Week 1 Flashcards
Supposed measures of consciousness
- Self-Reports
- Physiological measures (e.g., EEG)
- Behavioural measures
Cognitive view of consciousness
The cognitive view of consciousness proposes that consciousness is a product of complex cognitive processes in the brain, such as attention, perception, memory, and language.
analogy: Humans are “information processors”. The “mind” is the computer’s software and the brain is the computer’s hardware.
Controlled (effortful) Processing:
Mental processing that requires some degree of volitional control and attentiveness.
Automatic Processing
Mental activities that occur automatically and require no or minimal conscious control or awareness.
Divided attention
The ability to perform more than one activity at the same time.
Difficult if tasks require similar cognitive resources.
Circadian Rythm
Cyclical changes that occur on a roughly 24-hour basis in many biological processes.
* Brain’s “biological clock”.
* Pineal gland releases a hormone melatonin.
Circadian Rythm regulator
Regulated by the Suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)
SCN location
- Located in hypothalamus
- Pineal gland releases a hormone melatonin.
How does SCN learn
Retinal signals
Sleep deprivation results
- Difficulties learning
- Poor attention
- Lethargy
Sleep deprivation health causes
- Weight gain
- Diabetes
- Heart problems
- Weakened immune systems
Needed amount of sleep dependants
- Age
- Health
- Quality of sleep
- Genetics
- Species
Randy Gardner takeaway
- Stayed awake for 264 hours
- Rem sleep increased following sleep deprivation
Stages of sleep (PART 1)
Awake and Alert:
* Beta Waves
Calm wakefulness:
* Alpha waves
Stage 1:
* Theta waves
* Myoclonic jerks
* Hypnagogic imagery
More stages of sleep
Stage 2:
Sleep Spindles
* Short burst of neural activity.
K-complexes
* A large waveform that occurs intermittently.
Stage 3 and 4:
Delta waves (1-2 waves per second)
* Stage 3 < 50% of waves are delta.
* Stage 4 > 50% of waves are delta.
* “Deep sleep” required for feeling well rested.
* Time spent in deep sleep declines with age.
Last stage of sleep
Stage 5 (REM sleep):
Rapid eye movement (REM)
* Darting of the eyes underneath closed eyelids during sleep.
Non-REM sleep (NREM)
* Stages 1 through 4 of the sleep cycle, during which rapid eye movements do not occur and dreaming is less frequent and vivid.
REM sleep
* Stage of sleep during which the brain is most active and during which vivid dreaming most often occurs.
* Rebounds when REM sleep is lost
Insomnia
Difficulty falling and staying asleep.
Factors such as age, drug use, exercise, mental status, and bedtime routines can contribute to insomnia
Types of Insomnia
- Regularly taking more than 30 minutes to fall asleep.
- Waking too early in the morning.
- Waking up during the night and having trouble returning to sleep.
Behavioural Insomnia management
- Make sure you have a consistent wake schedule.
- Go to bed only when you are tired (e.g., nodding off).
- If you are in bed and not sleeping get out of bed (set a criteria, e.g., 10 minutes).
- Only use your bed for the purposes of sleeping (not reading and watching tv).
- Exercise regularly.
- Avoid drugs like alcohol and caffeine in the evening.
Pharmacological Insomnia management
- Can be addictive.
- Have adverse side effects (e.g., amnesia)
- Can lead to rebound insomnia.
How do Cortisol and Melatonin interact
As one’s production begins to ramp up the other begins to slow down
Narcolepsy
Falling of sleep during the day uncontrollably