Neurons, neurotransmitters, brain structures, endocrine system, genetics, and the study of sleep and consciousness.
40 cards · basic cards · AI-written, checked twice. Edit anything.
- What is REM sleep characterized by?
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Dreams, rapid eye movements, high brain wave activity similar to waking, and temporary muscle paralysis except the diaphragm- What are the three stages of NREM sleep and how do they progress?
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Stage 1 is light sleep with slow eye movements, Stage 2 involves sleep spindles and K-complexes, and Stage 3 (deep sleep or slow-wave sleep) has delta waves and is hardest to wake from- What is the circadian rhythm?
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An internal biological clock regulating sleep-wake cycles, body temperature, and hormone release on approximately a 24-hour cycle- What happens physiologically during sleep deprivation?
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Impaired cognitive function, memory consolidation problems, weakened immune response, increased stress hormones, and microsleeps- What is insomnia characterized by?
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Persistent difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking too early despite adequate sleep opportunity, lasting at least one month- What is sleep apnea and why is it dangerous?
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A disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, reducing oxygen to the brain and heart and potentially causing sudden arousals- What is narcolepsy?
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A neurological disorder causing sudden, irresistible daytime sleep attacks and often associated with cataplexy, sleep paralysis, and hypnagogic hallucinations- What is the role of the suprachiasmatic nucleus in sleep regulation?
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Located in the hypothalamus, it contains the body's master circadian clock and responds to light-dark cycles to synchronize sleep-wake patterns- What are the different states of consciousness and how do they differ in brain activity?
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Wakefulness has high cortical activation, REM sleep has activation similar to waking despite muscle paralysis, NREM sleep has reduced activation with increasing depth- What altered states of consciousness can be induced through various means?
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Hypnosis, meditation, drug use, extreme stress or trauma, sensory deprivation, and near-death experiences- Where is Broca's area located and what does it control?
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Located in the left frontal lobe; responsible for speech production, language expression, and articulation- Where is Wernicke's area located and what is its function?
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Located in the left temporal lobe; responsible for language comprehension and understanding spoken and written language- What is the corpus callosum and what does it do?
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The largest white matter structure in the brain, containing approximately 200 million axons connecting the left and right hemispheres to enable interhemispheric communication- What is the function of the thalamus?
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Acts as the brain's sensory relay station, routing incoming sensory information to appropriate cortical regions except for olfactory signals which bypass it- What vital functions does the medulla regulate?
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Heart rate, breathing, blood pressure, coughing, swallowing, and vomiting; located at the base of the brainstem
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