Week 7 Flashcards
Brain rhythms
Electrical activity varies
-region
-behaviour
—disordered
EEG recordings
Cortical pyramidal neurones , very large generate biggest electrical signals
Many neurones pick up collected activity, increase level activity bigger signal detected. Neurones doing the same role will be active for similar amount of time
Synchronous activity:
-bigger signal at the more synchronous activity
-pathological or normal patterns
When do neurones fire synchronously
Synchronous firing in normal cognition:
-very fast (gamma) oscillations
-produces meaning (perception)
Synchronous firing in sleep
EEG allows us to measure the number of neurons that are active and whether they’re active at same time (synchronous) or different times
Height deflection= increase synchronisation
More synchronous activity in sleep
What is sleep
State characterised by:
-decrease mobility
-decrease responsiveness to sensory inputs
-decrease cortical excitability
“A readily reversible state of reduced consciousness”
Characteristics of sleep
All mammals and birds
-humans- 1/3rd life asleep
Disruption impacts health
It is necessary to
Functions of sleep
Evolutionary speculation
Deprivation studies/poor sleepers
-quantity and quality
-impairment of cognitive performance
-decrease mood
-altered physical health
Stages of sleep
REM sleep: beta rhythms
-desynchronised EEG activity
-rapid darting eyes
-easily aroused by meaningful stimuli
-when awakened appear alert and attentive
-dreaming
-loss of muscle tone
Awake- beta rhythms
Stage 1 non REM: Theta
Stage 2 non rem sleep:Theta and spindles and K complexes
Stage 3 non rem sleep: Delta
Stage 4 non rem sleep: >50% delta
Hypnogram
Key points:
-initially down through stages
-less deep as night progresses
-REM increases in duration
What is the neural basis of wakefulness/sleep
Arousal- RAS (reticular activating system). Area of brainstem, lot of nuclei
Is sleep just the absence of wakefulness- no.
Ach and aminergic neurones help thalamus to distribute info to areas of the brain
During wakefulness lots activity Ach and aminergic neurones-> disrupt change in wakefulness
REM- not a high level of aminergic activity. Ach, paralysis
Non REM: decrease Ach and aminergic, increase VLPO (ventral lateral pre optic organ) part of thalamus not active in wakefulness
What induces sleep
Multiple factors:
-waking time- adenosine accumulation
-physical activity
-circadian rhythm
—suprachiasmatic nucleus
——retinal input
——neurones “tick”
—protein synthesis/degradation very cyclical
Jet lag
Blind people: due to retinal dysfunction struggle not getting Zettgeber to supreachiasmatic nucleus. Can be problematic. Use alarms to know time of day
Sleep disorders
Sleep apnoea
Insomnia
-hunger
-drug related
—withdrawal from hypnotics
—stimulants
Illness
Sleep patterns can be disturbed
Depression
-increase REM and enter REM rapidly
Depression affects sleep or vice versa
Schizophrenia, Age, PD, AD
Deep sleep disorders
Most prevalent in children
-sleepwalking, bedwetting, night terrors
-self curing
REM sleep (behavioural) disorder
Uncommon
Decrease loss of muscle tone
-act out dreams during REM sleep
-limb twitching, taking , yelling, jerking,
-brainstem inhibition abnormal
Precursor to Parkinson’s disease?
Sleep disorders
Narcolepsy
-uncontrollable entry into sleep (REM)
-cataplexy
-experimentally, destruction of lateral hypothalamus
—orexin (hypocretin)
—stabilises wakefulness
Decrease orexin containing cells in humans
Sleep as therapy
If sleep promotes L/M
-sleep deprivation for decrease traumatic memories
-phobia
—sleep soon after non-traumatic exposure
Deprivation and depression
Functions of the hypothalamus
General:
-homeostasis and survival
-motivated behaviours
Integration of somatic and autonomic responses:
-cardiovascular system
-blood composition/volume
-food/water intake
-temperatures control
-circadian rhythms
-reproductive behaviours
-emotional behaviour
Clinical considerations
Physical brain injury?
-anatomical location-> rare
Impact of lesions
-diverse symptoms
—nucleus specific
-Progressive changes
-Location
How does hypothalamus control these functions
Influences:
-ANS
-endocrine Integration
-behaviour
Inputs massive integration
Sensory inputs:
-internal environment
-receptors within hypothalamus
-viscera via brainstem
-homeostasis
Sensory inputs:
-olfactory/retina
-limbic regions
-hippocampus
Output
Pituitary -> hormone
Brain stem -> Ans, coordination of behaviour
Limbic -> emotion
Homeostasis and survival
Structure of the hypothalamus
Contains many nuclei
Medial-lateral axis: 3zones
Anterior-posterior axis:
Anterior
-pre optic area
-“set points”
-sleep
-reproductive behaviours
Suprachiasmatic nucleus
Posterior
Tuberal
Structure of the hypothalamus
Periventricular zone
SCN
Arcuate nucleus (feeding)
[paraventricular] nucleus
Medial zone:
-paraventricular
-pituitary control
-feeding
-autonomic control
Lateral zone:
-lateral hypothalamic area
-supraoptic nuclei
—release hormones (posterior pituitary)