Unit 5 Flashcards

1
Q

How is sleep studied in humans?

A

Sleep is studied using polysomnography (PSG) and ambulatory monitoring, which include EEG, EMG, EOG, heart rate, respiratory patterns, and blood oxygen levels.

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2
Q

What does an EEG measure during sleep?

A

An EEG measures brain electrical activity to analyze sleep stages and brainwave patterns.

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3
Q

What is an EMG and what does it measure?

A

An EMG measures muscle electrical activity to assess muscle tone and diagnose neuromuscular disorders.

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4
Q

What is an EOG and what does it measure?

A

An EOG measures eye movements, providing critical data for identifying REM sleep.

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5
Q

What are the stages of the sleep cycle until the first REM stage?

A

Progression: Stage 1 → Stage 2 → Stage 3 → Stage 4 → Back to Stage 2 → REM sleep.

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6
Q

What happens during slow-wave sleep (SWS)?

A

SWS (Stages 3 & 4) involves deep, restorative sleep with slow brainwaves, crucial for physical recovery.

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7
Q

What happens during REM sleep?

A

REM sleep involves vivid dreaming, high brain activity, and muscle paralysis (atonia).

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8
Q

What is REM rebound?

A

Increased REM duration following deprivation, reflecting the brain’s compensation for missed REM sleep.

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9
Q

How many sleep cycles does an average adult complete per night?

A

Adults complete 4–6 sleep cycles, each lasting 90–120 minutes.

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10
Q

How does the sleep cycle change throughout the night?

A

Early cycles emphasize deep sleep; later cycles feature longer REM sleep periods.

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11
Q

What is memory consolidation?

A

Memory consolidation is the process of stabilizing and transferring new memories into long-term storage during sleep.

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12
Q

How do REM and SWS contribute to learning?

A

REM aids emotional processing and integration, while SWS consolidates declarative memories.

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13
Q

How does sleep change from infancy to late adulthood?

A

Infants sleep 14–17 hours; adults need 7–9 hours; late adulthood sees less deep sleep and more awakenings.

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14
Q

What happens if the brainstem’s reticular formation is severed?

A

Persistent sleep or difficulty waking occurs, disrupting sleep-wake transitions.

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15
Q

What are the evolutionary theories of sleep?

A

Sleep aids in adaptive inactivity, energy conservation, brain maintenance, and physical restoration.

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16
Q

What are the effects of sleep deprivation?

A

Sleep deprivation causes cognitive impairments, mood instability, and increased risk of health issues.

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17
Q

What is selective REM sleep deprivation?

A

Preventing REM sleep causes REM rebound and impairs emotional and cognitive functioning.

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18
Q

What is selective SWS deprivation?

A

Loss of SWS impairs physical recovery, hormone regulation, and memory consolidation.

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19
Q

What are the characteristics of insomnia?

A

Difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep, leading to daytime fatigue and cognitive impairments.

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20
Q

What stage do night terrors occur in, and how do they differ from nightmares?

A

Night terrors occur in deep NREM (Stages 3 & 4) and lack detailed dream content, unlike REM-based nightmares.

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21
Q

What are psychoactive drugs?

A

Substances that alter mood, perception, cognition, or behavior by interacting with neurotransmitter systems in the brain.

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22
Q

What are the main classes of psychoactive drugs?

A

Stimulants, depressants, hallucinogens, opioids, and cannabinoids.

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23
Q

What is the effect of stimulants on the body?

A

Stimulants increase alertness, energy, and focus while reducing fatigue.

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24
Q

What are examples of stimulants?

A

Amphetamines, cocaine, and nicotine.

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25
What is the effect of depressants on the body?
Depressants reduce arousal, induce relaxation, and decrease anxiety.
26
What are examples of depressants?
Alcohol, barbiturates (e.g., Seconal), and benzodiazepines.
27
What is the effect of hallucinogens on the body?
Hallucinogens alter sensory perception, enhance awareness, and can cause hallucinations.
28
What are examples of hallucinogens?
LSD, psilocybin, and mescaline
29
What is the effect of opioids on the body?
Opioids provide pain relief, relaxation, and euphoria but carry high addiction risks.
30
What are examples of opioids?
Morphine, heroin, and oxycodone.
31
What are the desirable effects of cannabis?
Mild euphoria, relaxation, and altered sensory perception.
32
What is drug tolerance?
A condition where increasing doses of a drug are needed to achieve the same effect due to the body's adaptation.
33
How do amphetamines affect synaptic function?
They increase dopamine and norepinephrine release while inhibiting reuptake, leading to heightened alertness and energy.
34
How does cocaine affect synaptic function?
Cocaine blocks the reuptake of dopamine, increasing its availability in the synapse and resulting in euphoria and increased energy.
35
What is the role of dopamine in addiction?
Dopamine in the brain's reward pathway reinforces behaviors, making it central to drug abuse and dependence.
36
What is physical dependence?
A state where the body adapts to a drug, leading to withdrawal symptoms when the drug is not taken.
37
What is psychological dependence?
A condition where an individual feels a compulsive need to use a drug for emotional or mental relief.
38
What are withdrawal symptoms?
Physical or psychological symptoms that occur when stopping a drug on which the body has become dependent.
39
Which drug has the most diverse adverse health effects?
Alcohol, due to its widespread impact on multiple organ systems and long-term health risks.
40
What neurotransmitter is involved in the reinforcing effects of most addictive drugs?
Dopamine, particularly in the brain's reward pathway.
41
What is consciousness?
Consciousness is the awareness of thoughts, feelings, sensations, and surroundings, enabling introspection and decision-making.
42
Is all behavior determined by conscious thought?
No, behavior is influenced by both conscious thought and unconscious processes such as instincts, habits, and environmental stimuli.
43
What is the role of unconscious processes in behavior?
Unconscious processes drive automatic responses, learned patterns, and instincts that operate without conscious awareness.
44
What is an EEG?
An EEG (electroencephalogram) measures brain's electrical activity via electrodes on the scalp, detecting neural synchronization.
45
What does an EEG measure?
It measures voltage fluctuations resulting from neuron activity, capturing brainwave patterns.
46
What are the types of brainwaves detected by EEG?
Delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma waves, each associated with specific states of consciousness and brain activity.
47
What insights can EEG provide?
EEG helps infer consciousness states, diagnose neurological disorders, and assess brain responses during tasks or rest.
48
How does an EEG work?
Electrodes on the scalp detect electrical signals from neurons, which are amplified and visualized as waveforms.
49
What do brainwave patterns indicate?
Brainwave patterns correlate with cognitive states such as alertness, relaxation, sleep, or altered consciousness.
50
What are delta waves?
Delta waves are slow brainwaves associated with deep, restorative sleep (non-REM stages).
51
What are theta waves?
Theta waves are slower brainwaves linked to light sleep, dreaming, and meditative states.
52
What are alpha waves?
Alpha waves represent a calm, relaxed state often associated with wakeful rest or meditation.
53
What are beta waves?
Beta waves are fast brainwaves associated with active thinking, problem-solving, and alertness.
54
What are gamma waves?
Gamma waves are high-frequency waves linked to complex cognitive processing and heightened states of awareness.
55
What are the four general states of consciousness?
Waking (alertness), relaxation, sleep, and altered states (e.g., meditation, hypnosis, or drug effects).
56
What brainwaves are associated with waking consciousness?
Beta waves dominate during waking consciousness, reflecting alertness and active cognition.
57
What brainwaves are associated with relaxation?
Alpha waves dominate during relaxation, indicating calmness and readiness for sleep.
58
What brainwaves are associated with sleep?
Theta waves occur in light sleep, while delta waves dominate in deep sleep.
59
Do brainwaves cause states of consciousness?
No, brainwaves reflect neural activity associated with consciousness states but do not directly cause them.
60
How are altered states of consciousness reflected in brainwave activity?
Altered states, like meditation or drug use, involve mixed brainwave patterns depending on the specific activity or influence.
61
What are biological rhythms?
Periodic fluctuations in physiological functioning inherent to living organisms, enabling adaptation to environmental changes.
62
What are circadian rhythms?
A subset of biological rhythms that operate on a roughly 24-hour cycle, governing processes like sleep-wake patterns, hormone release, and metabolism.
63
How are circadian rhythms related to biological rhythms?
Circadian rhythms are a type of biological rhythm, focusing on daily (24-hour) fluctuations in physiological and behavioral processes.
64
What regulates circadian rhythms?
The internal biological clock, primarily located in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus.
65
What external cues influence circadian rhythms?
Light and darkness are key external cues that help synchronize circadian rhythms with the environment.
66
What role does light play in setting circadian rhythms?
Light is detected by retinal photoreceptors, which signal the SCN to regulate melatonin production and align bodily functions with the day-night cycle.
67
What is melatonin, and how is it linked to circadian rhythms?
Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland, associated with sleep. Its production is suppressed by light and promoted by darkness.
68
What happens when people ignore their circadian rhythms?
Ignoring circadian rhythms can lead to sleep disorders, cognitive impairments, and increased stress hormone levels.
69
What are the long-term health risks of circadian rhythm disruption?
Chronic disruption can contribute to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and weakened immune function.
70
How does shift work affect circadian rhythms?
Shift work disrupts alignment between the biological clock and environmental cues, leading to sleep disturbances and health issues.
71
What are the behavioral effects of circadian rhythm disruption?
Impaired attention, memory, and decision-making abilities, along with increased irritability and anxiety.
72
How does morning light exposure benefit circadian rhythms?
Morning light helps reset the biological clock, promoting healthy sleep-wake cycles and overall well-being.
73
What physiological processes are governed by circadian rhythms?
Sleep-wake cycles, body temperature, hormone release, and metabolism.
74
What happens to melatonin production during daylight?
Light suppresses melatonin production, signaling the body to stay alert and active.
75
What is photic entrainment?
The process by which light exposure synchronizes the internal biological clock with the external day-night cycle.
76
What changes occur in animals due to circadian rhythms?
Variations in alertness, feeding patterns, reproductive cycles, blood pressure, and hormone levels.
77
How do seasonal biological rhythms differ from circadian rhythms?
Seasonal rhythms follow longer cycles (e.g., months or years), whereas circadian rhythms are daily (24-hour) cycles.
78
What are common symptoms of circadian misalignment?
Insomnia, fatigue, mood disturbances, and difficulty concentrating.
79
What is the SCN, and why is it important?
The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is the brain's master clock that regulates circadian rhythms in response to light cues.
80
How does travel across time zones affect circadian rhythms?
Traveling across time zones can cause jet lag, disrupting circadian alignment and leading to temporary sleep and cognitive impairments.