Conciousness

What is consciousness?

Awareness of oneself, thoughts, and/or the environment.

What does it mean that consciousness is a spectrum?

It ranges from wakefulness to sleep, dreaming, and altered states.

What field studies conscious and unconscious processes?

Cognitive psychology.

What is optogenetics? 

A technique activating/deactivating neurons to observe effects on behavior.

What is automatic processing?

Processing done without effort, awareness, or control.

Example of automatic processing?

Walking while texting.

What is selective attention?

Focusing on a small amount of sensory information.

Example of selective attention?

Cocktail party effect.

What influences selective attention?

Personality and emotions.

What are the main levels of consciousness?

Wakefulness, sleepiness, drug-induced, dreaming, hypnotic, meditative.

What are the two categories of consciousness?

Waking consciousness and altered states.

What is the circadian rhythm?

A 24-hour cycle of physiological and behavioral functioning.

When is sleepiness highest?

2–6 AM and 2–4 PM.

What brain structure regulates the sleep/wake cycle?

Suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN).

What gland releases melatonin?

Pineal gland.

What does an EEG do?

Measures electrical activity in the brain.

What waves occur in wakefulness?

Beta waves.

What waves occur in drowsiness?

Alpha waves.

What waves occur in light sleep?

Theta waves.

What waves occur in deep sleep?

Delta waves.

What stage is lightest sleep?

N1

What waves are in Stage 1?

Theta waves.

What occurs in Stage 2?

Sleep spindles and K-complexes.

What occurs in Stage 3?

Deep sleep, delta waves, growth hormone release.

What stage includes vivid dreams?

REM sleep.

What characterizes REM sleep?

Fast brain waves, vivid dreams, body paralysis.

How long is one sleep cycle?

About 90 minutes.

How many sleep cycles per night?

4–5.

What is sleep deprivation associated with?

Poor mental/physical performance, heart disease, diabetes, obesity.

What are microsleeps?

Uncontrollable mini-naps lasting seconds.

What is REM rebound?

Extra REM sleep after deprivation.

What is narcolepsy?

Excess daytime sleepiness and sudden sleep attacks.

What is cataplexy?

Sudden loss of muscle tone triggered by emotion.

What is sleep paralysis?

Temporary inability to move when falling asleep or waking.

What are hypnagogic hallucinations?

Hallucinations at the boundary between sleep and wakefulness.

What is REM sleep behavior disorder?

Acting out dreams due to lack of REM paralysis.

Who is most affected by REM sleep behavior disorder?

Men age 50+.

What is obstructive sleep apnea?

Breathing stops (apnea) or slows (hypopnea) during sleep.

What is insomnia?

Difficulty falling or staying asleep.

What causes insomnia?

Stress, depression, anxiety, jet lag, aging, drugs, pain.

When does sleepwalking occur?

Stage N3.

What is the myth about sleepwalking?

That waking a sleepwalker is dangerous (it is not).

What are sleep terrors?

NREM episodes with screaming and no memory afterward.

When do nightmares occur?

REM sleep.