Chapter 5 - Consciousness Flashcards
How much sleep do we need?
7-10h per day
Newborns need how much sleep?
> 16h per day
Four things sleep is critical for
- Immune system
- Memory consolidation
- Neuronal development
- Neuronal connectivity
Six effects of sleep deprivation
- Depression
- Difficulty learning
- Slowed reaction time
- Hallucinations
- Health problems (heart, BP, immune system, diabetes)
- Weight gain
Sleep in predators vs prey
Predators sleep more than prey. Prey who can hide well sleep more.
Stages of sleep (non-REM)
Stage 1: Light sleep; theta waves; transition between sleep and waking; myoclonic jerks
Stage 2: Up to 65% of total night’s sleep; sleep spindles & K-complexes
Stage 3&4: Deep sleep; ~25% of sleep (40% in children); delta waves
Define: Sleep Spindles
Intense bursts of electrical activity; 12-14 per second (during stage 2)
Define: K-complexes
Sharply rising and falling waves (during stage 2)
Define: REM sleep
-Rapid Eye Movement; 20-25% total; “paradoxical” or “active” sleep
Physical markers of REM
Increased HR; darting closed eyes; paralysis; midde ear muscular activity (MEMA); surge in epinephrine and adrenaline
When does REM happen?
- At about 90 in into sleep cycle
- After 2 or 3 cycles, no more stage 4
- First REM is 10-15 min but gets progressively longer
- % REM stays same with age but quality and quantity changes (links to brain maturation)
Necessity of REM?
- Deprivation causes irritability, attention lapses, difficulty concentrating; death in rats
- Importance might be REM’s role in dreaming (80% awakened during REM reported dreaming)
Define: REM rebound
- Lost REM tends to be made up the next night
- May cause more nightmares
Define: Activation-Synthesis Hypothesis of Dreaming
- Surges of acetylcholine activate neurons on pons which turns on REM (triggering dreams)
- Meanwhile serotonin and norepinephrine shut down thereby decreasing attention cognitive reasoning.
- Forebrain attempts to make sense of the random patterns of activity
Damage to what part of brain can eliminate dreaming?
Forebrain, especially parietal lobe; even when pons is intact
Define: Neurocognitive Perspective on Dreaming
- Dreams are meaningful product of our cognitive capacities
- Dreams are fairly consistent over time so neurotransmitters and random neural impulses don’t tell the whole story
- Evidence from journal logs shows that dream contents are relevant to everyday issues
General consensus on Sleep & Dreaming:
-Acetylcholine triggers REM + Forebrain plays an important role
Dreams perform what higher functions?
PLIRP/ RIP LP
- Processing emotional exp
- Learning new strategies
- Integrating
- Reorganizing and consolidating
- Practice responses
=Psychoactive Drug
-A substance that affects behaviour and mental process through alteration of conscious awareness
Symptoms of Addiction
- Intense urge
- Having to take regularly
- Making sure to have steady supply
- Not meeting obligations
- Continuing use despite health, legal, financial, social problems
- Risky behaviour to obtain
- Failing attempts to stop
- Withdrawal symptoms
Stimulant
- Increase activity of CNS
- “Uppers”: increase BP, resp., and HR
- Caffeine; Nicotine; Cocaine; Methamphetamine; Adderal; Ritalin; Concerta; “Bath Salts”
Nicotine
- Activates receptors sensitive to Acetylcholine, leading to relaxation and alertness
- Builds tolerance in hours
Cocaine
- Blocks reuptake of Dopamine; stimulates reward or pleasure centres
- Drug of choice for animals addicted to multiple drugs
- Intense up and down
Amphetamines work?
- Blocks reuptake of AND releases Dopamine in synaptic cleft
- “Superhuman” feelings; crawling sensations’ tooth decay
Depressants; and give examples
- Slow down CNS activity
- Alcohol, Barbituates, Tranquilizers
Tranquilizers, and their consequences?
- Benzodiazepines (Valium, Xanax)
- Ketamine
- Excess use=temporary or permanent memory impairment
Opiates and give examples
- Reduce pain, produce euphoria, calming effect, impaired concentration, constipation
- Releases dopamine; tolerance builds quickly
- Known as narcotics
- Opium, heroin, morphine, codeine, Oxycontin, Vicodin, Fentanyl
Hallucinogens/Psychedelics and give examples
- Affect perception and distort reality
- Marijuana, LSD, MDMA
Marijuana (components, effects)
- Tetrahydocannabinol: Pain reliever; anti-nausea; appetite stim; sleep aid
- Cannabidiol (CBD): Anti-inflammatory; anti-epileptic; anti-anxiety; anti-nausea
- Dry mouth; red eyes; impairs attention, coordination; memory, reaction time; sensitivity to sound and colour
- Chronic, early, and heavy use: associated with amotivational syndrome and impaired cognitive function
Marijuana onset, max effect, duration; inhaled and oral
- Inhaled: >15min; >15 min; 3-4 h
- Oral: 30-90min; 2-3 h; 4-8 h
LSD
- Lysergic acid diethylamide
- Kaleidoscope colours, mystical experiences
- Mimics and interferes with serotonin at synapse
MDMA
- Has both stimulant and hallucinogenic properties
- Releases serotonin
Agonist
-Psychoactive drugs that increase neurotransmitter receptor site activity
Two drugs that are agonists and how they work
- THC has similar properties to Anandamine (involved with pain, depression, appetite, memory)
- Opiates act like Endorphins (euphoria, no pain, all good)
Two drugs that release neurotransmitters and/or block reuptake
- Cocaine blocks reuptake
- Amphetamines increase dopamine and block reuptake
