Motivation and Internal regulation Flashcards
(24 cards)
What is the term for the internal mechanism that regulates sleep cycles?
endogenous circadian rhythms
These rhythms last about a day and are observed even in total darkness.
What is the role of the suprachiasmatic nucleus?
It acts as the biological clock located above the optic chiasm.
What hormone does the pineal gland release to induce sleepiness?
melatonin
What is a zeitgeber?
an external cue that helps reset the biological clock
Examples include light, exercise, noise, temperature, and meals.
What special photopigment do retinal ganglion cells use to respond to light?
melanopsin
Which stages of sleep are characterized by irregular activity and high but declining EEG activity?
Stage 1 and 2
What type of sleep is characterized by highly synchronized neuronal activity?
slow wave sleep (Stage 3 and 4)
What is REM sleep known for?
occurs in 90-minute cycles and is associated with dreaming
What are PGO waves?
pons-geniculate-occipital waves involved in REM sleep
Name a common sleep disorder that involves an inability to breathe while sleeping.
sleep apnea
What hypothesis suggests that dreams are an effort to make sense of distorted information?
Activation-synthesis hypothesis
What is the Clinico-Anatomical Hypothesis regarding dreaming?
Dreaming is thinking with suppressed senses and no working memory.
What area of the brain responds to changes in temperature?
pre optic area near the hypothalamus
What hormone does the pituitary gland secrete when water is scarce?
vasopressin
What is a characteristic of anorexia nervosa?
unwillingness to eat
What condition is characterized by extreme dieting mixed with binge eating?
Bulimia Nervosa
Why do men and women exhibit different reproductive traits?
due to different selection pressures in evolutionary history
What is the effect of androgens produced in the testes and adrenal glands?
they influence male sexual characteristics
Fill in the blank: The hypothalamus has neurons sensitive to hunger and feeling _______.
full
What is the cultural influence on obesity?
a huge cultural influence exists, with a propensity to like fatty foods
What can happen if someone with anorexia nervosa does not receive treatment?
it can even cause death
How does bulimia nervosa relate to drug addiction?
it involves an imbalance of hormones associated with feeling
Name sleep disorders
- insomnia
- sleep apnea - inability to breathe whilst sleeping
- Narcolepsy - attacks of sleepiness during the day
- Periodic Limb movement disorder
Why do we sleep?
- form of energy conservation ? hibernating hamsters live longer than other hamsters
- sleep enhances memory
- We spend 1/5 sleep in REM and emotional activity happens
- babies have more REM sleep than adults
- Moisturising the eyeballs - but corneas aren’t damaged if deprived
