoms in winter months
  3. Due to increased melatonin due to longer nights which disrupts serotonin levels
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15
Q

What are ultradian rhythms

A
  1. Stages of sleep that last 9 mins

2. Different brainwave activity monitored using EEG

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16
Q

Describe stages 1 and 2

A
  1. Light sleep
  2. Brain waves slow and become more rhythmic (alpha waves)
  3. Goes to delta waves as becomes deeper sleep
17
Q

Describe stages 3 and 4

A
  1. Still delta
  2. Greater amplitude
  3. Deep sleep it slow wave sleep and is hard to wave someone
18
Q

Describe stage 5

A
  1. Paralysis but brain active resembles awake brain
  2. REM
  3. Correlated with dreaming
19
Q

Evolutionary basis of menstrual cycle

A
  1. Advantage to fall pregnant at same time so babies could be cared for collectively
  2. Validity of this has been questioned as if too many female were cycling together would increase competition highest quality males
  3. Could be both: evolution is not a design
20
Q

Methodological issues in pheromone study

A
  1. Too many confounding variables such as diet and stress
  2. Changes are due to chance
  3. Small samples and self-report
  4. Other studies show no evidence for at all
21
Q

Lab evidence for stages of sleep

A
  1. 9 participants in sleep lab with EEG
  2. Caffeine and alcohol controlled
  3. REM highly correlated with sleep
  4. Activity correlated with vividness of dream
  5. Replications confirm this and make up for small original sample
22
Q

Describe the SCN

A
  1. Nerve cells above hypothalamus in each hem

2. Primary endogenous pacemaker in mammals, maintains circadian rhythm

23
Q

How does the SCN receive info about light

A
  1. Optic nerve cross optic chiasm going to visual area
  2. SCN lies just above this and receives info this
  3. Even when eyes are closed so can adjust to changing patterns of daylight while asleep
24
Q

Two animal studies and the CNS

A
  1. Destroyed 30 chipmunk SCN connections, retired to habitat and obervsed for 80 days
  2. Sleep/wake cycle disappeared and most were killed because awake at wrong time
  3. Mutant hamsters with 20 hour cycle bred and SCN placed in normal hamsters.
  4. Second group went to 20 hours

Both show importance of SCN in sleep wake cycle

25
Q

How does the SCN control sleep/wake

A
  1. Relays daylight info to pineal gland
  2. During night secretes melatonin which induces sleep
  3. This is why causes SAD
26
Q

Define exogenous zeitgabers

A

Sleep/wake a interaction of the two influences

27
Q

Light as an exogenous zeightgeber

A
  1. Resets SCN
  2. Light detected by skin receptors: 15 p woken by light on back of knee
  3. Shows it’s a powerful EZ and does not need eyes to influence the brain
28
Q

Social cues as EZ

A
  1. Babies sleep/wake random
  2. By 16 weeks babies are entrained by bedtimes and meal times
  3. Also adapting to local times for eat/sleeps is good for Jet lag
29
Q

Multiple body clocks

A
  1. Pacemakers in many organs and cells
  2. Called peripheral oscillators and although influenced by, act independently of SCN
  3. Feeding patterns in mice could alter CR cells in liver by 12 hours while leaving SCN unaffected
  4. Suggests more complex aspects to Sleep/wake
30
Q

What are body clocks found in liver and pancreas called

A

Peripheral oscillators

31
Q

Problems with animal studies on sleep/wake

A
  1. Cannot generalise

2. Most are exposed to considerable harm

32
Q

Influence of EZ overstated

A
  1. Blind man had to take sedatives to sleep and stimulants to stay in time with 24 hours, despite the usual social cues (under developed SCN probs to lack of stim)
  2. Arctic people have normal sleep/wake even when sun does not set

Psychology: Biopsychology (6 decks)

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