Dreams and conscious

Cognitive neuroscience

Study of the Brian activity linked with mental processes

Sleep stages

Every 90 minutes

4 main stages ;

NMRE-1

NMRE-2

NREM-3

REM

Awake/Relaxed awake states

Waking beta: High frequency, low amplitude (fully awake)

Waking alpha: Lower freuqency, higher amplitude (Relaxed awake)

NREM 1

-brief stage

-Theta brain waves

-Hypnagogic imagery

NREM -2

~20 min in this stage

-Sleep spindle burst

-Muscles relax, heart and breathing slows

NREM -3

~30 mins

-Delta waves

-Deep sleep

-Less aware of surroundings and bodily signals

-Physical restoration and release of growth hormones

REM

-After the NREM-3 the sleep cycle starts moving backwards

-Brain waves looks like NREM-1

-Hear rate rises, breaking becomes rapid, start like dreams

What do we dream?

-Usually everyday events and experiences.

-8/10 dream are negative event or emotion

-1/10 sexual dreams Men

-1/30 women

Freuds dream theory

Wishful fulfillment

Dreams provide a psychic safety valve that’s used for unacceptable feelings

Latent: unconscious thoughts that are concealed

Information processing dream theory

Dreams help us sort out the days events and consolidate our memories

Neurocognitive function dream theory

Regular brain stimulation from rem sleep help develop and preserve neural pathways.

Activation synthesis dream theory

REM sleep triggers neural activity that evokes random visuals and emotional memories

Cognitive development dream theory

Dreams content reflects dreamers cognitive development

trauma and dreaming

Some conditions (PTSD)) can distrust sleep

Nightmares/flashbacks can occur just before stage 1 sleep

Why we sleep

It stores and rebuilds the days memories

Promote creative problem solving

Supports growth

Insomia

¼ ppl

Difficulty falling asleep

Chronic tiredness, rush of depression and obesity and hypertension

Narcolepsy

1/2000 adults

Sudden attacks of sleepiness

Usually last less than 5 mins

Sleep apnea

1/20 adults

Stops breathing while sleeping

Effects of fatigue and depression, associated with obesity

Psychoactive drugs

Chemicals introduces in body which alter perceptions, moods, and other elements of conscious experience

Substance use disorder

Continued use of drugs, cravings and life distruption

When is drugs considered a disorder

Diminished control

Diminished social functioning

Hazardous use

Drug action

Depressant drugs

Alcohol, barbiturates (tranquilizers) and optiates

Calms neural activity down and slows body function

Alcohol use

Lowers inhibition making it more likely to act on urges

Slows neural processing

Distrups memory

Reduces self awareness

Barbiturates and opiates use

Barbiturates:

Can impair memory and judgement

Used for anxiety

Opiates

Reduce pain and anxiety

Very addictive

Fentanyl

A type of opioid

Affects the CNS

Muscle weakness and loss of control

Stimulates

Exite neural activity and speeds bodily functions

Such as:

Caffeine

Nicotine

Cocaine

Ecstasy

Cocaine

Increased lvls at the synapse:

Dopamine

Serotonin

Norepinephrine

Euphoric crashes

Dual processing Freud

Unconscious: desires that can’t be accessed

Preconscious: Outside current awareness but easily accessible

Conscious: thoughts currently aware off.

Dual processing today

Conscious and unconscious works together (dual processing)

Conscious: effort processing and paying attention

Unconscious: Automatic and learned behaviours

Eg: Blindsight: people with brain damage to visual cortex can

respond to objects they cannot consciously “see”

Inattentional blindness

Missing obvious stimulus when attention is elsewhere

Ie gorilla study

Change blindness

Failing to notice changes in environment

Ie door study

Hypnosis

Induction relaxation and focus

Suggestion: therapist guided change in perception, thoughts or behaviour.

Meditation

Has origins in eastern cultures: inspired western practices

Lowers beta waves and up alpha and theta waves