unit 2b: sleep, dreaming, psychoactive drugs Flashcards
biological rhythms
repetitive biological processes. 2 types
24 hour biological clock
a type of biological rhythm. most humans have a 24 hour sleep.wake cycle
90-minute sleep cycle
a type of biological rhythm
cicadian rhythm
about 24 hours. thinking is sharpest & memory is the most accurate when we are at our daily peak in circadian arousal
owl
someone who is evening-energized, performance improves across the day. applies to most university students
lark
someone who is morning-energized, performance declines across the day. applies to most old people
nrem sleep
non-rapid eye movement sleep which encompasses all sleep stages except REM sleep
rem sleep
rapid eye movement sleep. vivid dreams occur during REM sleep
suprachiasmatic nucleus (scn)
a pair of cell clusters in the hypothalamus that controls circadian rhythms
melatonin
sleep-inducing hormone triggered by darkness
insomnia
a problem falling asleep or staying asleep
narcolepsy
a genetic disorder where a person can have sudden attacks of overwhelming sleepiness, usually goes directly into rem sleep
sleep apnea
intermittent termination of breathing during sleep and repeated momentary awakenings
rem rebound
the tendency for rem sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation
psychoactive drugs
chemical substance that alters perceptions and mood
tolerance
the diminishing effect with regular use of the same dose of a drug
neuroadaptation
with continued use of some drugs, the user’s brain chemistry adapts to offset the drug effect
what are the 3 categories of psychoactive drugs?
depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens
depressants
calm neural activity and slow body functions (ex. alcohol, opiates)
stimulants
temporarily excite neural activity and arouse body functions (ex. caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, ecstasy)
hallucinogens
drugs that distort the way you perceive reality, causes hallucinations (ex. marijuana, LSD)
