Endogenous Pacemakers and Exogenous Zeitgebers Flashcards
(36 cards)
Whta is an endogenous pacemaker
internal body clocks that regulate many of our bio rhythsm such as influence of scn on the swc
what is an exogenous zeitgeber
external factors that affcet or entrain our biological rhythsm such as the infleunce of light on the swc
tell me 3 important thing about suprachiasmatic nucleus
tiny bundle of nerve cells located in the hypothalamus in each hemisphere of the brain
priamry endogenous pacemaker in mammalian species
influential in maintaing circadian rhtytms e.g swc
nerve fibres that are connected to the eye cross where
optic chiasm on theri way to the left and right visual area of the cerebral cortex
where does the scn lie
just above the optic chiasm
how to remebr where scn lies
supra menas above
what does the scn recieve
info about light directly from this structure (lieing above optic chaism?)
continues even when our eyes are closed
the scn recieve info about light whihc ocntinues when our eyes are closed what does this enable
the biological clock to adjust to chanign aptterns of dayligth while we are asleep
animal studies and the scn
how has the influence of the scn been demonstrated
animal studies
who are the researchers that did animal studies to see infleunce on scn
decoursey et al
ralph et al
explain decoursey et al studie
destroyed scn connections in brian of 30 chipmunks
then returned to their natural habittat
observed for 80 days
SWC of chipmunks disapeared and by end of study a significant proportion of them had been killed (presumably cause they were awake , active and vulnerable to attack when they should’ve been asleep)
explain ralph et ak study
bred mutant hamsters with a 20 hour swc
when scn cells from foetal tissue of mutant hamsters were transplanted into the brains of normal hamsters the cycles of the 2nd group defualted to 20 horus
pineal gland and melatonin
the scn passes on wat type of info to where
scn passes info on day length and light taht it recieves to the pineal gland
what is the pineal gland
another endogenous mechanism guifing the swc
during the night what does the pineal gland do
increases production of melatonin
melatonin is a chemical that
induces sleep
inhibtied during periods of wakefulness
its also been suggested as a causal factor in SAD
what does zeitgeber mean
time giver
exogenous zeitgebers are external factors that reset our biological clocks thorugh a process known as
entrainment
in the abscence of external cues what happens
free runing bio clock that contorls swc continues to tick in a distinct cyclical pattern
its then brought in line by environemtnal cues so there is an interaction of internal external factors
what are the 2 main exogenous zeitgebers
light
social cues
light is a key zeitgeber in
humans
how do we know light plays a role in teh maintenance of sws
it can reset the bodys main endogenous pacemaker, the scn