Review - sleep

3 important questions on Review - sleep

Describe how sleep is regulated by the brain.

- Adenosine is a sleep promoting substance that accumulates during wakefulness and is degraded during sleep --> inhibits neural activity and causes sleep deprivation symptoms; caffeine blocks adenosine receptors
- genetic factors affect the duration of slow wave sleep --> differences in adenosine deaminase gene (breaks down adenosine); G/A allele breaks down adenosine more slowly, longer slow wave sleep.

Describe the different types of sleep waves and when you would see each.

- Awake activity
  • alpha waves - resting, medium frequency waves, regular
  • beta waves - alert, attentive, high frequency waves, irregular
- sleep activity
  • theta waves - sleeping, medium/low frequency waves
  • delta waves - deep sleep, low frequency

Describe different neurotransmitters and their levels in wakefulness and REM/deep sleep.

  • Adenosine - increase with longer wake periods, low in REM
  • Acetylcholine - high in wake, high in rem; involved in arousal of cerebral cortex
  • Norepinephrine- high in wake,  low in rem
  • serotonin - high in wake, low in rem
  • histamine - high in wake, low in rem
  • orexin - high in wake, low in rem

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

  • A unique study and practice tool
  • Never study anything twice again
  • Get the grades you hope for
  • 100% sure, 100% understanding
Remember faster, study better. Scientifically proven.
Trustpilot Logo