AP Psych: Biological Basis of Behavior, quiz #3

plasticity

the brain's ability to change, especially during childhood, by reorganizing after damage or by building new pathways based on experience

corpus callosum

bundle of nerve fibers joining the two hemispheres of the brain.

contralateral hemispheric organization

Opposite side communication between the brain and the body (the left side of the brain controls the right side and vice versa)

consciousness

Awareness of ourselves and our environment

biological rhythms

periodic physiological fluctuations which occur at predictable time intervals (annually, monthly, daily)

circadian rhythm

regular bodily rhythms that occur on a 24-hour cycle

REM sleep

the stage of sleep marked by rapid eye movements, dreaming, and paralysis of motor systems

non-REM sleep (NREM)

stages 1 through 3 of the sleep cycle, during which rapid eye movements do not occur and dreaming is less frequent and vivid

hypnagogic sensations

life-like hallucinations that occur shortly after falling asleep; usually sensation of falling or floating

suprachiasmatic nucleus

a pair of cell clusters in the hypothalamus that controls circadian rhythm

pineal gland

secretes melatonin

melatonin

sleep-inducing hormone

insomnia

sleep disorder characterized by recurring problems in falling or staying asleep

narcolepsy

A sleep disorder characterized by uncontrollable sleep attacks. The sufferer may lapse directly into REM sleep, often at inopportune times.

sleep apnea

a sleep disorder characterized by temporary periods of stopping breathing and repeated momentary awakenings

somnambulism

sleepwalking

REM sleep behavior disorder

a neurological disorder in which the person does not become paralyzed during REM sleep and thus acts out dreams

night terrors

sleep disruptions that occur during deep sleep, involving screaming, panic, or confusion; most often occurs in children

REM rebound

increased amounts of REM sleep after being deprived of REM sleep on earlier nights

activation synthesis theory

a theory of dreaming that proposes that the brain tries to make sense of random brain activity that occurs during sleep

consolidation theory

the idea that people dream to process information acquired during the day, and that sleep allows the brain to prepare for the day to come