Physio: Sleep and Brain Waves

Question 1

Describe Slow Wave Sleep.

Answer 1

Has 4 stages, often called dreamless sleep.

Decrease in vascular tone, blood pressure, metabolism and temperature set point

Question 2

Describe REM sleep.

Answer 2

Muscles paralyzed during this phase of sleep.
Lateral geniculate and components of visual cortex active (due to dreaming and generating images)
EEG resembles a person that is awake

Question 3

Describe the active theory on sleep generation.

Answer 3

Inhibition of the reticular activating system. Serotonin release from raphe nuclei are thought to aid in this inhibition.

Question 4

Type of EEG brain waves associated with a person that is awake but eyes are closed and they are not focused.

Answer 4

Alpha Waves (8-13 Hz)

Question 5

Type of EEG brain waves associated with a person that is awake and focused.

Answer 5

Beta Waves (14-25 Hz)

Question 6

Type of EEG brain waves associated with a person experiencing emotions, drowsy, or meditating.

Answer 6

Theta Waves (4-7Hz)

Question 7

Type of EEG brain waves associated with a person that is in certain sleep stages.

Answer 7

Delta Waves (<3.5 Hz)

Question 8

Type of EEG brain waves associated with a person that is aroused and fully focused on a task.

Answer 8

Gamma Oscillations (30-80 Hz)

Question 9

Type of brain waves seen in stage 1 of slow wave sleep.

Answer 9

Theta Waves

Question 10

Type of brain waves seen in stage 2 of slow wave sleep.

Answer 10

Sinusoidal,

K complex and spindles (bursts of activity coming from thalamus and cortical areas)

Question 11

Type of brain waves seen in stage 3 of slow wave sleep.

Answer 11

Delta-like waves

Question 12

Type of brain waves seen in stage 4 of slow wave sleep.

Answer 12

Delta Waves

Question 13

How does the amount of time spent in REM sleep change in a person as they age?

Answer 13

Decreases with age. More time spent in Stage 1 and 2 of sleep cycle.

Question 14

Name two sleep disorders that occur during slow wave sleep.

Answer 14

1. Enuresis (bed wetting)

2. Somnambulism (sleep walking)

Question 15

Describe narcolepsy, a possible mechanism that causes this and a treatment.

Answer 15

Patients randomly enter REM sleep.

Patients may have fewer Orexin receptors due to autoimmune attack.
(Orexin is is a neurotransmitter that regulates arousal, wakefulness, and appetite)

Treat with Ritalin

Question 16

Describe central vs. obstructive sleep apnea.

Answer 16

Central - defect in brain respiratory centers
Obstructive - seen in overweight individuals due to laxity in airways and spontaneous closure resulting in waking during sleep.

Question 17

Describe the 3 types of epilepsy.

Answer 17

1. Grand Mal: intense release of glutamate resulting in tonic-clonic or intense seizures.
2. Petit Mal: glutamate causes overactive calcium channels resulting in absence seizures. Can be treated with calcium channel inhibitors. (SPIKE DOME)
3. Focal: localized seizure due to stroke, injury, or trauma.