Lecture 18 (self, consciousness and the brain) Flashcards
Consciousness as awareness?
first person-perspective. We know that we have our own perceptions, emotions, cognitions, actions etc.
Consciousness as wakefulness?
just being awake and being able to respond and being active.
The EEG patterns (waves) awake and during sleep
o Beta 12-30 hz (excited)
o Alpha 8-12 hz (relaxed)
o Theta 4-8 hz (asleep)
o Delta 0,5-4 hz (deep sleep)
When in the sleep schedule are there low and high frequent waves?
This means that the sleep is lower frequent in the later stages than in REM sleep and the first stages where it is higher frequent. More tooth after each other where there is more space between them in later stages of sleep and in coma.
What are mirror neurons and where are they found?
a class of visuomotor neurons found in F5 (premotor cortex).
What needs to be there for the mirror neurons to trigger?
These need an interaction between a biological effector (hand or mouth) and an object to be triggered.
What are the two classes of mouth mirror neurons?
Ingestive and communicative mirror neurons.
Ingestive mirror neurons?
respond to the observation of actions related to Ingestive functions, such as grasping food with the mouth, breaking it, or sucking.
Communicative mirror neurons?
the most effective observed action for them is a communicative gesture such as lip smacking.
What are the differences on coma and vegetative state?
The difference between coma and vegetative state is that sleep/wake are absent in coma, present in vegetative.
In coma, reflex and postural responses only. In vegetative, postures or withdraws to noxious stimuli.
In coma, none auditory function, visual function, communication or emotion.
In vegetative state, startle auditory function and startle visual function – but also none communication or emotion.
What are the list of types of consciousness (or loss of same)?
Coma –> vegetative state –> minimally conscious state –> awake.
Locked-in syndrome?
they’re fully conscious but can’t do anything.
What do canonical neurons respond to?
The presentation of an object.
What do mirror neurons respond to?
Respond when it sees object-directed action.
Which part of the brain registers the signal when something happens around us?
Formatio reticularis.
