L58 Sleep Flashcards
what are the functions of sleep?
- behavioral advantage
- maintenance
- maturation
- memory processing
- rest theory
what is the behavioral advantage of sleeping?
sleep protects us (with poor night vision) from predators
what is the maintenance function of sleep?
NREM sleep rests some neural circuits while REM sleep ensures activation of circuits
what is the maturation function of sleep?
REM sleep possibly involved in maturation of the nervous system
what is the memory processing function of sleep?
consolidation of short term memory to long term memory (good for passing exams)
what is the rest theory that is a function of sleep?
a necessary fall in neuronal activity and metabolic activity during NREM sleep
What are the different methods to study sleep?
EEG - with additional electrodes for heart rate, eye and body movements, respiration etc. (tells you about the cortical area)
PET, fMRI - to see changes in blood flow, metabolism
MEG - magnetoencephalography
EMG - electromyography
NCV - nerve conduction velocity
describe magnetoencephalography (MEG)
magnetic signals generated by neural activity
it localizes sources of neural activity better than EEG
it cannot provide detailed images like fMRI does…
what does the EEF record?
very small electrical fields generated by synaptic currents in PYRAMIDAL CELLS
records the synaptic activity of cortical neurons
describe desynchronized cortical activity and what type of brain is it associated with?
causes low (voltage) amplitude EEG waves normal awake brain
describe synchronized cortical activity and what type of brain is it associated with?
causes high amplitude EEG waves
sleeping brain
sleep is NOT a _____ physiological process
uniform
we have Day-night cycles
REM (paradoxical sleep) and NREM
what are the waves and EEG rhythms seen in sleep?
beta >12 Hz - activated cortex
alpha 8-12 Hz - quiet waking state
theta 4-8 Hz - some sleep states
delta 30 Hz - during wakefulness
what rhythms are seen when a person is awake with eyes closed?
alpha rhythm
what rhythms are seen when a person is awake with eyes open?
beta rhythm
what is the transition between alpha and beta rhythms in an awake person?
you will notice the blink artifact and that indicates when the eyes open
what rhythm is found in REM sleep?
Beta
what rhythm is found in stage 1 NREM sleep?
theta waves
what rhythms are found in stage 2 NREM sleep?
Spindle and K complex
what rhythms are found in stage 3 NREM?
delta
what rhythms are found in stage 4 NREM sleep?
delta
caused by inherent synchronous firing of cortical cells due to absence of sensory input + direct ARAS input
what is the normal sleep/wake cycle?
~90 min cycles
` 7 hours per night
**highly ordered structure
what stage of sleep is characterized by spindles and K complexes?
stage 2 NREM
define sleep spindle.
episodically appearing, spindle-shaped aggregate of 12-14 Hz waves with a duration of 0.5-1.5 seconds
identifies NREM stage 2 sleep
because of rhythmic firing of thalamocortical neurons due to decreased sensory and increase ARAS input
Define K complex.
sharp, negative, high voltage EEG wave, followed by a slower, positive component
it occurs spontaneously during NREM at the beginning and defining Stage 2 NREM
they can also be elicited during sleep by external (mostly auditory) stimuli
how much of total sleep time in a baby is REM
about half
how much of total sleep time in persons 15-75 years is REM?
about 20% of total sleep time
when is stage 4 NREM sleep maximum?
puberty
how much of total sleep does stage 4 NREM make up in early adulthood?
about 30%
how much of total sleep does stage 4 NREM make up in old age?
about 10% or less
the total about of time spent in sleep (REM and NREM) _____ with age
declines
when does REM sleep become more prominent?
towards morning
where is the biological clock located?
within the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the anterior hypothalamus
each SCN neuron has about _____ hour cycle of activity
24-25
NO AP needed
Gene expression = Clock genes