The stage that displays predominantly theta waves in EEG
stage 1 NREM sleep
Which type of mammals are able to sleep with one side of the brain at a time?
seals or dolphins
Which neurotransmitter inhibits synaptic activity in the brain?
GABA
In addition to the nighttime, when are we most likely to have a circadian "dip" in our alertness?
in the afternoon
A term for the basic mental process of learning new information
memory encoding
During this sleep stage breathing becomes more regular and awareness of external stimulation decreases
stage 2
diurnal
The definition/description of animal sleep that takes place at night but not typically during the day.
This neuropeptide is necessary for staying awake but not for waking up.
orexin/hypocretin
What type of experiments showed that circadian rhythms have a strong effect on sleep consolidation?
forced desynchrony experiments
What does the fact that memory traces in the brain are iteratively reactivated suggest?
memory consolidation takes place during sleep
The name for the electrical measurement of muscle tone
electromyography (EMG)
The concept that sleep doesn't appear to serve a set of universal evolutionary functions explains
why different animals have such a diversity in sleep time and structures
This brain structure plays a key role in triggering REM sleep by generating PGO waves
the Pons
the suprachiasmatic nucleus
the primary circadian pacemaker in the brain
Explain synaptic strength
it is the connection strength between two neurons
What change in the brain contributes to a decreased sense of "consciousness" during sleep?
the thalamus limits sensory information from reaching the frontal cortex
Name a problem with using EEG as a readout for sleep in other species
sleep / wake EEG arise from the neocortex which is not found in fish, frogs, worms, etc.
EEG features that correlate with sleep in humans don't always correlate with sleep in other animals.
electrical recordings of the brain are invasive and can prevent an animal from successfully sleeping.
This area of the brain releases norepinephrine and emits bursts of impulses in response to meaningful events.
The Locus Coeruleus
What happens if you restore the SCN of a lesioned hamster?
the circadian rhythm is restored.
What were the results of the paired associates task?
both sleep at night, and naps, were beneficial for verbal learning.
Stage 2 NREM sleep is characterized by this unique feature of EEG
sleep spindles
What type of sleep allows frigate birds more vigilance during long distance flights?
unihemispheric slow-wave sleep (USWS)
Which neurotransmitter is released by the basal forebrain and what does it do?
Acetylcholine plays a key role in promoting arousal and attention by spreading through the thalamus and cortex.
What serves as a signal to the brain that day length is longer than predicted?
Light exposure in the early evening
When a rat runs a maze, what is the evidence it is having memories reactivated while sleeping?
the place cells of the hippocampus fire at each spot along the track.