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2ND YEAR SYSTEMS: Neuro > Sleep > Flashcards

Sleep Flashcards

1
Q

Why does sleep occur

A

due to active inhibitory processes that originate in the pons

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2
Q

Something below the level of the mid-pons is doing what?

A

actively sending inhibitory impulses to the cortex - this inhibits skeletal muscles in order to stop us from acting out our dreams (sometimes this can fail)

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3
Q

where does evidence suggest sleep activity originates from?

A

reticular formation of the brain stem - it is closely associated with controlling the state of consciousness

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4
Q

Many neurons within the reticular formation are of which type?

A

serotonergic

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5
Q

How do drugs enable sleep induction

A

they block serotonin formation

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6
Q

Define ‘sleep’

A

a state of unconsciousness that we can be aroused from by things like light, touch, sound

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7
Q

Describe why you start to feel tired as the day goes on

A

Arousal centers send stimulatory signals.

Higher outflow makes you feel more awake – goes on throughout the day. When they reach their peak towards end of the day, firing dampens down

Stronger signals – inhibitory – when you start to feel tired again

Arousal centres switched off at night.

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8
Q

What 2 other things are involved in sleep other than reticular formation?

A

hypothalamus and it’s suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN)

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9
Q

If you stimulate SCN what outcome does this have?

A

promotes sleep

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10
Q

Function of SCN

A

controls release of melatonin

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11
Q

where is melatonin released from

A

pineal gland

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12
Q

What are inhibitory neurons in SCN stimulated by?

A

light - they act to inhibit the pineal gland to delay the release of melatonin until later when darkness arrives

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13
Q

what happens when light hits your eye?

A

When you see light – neurons travel to SCN - inhibitory signals from the SCN then travel to pineal gland - switch off melatonin release

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14
Q

What is orexin?

A

it is an excitatory transmitter - associated with inducing wakefulness

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15
Q

Defective orexin firing causes what?

A

Narcolepsy - suddenly fall asleep

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16
Q

How do you assess someone’s level of consciousness when they’re awake (2)

A

Look at their behaviour, general alertness, speech patterns, speech content, reading, writing and calculating skills. Spell words backwards or count backwards.

Record patterns of brain activity using ElectroEncepheloGram (EEG). EEG uses electrodes placed on the scalp to record activity of underlying neurons.

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17
Q

What drugs are commonly used to treat depression where sleep disruption is present?

A

Serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors - acts to increase serotonin levels in synapse

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18
Q

How can EEG waves be analysed? (2)

A

Amplitude - size of wave

Frequency - no of waves a second

19
Q

What is the general trend with frequency and neuronal excitement?

A

In general, frequency increases with neuronal excitation where as the wavelength decreases

20
Q

What are the 4 main types of wave pattern?

A

Alpha
Beta
Theta
Delta

21
Q

What is the wave pattern like in the relaxed, awake state?

A

high frequency, high amplitude waves termed alpha waves

22
Q

What is the wave pattern like in the alert, awake state?

A

EEG is characterised by even higher frequency, low amplitude asynchronous waves termed beta waves

23
Q

How does low amplitude come about

A

Brain doing lots of things, lots of desynchronised waves cancel each other out, so amplitude is low but frequency high

24
Q

How are Theta waves characterised?

A

Low frequency waves which can vary enormously in amplitude.

Common in children, and during times of emotional stress and frustration in adults. Occur during sleep in both adults and children

25
Q

How are Delta waves characterised?

A

Delta waves have very low frequency but high amplitude. They occur in deep sleep. Low stimuli.

26
Q

Summary of four main waves and when they occur

A

Alpha - relaxed, awake

Beta - Alert, awake

Theta - times of emotional stress/frustration and during sleep in adults and children

Delta - deep sleep

27
Q

What are the 5 stages of sleep

A

Stage 1, 2, 3, 4 and REM sleep

28
Q

What happens in stage 1 of sleep

A

Slow wave, non-REM, S-sleep.
Slow eye movements. Light sleep.
Easily roused.
High amplitude, low frequency theta waves.

29
Q

What happens in stage 2 sleep?

A

Eye movements stop. Frequency slows further but EEG shows bursts of rapid waves called “sleep spindles” (clusters of rhythmic waves, ~12-14Hz)

30
Q

What happens during stage 3 of sleep

A

High amplitude, very slow (2Hz) delta waves interspersed with short episodes of faster waves, spindle activity declines.

31
Q

What happens during stage 4 of sleep

A

Exclusively delta waves (deep sleep)

32
Q

What happens during REM sleep

A

Rapid eye movements. Dreams occur during REM sleep. 25% of sleep is REM.

33
Q

What is the cyclical order during sleep?

A

Stage 1 (when your head hits pillow) - 2 - 3 - 4 - 3 - 2 - REM - 2 - 3 - 4 and so on

Following initial S-wave sleep of stages 3 and 4, there is a gradual awakening towards Stage 1, but not like the initial Stage 1, instead REM sleep during which EEG waves are desynchronized, high frequency, low amplitude, very like the awake state hence aka. paradoxical sleep.

34
Q

Why is REM sleep often referred to as ‘paradoxical sleep’

A

REM sleep is characterised by fast waves, eerily similar to those of the awake state.
On and EEG, it would look like they were awake

35
Q

True or false: The frequency of REM sleep increases throughout the night/sleep cycle

A

True

36
Q

What happens during deep sleep that occurs in the first hours of sleep?

A

Most restful type of sleep.

Associated with decreased vascular tone (and therefore BP), respiratory and basal metabolic rate (hence drop in BT).

Dreams may occur but are rarely remembered.

37
Q

What drug increases the time spent in REM sleep?

A

Anticholinesterases

38
Q

How would a sleep-deprived patient present? (4)

A

Impairment of cognitive function

Impairment of physical performance

Sluggishness

Irritability

39
Q

What does sleep help support in the body? (6)

A

Neuronal plasticity

Learning and memory

Cognition

Clearance of waste products from CNS

Conservation of whole body energy (although cerebral O2 consumption may actually increase, esp. during REM sleep)

Immune function (reason sleep increases when ill?)

40
Q

Insomnia

A

defined as a “chronic inability to obtain the necessary amount or quality of sleep to maintain adequate daytime behaviour”,

very subjective (everyone needs different amount of sleep), very common.

Affects 33% of adults.

Temporary - tends to be short lived - pain, bereavement or other crisis
Chronic - usually no cause known

treatment - behavioural changes, promote healthy sleep habits
hypnotic sleeping drugs have bad side effects

41
Q

Nightmares

A

strong visual component and are seen during REM sleep,

Waking will stop the nightmare and the individual will have a clear recollection of the “dream”.

42
Q

Night terrors

A

occur in deep, delta sleep and are common in children 3-8 years, typically occurring early in the night.

Children thrash and scream and may sit or stand up with their eyes open but are not properly awake and often fail to recognise their parents.

The child does not remember the episode on waking the following morning.

43
Q

Somnambulism (sleep walking)

A

occurs exclusively in non-REM sleep, mainly in Stage 4 sleep and is more common in children and young adults

Usually walk with their eyes open, can see and will avoid objects, can carry out reasonably complex task such as prepare food and will often obey instructions but have no recall of the episode when woken.

44
Q

Narcolepsy

A

enter directly into REM sleep with little warning - fall asleep at any time - linked to dysfunctional orexin release
Very dangerous because of accident risk if e.g. driving.

2ND YEAR SYSTEMS: Neuro (32 decks)

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