Sleep Psych Exam 2

1st night effect

The phenomenon where the first night in a lab affects dream recall.

Ablation studies

Show decrease in wakefulness when the reticular formation is ablated.

Acetylcholine

Neurons in the PONS become active during REM sleep.

Acetylcholine (Ach)

A widespread neurotransmitter that plays a role in wakefulness, REM sleep, muscle activity, memory, and emotion.

Activation Input Mode (A.I.M.)

A model describing the brain's activation during dreaming, particularly involving the brainstem and limbic system.

Activations Synthesis Hypothesis

A theory suggesting that dreams are the brain's attempt to make sense of random neural activity during sleep.

Adderall

A medication that stimulates the release of norepinephrine, resulting in alertness.

Adenosine

Depresses spontaneous firing of CNS neurons and plays a role in sleep; caffeine blocks its receptors.

Administration

Can affect how quickly a drug acts.

Agonist

A drug that mimics, facilitates, or increases the activity of a neurotransmitter.

Amphetamine

Synthetic agonist of norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) with effects lasting 12 hours.

Antagonist

A drug that reduces or inhibits the activity of a neurotransmitter.

Antidepressants

Typically sedating medications that affect sleep patterns.

Antihypertensives - Alpha Blockers

Includes Clonidine & Cardura; have a sedating effect with side effects like dizziness and lightheadedness.

Antihypertensives - Beta Blockers

Includes Atenolol, Propranolol, Inderal, Verapamil, Lopressor; have a sedating effect, decrease REM sleep, often fragment sleep, and increase violent dreams.

Antipsychotics

Medications used to treat schizophrenia.

Archetypes

Universal symbols or motifs inherited from ancestors that shape dream representations.

Ascending Reticular Activating System (ARAS)

Facilitates wakefulness by sending projections to the cortex to make it more alert.

Auditory stimuli in dreams

More likely to be incorporated if it's meaningful and connected to you

Bad dreams

70% of the time

Barbiturates

Sedative hypnotics with very long half-lives, examples include phenobarbital and pentobarbital.

Basal Forebrain Region

Lesion of this area produces total insomnia.

Behavioral signs of sleep

Antagonized by stimulation of structures connected to the limbic system.

Benzodiazepines

A class of sedative hypnotics including Valium, Librium, Ativan, Xanax, and Halcion.

Black widow spider venom

A toxin that causes continuous release of acetylcholine, resulting in convulsions.

Botulin toxin

A substance that prevents the release of acetylcholine, resulting in paralysis.

Buddhism

A religion where Buddha's Mother awoke from a dream pregnant.

Caffeine

A stimulant that blocks adenosine receptors, thus reducing the activity of adenosine.

Cancer

Subtle signs or overly concerned with having cancer can appear in dreams.

Castration movie effect

Dreamers who reflected thirst were less thirsty after waking

Chased or attacked in dreams

40%

Children's dreams

3X as likely to be large and threatening

Christian

A religion that includes dream references in both the Old and New Testaments.

Cocaine

A drug that increases the activity of dopamine, resulting in stimulation.

Cocaine psychosis

A condition that may mimic schizophrenia due to excessive cocaine use.

Color goggles in dreams

Reflected in early dreams, but no later

Communications with Supernatural

Interactions or messages perceived to come from a divine or supernatural source.

Compensation

The process by which dreams address or balance out issues occurring in waking life.

Cortical synchronization

Low frequency stimulation leads to cortical synchronization.

Cortical synchrony

Stimulation of the basal forebrain produces cortical synchrony.

Creativity

Can be inspired by dreams, influencing painters, directors, musicians, and writers.

Crick and Mitchison

Researchers who proposed that REM sleep serves to delete clutter from neural networks.

Dali

A painter known for his dream-inspired works.

Danger in dreams

20%

Descartes

Known for analytical geometry and mind/body dualism, influenced by dreams.

Discovery of REM Sleep

In 1953, REM sleep was discovered to be connected to dreams; waking from REM sleep allows reporting of dreams.

Dopamine (DA)

A neurotransmitter associated with pleasure, voluntary movement, memory, and emotion.

Dorsal raphe nucleus

May play a role in wakefulness and has a high concentration of serotonin neurons.

Dream Journal

A tool for recording dreams, often kept by the bedside.

Dream time vs real time

Typically dream time lines up with REM sleep time

Dream to Forget

The concept that dreaming serves a purpose in helping the brain discard irrelevant information.

Dreamers only

15%

Dreams

Provide insight into ourselves, emotional/psychological well-being, and how our bodies work.

Dreams in the Dark Ages

Dreams were considered evil and meant possession.

Early signs of pregnancy

Can manifest in dreams through architectural objects, references to the baby, or baking bread.

Ecstasy

Serotonin agonist that releases serotonin from neurons and may deplete serotonin from neurons, resulting in prolonged insomnia.

Effects of Alcoholism on Sleep

Decreased total sleep time, mostly NREM sleep, sleep fragmented, prolonged sleep latency, may occur for up to 2 years after discontinuation.

Effects of Antipsychotics on Sleep

May increase total sleep time (TST), sleep efficiency, N3 sleep, and may increase REM or have no effect but generally increase eye movement density.

Effects of Ethyl Alcohol on Sleep

Acute ingestion increases total sleep time, decreases wake, decreases REM during first half of night, and increases REM during second half of night.

Effects of Lithium on Sleep

Decreases REM sleep, increases latency to REM sleep, increases slow wave sleep.

Effects of Opiates on Sleep

Decreased total sleep time, stage N3, and REM sleep; increased sleep fragmentation.

Effects of Stimulants on Sleep

Increase wakefulness, increase sleep latency, decrease total sleep time, increase stage 1 sleep, may decrease SWS, and may delay onset and duration of REM.

Elderly dream characteristics

Over 50% of men over 71 were still having erotic dreams

Ethanol - 1st half effects

Decreased sleep latency, decreased REM, increased slow wave sleep.

Ethanol - Second half effects

Withdrawal leads to REM rebound and tolerance develops quickly over 3-4 nights.

Ethyl Alcohol

Mimics GABA - GABA agonist and binds to GABA receptors.

Experimental situation

Can appear in 19-34% of dream reports.

External stimuli in dreams

Water spray incorporated in 42% of dreams

Factors influencing drug action

Administration, Absorption, Distribution, Half-Life, Metabolites.

Family in dreams

19%

Female dreams characteristics

Longer, more friendly, more indoor settings, family members, babies

Frank Seafield (1865)

A researcher who identified factors in dream presentation, including intelligible meaning and problem-solving capabilities.

Free Association

A method used in dream analysis where the dreamer verbalizes thoughts related to dream elements.

Freud

A psychologist who believed dreams were often abnormal phenomena linked to neuropathology or unfulfilled wishes.

Friends in dreams

37%

GABA

Primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the nervous system that calms you down but can make you sleepy.

GABAA

Fast acting type of GABA receptor.

GABAB

Slow acting type of GABA receptor.

General Effects of Opiates

Reduce pain, induce euphoria, cause mental clouding, and drowsiness.

Glia

Support cells for neurons.

Glutamate

A neurotransmitter that may play a role in wakefulness.

Glycine

Inhibitory neurotransmitter in the spinal cord that may be responsible for muscle paralysis during REM sleep.

Good dream characteristics

Playing or receiving some gift

Growth Hormone

Released during stage 3 sleep (slow wave sleep) and is necessary for kids to grow.

Hallucinogens

Includes LSD and Psilocin which increase serotonin and may increase sleep latency and delay REM sleep.

Healing

Can be represented in dreams, often linked to the menstrual cycle or pregnancy.

Heart attacks

Can be symbolized in dreams, such as through imagery like machine gun fire.

Heart Rate during Non-REM sleep

Slows down.

Heart Rate during REM sleep

Increases and is variable.

Histamine

A neurotransmitter that may be involved in wakefulness.

History of Dreams

Dreams evolved 130 million years ago; first written descriptions appeared 5000 years ago in Mesopotamia.

Importance of Medication Compliance

Patients typically should take their normal drug regimen unless specifically instructed otherwise by their physician.

Inhalation

A method of drug administration.

Insomnia

Caused by damage to the solitary tract.

Intense feelings

Can help generate images when recalling dreams.

Intramuscular

A method of drug administration.

Intravenous

A method of drug administration.

Jewish

A religion with 217 references to dreams in the Talmud.

Jung

A psychologist who introduced concepts such as personal unconscious and collective unconscious in relation to dreams.

Key images

Important visuals to locate when recalling a dream.