The role of melatonin Flashcards
1
Q
Check out diagram on page 151 on OCR GSCE psychology book
A
memories the structure
2
Q
What is melatonin associated with??
A
sleep onset
3
Q
What is melatonin and where is it located?
A
- natural hormone made by the pineal gland, Which is about the size of a pea and located just above the middle of the brain.
4
Q
When is melatonin produced and when is it not produced?
A
During the day, the gland is inactive . At night, the pineal gland gets switched on by the SCN and starts to produce melatonin, which is released in the blood.
5
Q
What happens when melatonin levels increase
A
we begin to feel less alert and drowsier, eventually having the urge to fall asleep.
6
Q
how long do melatonin levels remain high??
A
for about12 hours, generally start of a new day, during the day its hard to detect any melatonin in the body
7
Q
Define Pineal Gland
A
- An endocrine gland, found in the brain which produces melatonin
