Sleep and Psychoactive Drugs

These flashcards cover key vocabulary related to sleep, sleep disorders, and psychoactive drugs.

Circadian Rhythm

A regular, 24-hour pattern of bodily arousal.

Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN)

A brain structure in the hypothalamus that helps regulate sleep and alertness.

Polysomnography

A sleep study using electrodes to monitor brain activity, airflow, snoring, breathing, and muscle movements.

Unihemispheric Sleep

A type of sleep where one hemisphere of the brain sleeps while the other remains awake, as observed in some marine mammals.

Sleep Apnea

A sleep disorder characterized by brief periods of breathing cessation during sleep.

Narcolepsy

A disorder that causes sudden sleep attacks during waking activities.

Sleep Paralysis

The experience of waking up unable to move.

Night Terrors

Abrupt awakenings with panic and intense emotional arousal.

REM Sleep

Rapid eye movement sleep where brain activity resembles that of wakefulness and is associated with dreaming.

Psychoactive Drug

A substance that alters consciousness and/or behavior via neurotransmitters.

Depressants

Drugs that reduce central nervous system activity.

Stimulants

Substances that excite the central nervous system, heightening arousal and activity.

Narcotics (Opiates)

Highly addictive substances derived from opium used to relieve pain.

Hallucinogens

Drugs that alter sensation and perception, causing hallucinations.

Marijuana

A mildly hallucinogenic drug that affects judgment, concentration, and motor skills.

Alcohol Myopia

A condition resulting when alcohol hampers attention, leading to simplistic responses to complex situations.

Activation-Synthesis Hypothesis

The theory that dreams are the brain's attempt to make sense of random neural activity.

REM Rebound

The increase in REM sleep following periods of sleep deprivation.

Sleep Construct

The restorative and reparative functions of sleep on the body's biological systems.

EEG (Electroencephalogram)

A test used to measure and record the electrical activity of the brain during sleep.