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Consciousness Flashcards

1
Q

What is consciousness?

A

Our subjective experience of the world, our bodies and our mental perspectives

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2
Q

What are the two main functions of consciousness?

A

To monitor: monitor self and environment

And control: to regulate thought and behaviour (initiate or terminate to attain goals)

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3
Q

What is the relationship between the reticular activating system (RAS) and consciousness?

A

To be conscious there needs to be a certain level of arousal.

RAS controls arousal

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4
Q

Explain early birds and night owls

A

People find their peak in alertness and arousal at differing times

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5
Q

Sleep changes with age?

A

More sleep is required at a young age - less sleep needed as get older

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6
Q

What is a circadian rhythm?

A

Biological clocks that involved around the daily cycles of light and dark

Sleep is governed by a circadian rhythm

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7
Q

What is melotonin?

A

A hormone that regulates the sleep-wake cycle

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8
Q

Explain the EEG characteristics or being awake

A

An irregular pattern.

  • Beta waves - higher mental activity
  • alpha waves - calm wakefulness
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9
Q

How many different stages of sleep do we cycle through each night?

A

5 stages

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10
Q

How long does each cycle last?

A

~90 minutes

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11
Q

What is stage 1 of sleep?

A

Brief 5-10 min.
Slower theta waves

RAS disconnects cortical areas from motor areas (basal ganglia)

Involves hypnagogic imagery and hypnic myoclonia

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12
Q

What is hypnagogic imagery?

A

Confused dream like images

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13
Q

What is hypnic myoclonia?

A

Sense of falling/uncontrolled muscle contractions

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14
Q

What is stage 2 of sleep?

A

10-30 min

EEG pattern of slightly slower waves but are interrupted by sleep spindles and k complexes

Muscles relax, heart rate slows, body temperature decreases, ceased eye movements

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15
Q

What are sleep spindles?

A

Bursts of low amplitude activity

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16
Q

What are K complexes?

A

Occasional slow, high amplitude waves

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17
Q

How much of our sleep is stage 2?

A

65%

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18
Q

Explain sleep stages 3 and 4?

A

Stage 3: marked by 20-50% if slow delta waves

Stage 4: sleep characterised by more than 50% delta waves

3&4 together are “delta sleep” or deep sleep

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19
Q

Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep?

A

10-20 minutes

EEG resembles the faster, waking brain pattern

Eyes move rapidly back and forth

Autonomic activity increases

Muscles are ‘turned off’

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20
Q

How long do we stay in REM?

A

25% of the night

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21
Q

In which stage are dreams more common?

A

REM sleep

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22
Q

Differences between nREM and REM dreams?

A

nREM:

  • shorter
  • more thought like
  • repetitive
  • concerned with daily tasks

REM:

  • more dreams
  • emotional and illogical
  • prone to plot shifts
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23
Q

What themes are more common in dreams?

A

Negative themes over positive

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24
Q

Do dreams vary by cultural background?

A

Some cultural differences in dream content

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25
What is lucid dreaming?
Awareness of dreaming. Often when something bizarre or unlikely happens
26
Explain the psychodynamic theory of dreaming (Freud)
Repressed wishes or unconscious desires of the ego Includes manifest content: details of the deem itself Latent content: hidden meaning
27
Criticisms of Freud’s dream theory
Why don’t we have more positive dreams Why don’t we have more sexual dreams Why are many dreams everyday activities Nightmares aren’t wish fulfilment
28
What is the activation/synthesis theory of dreaming?
Forebrain tries to interpret signals received from other brain areas during REM ACh activates the nerve cells in the pons - signals are sent to the thalamus and then the language and visual areas of the forebrain - amygdala activation adds emotional content.
29
What is the forebrain hypothesis in relation to dreaming?
Damage to the forebrain can stop dreaming suggesting interaction between forebrain area is important
30
What is the neurocognitive theory of dreaming?
Processing or solving problems integration of previous learned and new information and memory consolidation The complexity of dreaming mirrors cognitive development that’s why adult dreams different from children’s dreams
31
What is insomnia?
An inability to fall asleep (more than 30 mins) Waking during the night or waking too early
32
Is there anyone at a higher risk of insomnia?
People with depression pain medical conditions and older age
33
What are the short term causes of insomnia?
Stress medication’s illness shiftwork jetlag and napping during the day
34
What are the treatments available for insomnia?
Sleeping tablets - may be counterproductive Brief psychotherapy Sleep hygiene- more effective
35
What is narcolepsy?
Rapid and unexpected onset of sleep Overwhelming urge to sleep Cataplexy: complete loss of muscle tone Plummets into REM sleep with hallucinations
36
What is sleep apnoea?
Blockage of the air wats during sleep. Struggling to breathe rouses the person many times throughout the night It raises the risk of death by 17% Normally they need a machine during sleep
37
What are night terrors?
Occur mostly in children Often appear awake and highly distressed No recollection later Occur in stage 3 & 4 of sleep (Nightmares occur in REM sleep)
38
What is sleepwalking?
More frequent in children Can be triggered by stress Usually involves mundane/normal behaviour Typically occurs in nonREM sleep (3&4) Motor activity isn’t fully disconnected
39
What are some effects of sleep deprivation
``` Depression Problems with memory and attention Hallucinations Risk of high blood pressure diabetes and cardiovascular problems Weight gain Reduced immune function ```
40
Caffeine/alcohol and sleep deprivation?
- sleep deprived people perform as badly or worse than intoxicated people - sleep deprivation also magnifies the effects of alcohol - caffeine can’t fix severe sleep deprivation
41
What are hallucinations?
Sensation experienced despite lack of environmental stimuli. Visual cortex is activated.
42
What are out of body experiences?
Sensation of self leaving the body and sometimes travelling to other places or observing the body engaging in activity Possible form of synaesthesia (crossing over of the senses)
43
What are near death experiences?
Sensation of passing to another realm or having your life flash before your eyes Often culturally or religion specific Can be triggered by electrical stimulation of temporal lobe, lack of oxygen, psychedelic and anaesthetic drugs
44
What are some possible scientific explanations for near death experiences
Sense of peace: flood of endorphins Life flashing before eyes: search memories for escape Tunnel, lights and sounds: reduced oxygen supply to the brain
45
What is meditation?
Direct attempts to control attention and awareness
46
What are the two types of meditation?
Concentrative: focus on object, breathing and mantra Mindfulness: detached focus on thoughts, sensation, awareness. Increasingly used in mainstream therapy.
47
What are the benefits of regular meditation?
Increases happiness Reduces hypertension Reduces stress Reduces anxiety
48
What is hypnosis?
Hypnotic induction rituals and suggestions to alter perception, thoughts, feelings and behaviour.
49
What are some common myths of hypnosis?
- people do things against their will - hypnotic phenomena only happen under hypnosis - hypnosis is a dream like state - people forget what happened - hypnosis improves memory
50
Explain the socio-cognitive/non-state theory of hypnosis
Social-cognitive theory of hypnosis. Theory that assumes that people who are hypnotized are not in an altered state but are merely playing the role expected of them in the situation. The non-state theory also suggests that when in a hypnotic state, the subject is actually still in control and actively participating rather than being under the control of the hypnotist who has induced some sort of change in brain function.
51
Explain the dissociation theory (state theory) of hypnosis
Altered state of consciousness is induced. Hypnosis bypasses frontal control processes that govern behaviour Part of mind in altered state of consciousness, dissociated or the hidden observer remains aware
52
How can hypnosis be under in a clinical setting?
Can be used for symptom reduction and habit disorders Not a stand alone therapy (can be used with CBT)
53
What are psychoactive drugs?
Induce changes in thinking, perception and behaviour by affecting neural activity in the brain
54
What are stimulants?
They increase activity of the central nervous system. Tabacco, cocaine, amphetamines, methamphetapmine
55
What is a depressant?
Decreases activity of the central nervous system Eg. Alcohol, Valium
56
What are opiates?
``` Give a sense of euphoria. Decreased pain, sleep. They depress the CNS All derived from poppies Increases or mimics endorphins ``` Eg. Heroin, morphine and codeine
57
What are psychedelic drugs?
Give altered perceptions, mood and thoughts. Hallucinations. Marijuana, LSD, ecstasy
58
What factors affect drug action?
Biochemical: neurotransmitter release is increased, decreases or disregulated by the drug Physiological: CNS is depressed or stimulates (resulting from neurotransmitter changes) that leads to physiological changes Social/cultural: the setting and expectations and beliefs regarding the effects of drugs
59
What are the theories of addiction?
Physical dependence: drug taken to avoid negative withdrawal symptoms Psychological dependence: drug taken to obtain the positive feelings (positive incentive)
60
Reward pathways and drugs | ?
Drugs of dependence result in dopamine release in reward pathways in the brain.
61
Cocaine?
``` Stimulant Euphoria Suppression of hunger and pain Increases mental and physical activity Increases dopamine ``` Blocks dopamine re-uptake transporter - meaning more can bond with the receptors
62
(Meth)amphetamine (speed, crystal meth, ice)?
Stimulant Euphoria Decreases hinder and pain Increases mental and physical activity Paranoia, depression, anxiety, hallucinations Increases dopamine
63
Ecstasy (MDMA)?
Stimulant Sense of well being Feeling close to others Increased tactile sensation Depression following Increases serotonin and dopamine
64
Nicotine?
Stimulant Sense of well-being and alertness Activates receptors associated with the neurotransmitter acetylcholine
65
Alcohol?
Depressant Small amounts increase well being and social interaction but reduce physiological functioning Large effects on GABA (major inhibitory neurotransmitter)
66
Sedatives?
Depressant Benzodiazepines (increase GABA), barbiturates, non-barbiturates Neurotransmitter action depend on type
67
Cannabis?
Hallucinogen Sense of well being, relaxation, changes perception THC - acts on cannabinoid receptors that mimick the effects of endocannibinoids such as anandamide Also increases dopamine Social expectancies play a part in experience Increases risk of psychosis among those with genetic susceptibility
68
LSD?
Hallucinogenic Comes from fungi Can cause synaesthesia, hallucinations and panic, paranoid delusions Acts on serotonin and dopamine Not very addictive - doesn’t produce compulsive drug seeking
69
Psilocybin?
Hallucinogenic Magic mushrooms Affects action of serotonin Used during religious rituals

Brain & behaviour (15 decks)

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