consciousness

Question 1

what are the states of consciousness ?

Answer 1

awake
drowsy
asleep
coma

Question 2

conscious experiences ?

Answer 2

• Thoughts
• Perceptions
• Reasoning
• Motivation
• Mood

Question 3

what is responsible for regulating wakefulness and sleep wake transitions ?

Answer 3

The ascending reticular Activating system is a set of connected nuclei in the brains of vertebrates.

Question 4

what is the diffuse projection field ?

Answer 4

the thalamus , hypothalamus , forebrain and cortex. The cortex is more receptive to information.

Question 5

what chemical messengers are associated with wakefullness ?

Answer 5

noradrenaline ( neurotransmitter) and 5-HT ( serotonin)

Question 6

what drugs increase the 5-HT and noradrenaline ?

Answer 6

cocaine and amphetamines

Question 7

is sleep a passive process ?

Answer 7

nope , it requires energy as you still move.

Question 8

where is there an increase of energy in the brain during sleep ?

Answer 8

activity in the preoptic area of the hypothalamus and suprachiasmatic nucleus ( biological clock).

Question 9

what neurotransmitter is increased in production during sleep ?

Answer 9

acetylcholine

Question 10

does motor function completely stop during sleep ?

Answer 10

nope it decreases but doesn’t fully stop

Question 11

functions of sleep ?

Answer 11

• Conserve energy
• Rest & recovery from daily activity
• Memories laid down
• Maintain adequate immune system
• Removal metabolic waste from CNS

Question 12

when you’re awake what is the interstitial space like between cells and CSF flow like ?

Answer 12

the interstitial space is smaller and the CSF is lower

Question 13

what occurs during sleep ?

Answer 13

there is a 60% increase in the interstitial space and the CSF flow increases which leads to metabolite clearance.

Question 14

what causes Alzeheimer’s ?

Answer 14

associated with the increase of tau and amyloid ß proteins in the CSF and decrease in acetylcholine.

Question 15

how are the tau and amyloid ß proteins in the CSF removed ?

Answer 15

during sleep , so if someone has a decreased level of sleep then this decreases the clearance of tau and amyloid ß proteins.

Question 16

what occurs to the white blood cells during sleep deprivation ?

Answer 16

they increase , specifically the neutrophils and monocytes , which increases your risk of atherosclerosis

Question 17

REM stage of sleep ?

Answer 17

rapid eye movement

Question 18

NREM ?

Answer 18

non rapid eye movement

Question 19

hypnotics and alcohol effect on sleep ?

Answer 19

decrease the levels of REM and this gives you a deeper sleep. However , it won’t be a sound sleep as you require the cycling between NREM and REM for this.

Question 20

what controls sleep ?

Answer 20

endogenous circadian clock , it is a 24 hour cycle and adenosine plays an important role in the onset of sleep.

Question 21

why does caffeine delay the onset of sleep ?

Answer 21

Caffeine antagonises the adenosine receptors and this alters the circadian clock and the onset of sleep is delayed.

Question 22

external conscious experiences ?

Answer 22

this is things we are aware of and include sensory awareness

Question 23

internal consciuos experiences ?

Answer 23

• Hunger
• Thirst
• Ideas
• Passing of time
• Self

Question 24

what does external and internal conscious experiences regulate and how are they control ?

Answer 24

behaviour and by the limbic system

Question 25

motivation ?

Answer 25

described as impulses that drive our actions , they are goal directed behaviours.

Question 26

Primary motivated behaviours ?

Answer 26

are things that ensure homeostasis such as hunger motivates eating.

Question 27

secondary motivated behaviours ?

Answer 27

are an indirect link to the primary goal such as choosing what food to eat.

Question 28

what are these motivated behaviours influenced by ?

Answer 28

habit , learning , intellect and emotions

Question 29

in the meolimbic dopamine pathway , what does the ventral tegmentum area send impulses to ?

Answer 29

send impulses to the nucleus accumbens which is the pleasure centre and when pleasure occurs , dopamine is released.

Question 30

what does emotions accompany and why ?

Answer 30

accompany many of our conscious experiences , and they help us express our feelings.

Question 31

what is an emotional behaviour ?

Answer 31

changes in autonomic ,hormonal , motor activity and our outward expressions.

Question 32

what regions of the brain are involved in emotions ?

Answer 32

association cortex , amygdala and hypothalamus

Question 33

when do you become aware of emotions ?

Answer 33

when they are sent to the cortex

Question 34

what occurs in the cortex ?

Answer 34

you percieve the emotion

Question 35

occur at hypothalamus ?

Answer 35

Hormonal changes occur

Question 36

motor cortex ?

Answer 36

motor response occurs

Question 37

schizophrenia ?

Answer 37

an improper regulation of information , this results in delusions , hallucinations , inappropriate moods and motor behaviour. It is NOT A SPLIT PERSONALITY. It could be linked to abnormal brain development and an overactivity of mesocortical dopamine pathways.

Question 38

Depression ?

Answer 38

symptoms include sadness , loss of energy , interest and pleasure in life , anxiety and change in sleep patterns. There is often death and suicidal feelings involved and this linked to a decrease in the limbic system and prefrontal cortex activity.

Question 39

Bipolar ?

Answer 39

also called manic depression , the sufferer will cycle between feelings of mania which include very elevated moods , euphoria , racing minds and excessive energy. This will however be followed by depression. The symptoms are linked to a change in noradrenaline , 5-HT and dopamine