Quiz #8 Flashcards
(24 cards)
What is consciousness?
The ability to be aware of self and surroundings
Subjective component of consciousness
internal, 1st person, mental, awareness of self
Objective component of consciousness
external, 3rd person, behavioral
Core consciousness
- sense of selves in here and now
- sense of objects in here and now
- sense of the relationship between these objective and ourselves
- location in cingulate cortex and projects to cortical regions to provide sense of self
Glasgow coma scale
15 point scale that attempts to measure a person’s level of consciousness
Levels of Glasgow coma scale
13+ = possible minor brain injury
9-12 = moderate brain injury
less than 9 = severe brain injury
less than 8 = coma
- eyes (e) 4
- verbal (v) 5
- motor (m) 6
Reticular formation
- spans from medulla to midbrain
- network of neurons located in brainstem
- diffuse network
- no distinct boundaries
- receives sensory input from various parts of the body and send the signal into areas of the brainstem
- web-like
Functions of reticular formation
- breathing
- heart rate
- integrate info from all regions of CNS and supports consciousness through ascending reticular activating system
Reticular activating system
- starts at reticular formation and sends information through the thalamus to cerebral cortex to play a role in wakefulness/alertness
- projects to cerebral cortex
- damage can lead to coma
Ascending reticular activating system
communicate from thalamus to cortex
Functions of reticular activating system
cortical arousal
cortical wakefulness
consciousness
fight/flight
attention
muscle tone
Persistent vegetative state
- no purposeful response to stimuli
- no brainstem reflexes
- demonstrate sleep-wake cycle
- demonstrate EEG patterns - severely depressed
Extended consciousness
- our sense of selves in the flow of time
- thinking about ourselves in the past
- forecast ourselves living in the future
- known as the autobiographical self (depends on LTM and core consciousness)
Rancho levels of cognitive functioning
- 8 level scale
- tracks a person’s emergency from a coma
- Level I: lowest level
- Level VIII: highest level
Dementia
- greatest effect is on extended consciousness and loss of autobiographical self (begin to see in early stages)
- core consciousness will begin to be affected later
Brain stem reflexes
gag reflex, swallow reflex, laryngeal adductor reflex, sudden inspiratory gasp
Brain death
no responses to stimuli, no brainstem reflexes, no sleep-wake cycle, EEG patterns are flat
Coma
no purposeful response to stimuli, no brainstem reflexes, no sleep-wake cycle, demonstrate EEG patterns - severely depressed, results from trauma (external, internal), infection, or disease; generally patient will die or shift to a different state within 3 weeks
Minimally conscious state
response to stimuli inconsistent, brainstem reflexes, sleep-wake cycle present, variable EEG patterns
Locked-in syndrome
eyes if not paralyzed, brainstem reflexes, sleep-wake cycle present, variable EEG patterns
Aphasia
both core and extended consciousness are preserved
Epilepsy
both core and extended consciousness are impaired
Coma stimulation of 5 senses
vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch
- used to speed emergence from coma
Auditory brain response
- does not require patient to respond
- measures electrical activity in auditory pathway as sound is introduced
