Module 2B: States of Conciousness

waking

A normal state of consciousness characterized by alertness and awareness of external stimuli.

biological clock

An innate mechanism in living organisms that controls the periodicity of many physiological functions.

Stimulants

Drugs (such as caffeine, nicotine, and the more powerful amphetamines, cocaine, and Ecstasy) that excite neural activity and speed up body functions.

zeitgebers

Environmental cues, such as the light-dark cycle, that entrain circadian rhythms

sleep

The components of sleep characterized by theta and delta wave activity, as recorded by electroencephalogram, and deep physical relaxation. The component of sleep characterized by waveforms resembling waking, as measured by electroencephalogram, accompanied by rapid motion of the eyes, muscular paralysis, and sympathetic nervous system activation.

default mode network (DMN)

The network of brain structures that tends to be active when the brain is in default mode.

self-consciousness

The special understanding of the self as distinct from other stimuli.

paradoxical sleep

The type of sleep encountered during REM when internally, the brain and body are active; while externally, the body appears calm and inactive

cocaine and amphetamines

These two drugs interact with several neurotransmitters: dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin. produce alertness, elevated mood, confidence, sense of wellbeing, can produce symptoms similar to schizophrenia. Both are among the most addictive available substances.

brain death

a complete and irreversible lack of measurable brain activity evidenced by two flatline EEG recordings taken 24 hours apart or lack of blood circulation to the brain

addiction

a compulsive, physical or psychological dependence on a substance or activity that continues in spite of negative consequences

lucid dreaming

a conscious awareness of dreaming accompanied by the ability to control the content of the dream. People are aware that they are dreaming and they might use this awareness to control or direct the consent of the dream.

Restless legs syndrome (RLS)

a disorder characterized by the involuntary movement of an extremity, usually one leg

Marijuana

a hallucinogen, the smoked form of cannabis remains the most commonly used federally illegal substance, effects are often very subtle including some excitation, vivid imagery, mild euphoria, depression and social withdrawal,

dreaming

a mental state that usually occurs during sleep that features visual imagery.

onset insomnia

a person lies in bed for what seems like a long period but is unable to go to sleep (frequently caused by stress and anxiety)

LSD (lysergic acid diethylamide)

a powerful hallucinogenic drug; also known as acid, chemically similar to serotonin and interacts with serotonin receptors to produce hallucination in an unknown way

Methamphetamine (Meth)

a powerfully addictive drug that stimulates the central nervous system, with speeded-up body functions and associated energy and mood changes; over time, appears to reduce baseline dopamine levels

rouge test

a self-recognition test that identifies a human child's ability to recognize a reflection in a mirror as his or her own

insomnia

a sleep disorder characterized by the inability to either initiate or maintain normal sleep.

narcolepsy

a sleep disorder characterized by the intrusion of REM phenomena into waking, in which REM sleep occurs during wakefulness ("sleep attacks").

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)

a sleep disorder in which an otherwise healthy infant dies while asleep

sleep terrors

a sleep disorder occurring in N-REM sleep in which the sleepers wakes suddenly in great distress but without experiencing the imagery of a nightmare.

Methylphenidate (Ritalin)

a stimulant used in treating ADHD, boost the activity of dopamine and norepinephrine which increase the users ability to stay alert and concentrate.

Meditation

a voluntary alteration of consciousness characterized by positive emotion and absence of thought, techniques vary.

beta waves

a waveform of 15 to 20 cycles per second recorded by EEG that usually indicates alert waking and is characterized by rapid, irregular and low-amplitude waves that indicate the cerebral cortex is processing large amounts of diverse data.

theta waves

a waveform of 4-7 cycles per second recorded by EEG that is characteristic of lighter stages of N-REM sleep

alpha waves

a waveform of 9-12 cycles per second recorded by EEG that usually indicates relaxed waking. A person experiencing it is awake but relaxed as the waves are slightly slower, larger and more regular.

gamma waves

a waveform of more than 30 cycles per second recorded by EEG that indicates attention to sensory input, particularly visual stimuli.

vegatative state

abnormal state following brain injury featuring wakefulness with consciousness, often follows a period of coma

seizures

an abnormal level of brain activation with a sudden onset, uncontrolled electrical disturbances in the brain that often produce changes in consciousness

Hypnosis

an altered state of consciousness characterized by relaxation and increased suggestibility.

near-death experience

an altered state of consciousness reported after a close brush with death (such as through cardiac arrest); often similar to drug-induced hallucinations

psychoactive drugs

any drug or substance that has the capability to alter a person's state of consciousness

Alcohol

at low doses dilates blood vessels, inhibition of higher levels of the brain leads to aggression, risky behaviors, poor motor coordination and sometimes coma or death. produces its main behavioral effects by boosting the effects of GABA, depressing the activity of the brain, specifically the cerebral cortex and blocking receptors for the major excitatory neurotransmitter, glutamate. Stimulates reward pathways that release dopamine, additive potential.

absense seizure

brain waves show generalized rhythmic activity for a few seconds, but hundreds of times a day. no unusual muscle activity, except for stopping and starring. Events during seizure are not remembered

Non-Rapid Eye Movement (NREM) Sleep

components of sleep characterized by theta and delta wave activity as recorded by the EEG and deep physical relaxation. It is divided into four stages

Prosopagnosia

condition that affects a persons ability to recognize faces

stage 2 of NREM sleep

definitely asleep, reductions in heart rate, muscle tension occurs, EEG shows special waveforms called K complexes and sleep spindles that might reflect the brains effort to keep us asleep through familiar stimuli while waking in response to unexpected stimuli.

MDMA (ecstasy)

designer drug that can have both stimulant and hallucinatory effects

maintenance insomnia

difficulty staying asleep

Depressants

drugs (such as alcohol, barbiturates, and opiates) that reduce neural activity and slow body functions

Stage 3 NREM sleep

further reductions in heart rate and muscle tension, some delta waves

tonic-clonic seizure

generalized seizure in which the patient loses consciousness and has jerking movements of paired muscle groups

Caffeine

interferes with the inhibition normally produced by adenosine in the brain. If you keep an inhibitory substance such as adenosine from doing its job, the result is excitation and alertness.

major depressive disorder with season pattern

mood disorder in which depression occurs regularly at the same time each year usually during the winter moods as the reduction of daylight hours interferes with circadian rhythms.

Heroin

narcotic drug derived from opium that is extremely addictive

Opioids

natural or synthetic substances that interact with endorphin receptors.

obstructive sleep apnea

occur in people who are obese or snore

central sleep apnea

occurs when brainstem neurons responsible for maintaining breathing during sleep malfunction

Cataplexy

occurs when the muscle paralysis associated with REM sleep occurs during wakefulness without a loss of consciousness.

stage 1 of NREM:

occurs when we first go into sleep, difficult to distinguish from those drowsy, theta waves which are larger and slower than alpha waves are observed. people might not be aware they are sleeping and this only lasts around 10-15 minutes.

Capgras syndrome

people are convinced that imposters have taken the place of familiar people, produces opposite effects of prosopagnosia, the ability to recognize faces remains intact but the sense of emotion and familiarity is distorted

stage 4 NREM sleep

profound reductions in heart rate and muscle tension, very low responsiveness to stimuli, large amounts of delta

Hallucinogens

psychedelic drugs, such as LSD, that distort perceptions and evoke sensory images in the absence of sensory input

tetrhydrocannabinol (THC)

psychoactive compound which produces some of its behavioral effects by interacting with receptors for endogenous cannabinoids,

entheogens

psychoactive substances sometimes used in religious or spiritual rituals, commonly called hallucinogenic drugs

consciousness

refers to knowing or being aware of ongoing experiences occurring both internally and in the world around us. (A state of awareness)

Epilepsy

seizure disorder, recurring seizures

partial seizure

seizure involving only limited areas of the brain with localized symptoms

Generalized seizures

seizures that involve the entire brain

sleep apnea

sleep order in which the person stops breathing while asleep

coma

state of profound unconsciousness

activation-synthesis theory

suggests that the content of dreams simply reflects on going neural activity (dreams of unable to move might mirror the muscle paralysis present during REM sleep)

circadian rhythm

the biological clock; regular bodily rhythms that occur on a 24-hour cycle

rapid eye movement (REM) sleep

the component of sleep characterized by waveforms resembling waking as measured by EEG accompanied by rapid motion of the eyes, muscular paralysis and sympathetic nervous system activation.

withdrawal

the discomfort and distress that follow discontinuing the use of an addictive drug

state of awareness

the level of conscious awareness of internal states or surrounding which can be high or low and realistic or distorted (asleep or awake, perceiving realistically or hallucinating, hypnotized or not, meditating or not)

Tolerance

the need to administer greater quantities of a drug to achieve the same subjective effect

mind wandering

the situation in which a person's attention and thoughts wander from the current task to some other, inappropriate line of thought

REM rebound

the tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation (created by repeated awakenings during REM sleep)

nicotine

usually in the form of smoked or chewed tobacco, mimics the action of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (increases heart rate and blood pressure, reduces fatigue, improves cognitive performance while producing muscular relaxation)

nightmares

when the content of a REM dream is especially upsetting.