Psych 289 Quiz 3

Consciousness

awareness of internal and external stimuli

EEG (electroencephalograph)

most commonly used indicator of variations in consciousness; summarizes rhythm of cortical activity in terms of brain waves

Beta waves

high-frequency brain waves (13-24 cps) dominant when alert and engaged in problem solving

Alpha waves

brain waves (8-12 cps) that increase when a person is relaxed and resting

Theta waves

brain waves with a frequency of 4-7 cps

Delta waves

low-frequency brain waves (under 4 cps) prominent during deep, dreamless sleep

Biological rhythms

periodic fluctuations in physiological functioning controlled by internal biological clocks

Circadian rhythms

24-hour biological cycles that regulate sleep and many physical and cognitive functions

Melatonin

hormone released by the pineal gland that helps regulate sleep-wake cycles

Effect of light on melatonin

When light is detected, an inhibitory signal is sent to the pineal gland which prevents it from producing and secreting melatonin. When night arrives and light level decrease this inhibitory signal weakens and the release of release of melatonin results, light acts as an “off switch” for melatonin production

Electromyograph (EMG)

device that records muscular activity and tension

Electrooculograph (EOG)

device that records eye movements

Stage 1 sleep

brief transitional stage of light sleep lasting a few minutes, breathing and heart rate slow while muscle tension and body temperature decline, hypnic jerks

Stage 2 sleep

sleep stage characterized by sleep spindles (brief bursts of higher frequency brain waves) and mixed EEG activity, gradually brain waves become higher in amplitude and slower in frequency as the body moves into a deeper form of sleep (slow wave sleep)

Slow-wave sleep (SWS)

deep sleep stages 3 and 4 characterized by high-amplitude, low-frequency delta waves, reach in about half an hour and stay there for 30 min then the cycle reverses itself and gradually moves back upward through the lighter stages

REM sleep

stage of sleep marked by rapid eye movements, vivid dreaming, and beta-wave EEG activity

Muscle tone during REM sleep

extremely relaxed; sleeper is virtually paralyzed

EEG activity during REM sleep

dominated by high-frequency beta waves resembling wakefulness

Dreaming during REM sleep

more frequent, vivid, emotional, dramatic, and memorable

How many times does the sleep cycle repeat?

Four times per night

REM periods across the night

become progressively longer, peaking around 40-60 minutes

Slow-wave sleep timing vs REM sleep timing

occurs mostly early in the sleep cycle, REM sleep tends to pile up in the second half of the sleep cycle

Infant REM sleep

infants spend around 50% of sleep time in REM during the first few months

Adult REM sleep

about 20% of sleep time is REM

Aging and sleep

slow-wave sleep declines with age while stage 1 sleep increases slightly

Reticular formation

brainstem structure important for sleep and wakefulness

Ascending reticular activating system (ARAS)

afferent fibers through the reticular formation that regulate physiological arousal, projects diffusely into many areas of the cortex

REM sleep generation

activity in the pons and adjacent midbrain areas is critical

Evolutionary theories of sleep

sleep conserves energy, reduces exposure to predators, and restores bodily resources

Effects of sleep deprivation

impairs attention, reaction time, motor coordination, and decision making

REM deprivation rebound effect

people spend extra time in REM sleep after deprivation ends

Functions of REM and slow-wave sleep

may contribute to memory consolidation and learning

Sleep and immunity

sleep loss impairs immune functioning and increases inflammatory responses

Sleep duration and mortality

both short sleep (<7 hours) and long sleep (8+ hours) are linked to elevated mortality risk

Insomnia

chronic problems obtaining adequate sleep leading to fatigue and impaired functioning

Three types of insomnia

difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, and early-morning awakening

Consequences of insomnia

reduced productivity, accident risk, anxiety, depression, and health problems

Prevalence of insomnia

10% of adults have chronic severe insomnia; 20-30% report intermittent symptoms

Benzodiazepine sedatives

sleep medications originally developed to relieve anxiety

Nonbenzodiazepine sedatives

newer sleep medications designed primarily for sleep problems

Problems with sedatives

carryover drowsiness, tolerance, dependence, withdrawal symptoms, and overdose risk

Narcolepsy

sudden and irresistible onsets of sleep during waking periods, goes directly from wakefulness into REM for a short period of time, impairment in the regulation of REM is the main cause appears to be due to a loss of orexin neurons in the hypothalamus

Sleep apnea

frequent pauses in breathing during sleep that disrupt rest, loud snoring and excessive daytime sleepiness, declines in attention/memory/cognitive functioning

Risks of sleep apnea

increased cardiovascular disease risk, cognitive decline, and higher mortality

Treatments for sleep apnea

lifestyle changes, airflow devices, medications, or surgery

Night terrors

abrupt awakenings from NREM sleep with intense autonomic arousal and panic, piercing cries, rapid heart rate, and little dream recall, more common in children

Timing of sleepwalking

usually occurs during slow-wave sleep in the first three hours of sleep

Causes of sleepwalking episodes

associated with stress, sleep deprivation, and genetic predisposition

REM sleep behaviour disorder (RBD)

dream enactment behaviors during REM sleep, talking, yelling, gesturing, or physically acting out dreams

Cause of RBD

deterioration of brainstem structures responsible for REM paralysis, many people with RBD later develop disorders such as Parkinson’s disease

Nightmares

anxiety-arousing dreams that awaken the sleeper, usually during REM sleep, vivid dream recall and difficulty returning to sleep

Meditation

family of practices that train attention to heighten awareness and bring mental processes under greater voluntary control

Focused attention meditation

meditation style in which attention is concentrated on a specific object, image, sound, or bodily sensation to clear the mind of its clutter

Open monitoring meditation

meditation style in which attention is directed to moment-to-moment experience in a nonjudgemental and nonreactive way, intent in expanding attention is to become a detached observer of the flow of one’s own sensations, thoughts and feelings

Psychoactive drugs

chemical substances that modify mental, emotional, or behavioural functioning

Narcotics (opiates)

drugs derived from opium that relieve pain, produce euphoria and a sense of well-being, side effects are lethargy, nausea, and impaired mental or motor functioning

Examples of narcotics

heroin and morphine

Sedatives

sleep-inducing drugs that decrease CNS activation and behavioural activity

Desired effects of sedatives

relaxed, pleasant state of intoxication and loosened inhibitions

Effects of sedatives

feelings of tension or sadness are replaced by relaxation and euphoria

Stimulants

drugs that increase CNS activation and behavioural activity

Examples of stimulants

cocaine and amphetamines

Effects of stimulants

euphoria, alertness, energy, and increased confidence

Side effects of stimulants

restlessness, anxiety, paranoia, and insomnia

Hallucinogens

drugs that strongly alter sensory and perceptual experience

Examples of hallucinogens

LSD, mescaline, and psilocybin

Effects of hallucinogens

euphoria, increased sensory awareness, and distorted sense of time

Cannabis

drug that produces mild relaxed euphoria lasting several hours

Side effects of cannabis

anxiety, sluggish thinking, and impaired memory

Alcohol

drug whose central effect is relaxed euphoria and temporary boost in self-esteem

Side effects of alcohol

impaired mental and motor functioning, mood swings, and quarrelsomeness

MDMA (ecstasy/molly)

drug related to both amphetamines and hallucinogens

Effects of MDMA

warm, euphoric, energetic, empathetic, and sensual feelings

Side effects of MDMA

increased blood pressure, sweating, blurred vision, insomnia, and anxiety

Long-term effects of MDMA

sleep problems, memory problems, high blood pressure, and liver issues

Tolerance

progressive decrease in responsiveness to a drug

How psychoactive drugs work

mainly by altering neurotransmitter activity in the brain

Amphetamines and neurotransmitters

primarily affect dopamine and norepinephrine

Effects of amphetamines on synapses

increase release and block reuptake of dopamine and norepinephrine

Cocaine and neurotransmitters

blocks reuptake of dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin

Reward pathway

mesolimbic dopamine pathway associated with pleasure and reinforcement

Mesolimbic dopamine pathway

neural pathway running from the midbrain through the nucleus accumbens to the prefrontal cortex

Role of dopamine in addiction

large increases in dopamine release reinforce drug use

Physical dependence

need to continue taking a drug to avoid withdrawal symptoms

Conditioned withdrawal responses

withdrawal symptoms triggered by stimuli previously associated with drug use

Psychological dependence

need to continue taking a drug because of intense emotional and mental cravings

Which drug has the most diverse harmful effects on physical health

alcohol

Moral weakness model of alcoholism

views alcoholism as a personal failure handled mainly through the legal system