Question 1

The part of the brain that has been found to be most active during lucid dreaming is the ________, which suggests that such dreams occur when this brain area just "wakes up" during sleep.

Accepted Answer

The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex has been found to be most active during lucid dreaming, which suggests that these dreams occur when this brain area just "wakes up" during sleep.

Question 2

New mom Lin was up most of the night with her infant daughter. To give Lin a chance to sleep, her husband takes the baby to his parents' house for a few hours. As soon as they leave, Lin falls fast asleep. What stage of sleep does Lin likely enter to compensate for her lack of sleep?

Accepted Answer

The answer of New mom Lin was up most of...

Question 3

Aurora talks to her therapist about a recurring dream in which she encounters a ferocious lion that has just escaped from local zoo. She works with her therapist to learn how to form a conscious awareness of the dream and to control the dream by turning the lion into a kitten. What technique is Aurora utilizing?

Accepted Answer

Aurora is utilizing lucid dreaming, a technique where the dreamer becomes aware that they are dreaming and can exert some control over the dream's content and environment.

Question 4

Which scenario best illustrates the concept of a night terror?

Accepted Answer

Night terrors involve episodes of intense fear, screaming, and flailing while still asleep, often with no recollection of the event upon waking, which matches Hector's scenario.

Question 5

During REM sleep, specific brainstem neurons show reduced activity. What types of neurotransmitters are released by these neurons?

Accepted Answer

During REM sleep, there is reduced activity in brainstem neurons that release serotonin and norepinephrine, which are involved in promoting wakefulness and inhibiting REM sleep.

Question 6

Consuela stands in front of her American History class to give a presentation. She suddenly loses consciousness and suffers a "sleep attack" referred to as ____.

Accepted Answer

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder characterized by sudden and uncontrollable "sleep attacks" where the person falls asleep without warning, often at inappropriate times. It can also be accompanied by other symptoms such as cataplexy, which is a sudden loss of muscle tone usually triggered by strong emotions. Dyspnea is difficulty breathing, and ataxia is a lack of muscle coordination.

Question 7

Dan, startled by the sound of a loud thump in the middle of the night, catches a glimpse of his roommate Yi wandering around their dorm room. The next morning Dan asks about the loud thump and Yi replies, "I think I was asleep the entire night . . . but I have been known to sleepwalk from time-to-time." What stage of sleep was Yi likely experiencing while sleepwalking?

Accepted Answer

Sleepwalking occurs during Stage 3 or 4 N-REM sleep, also known as slow-wave sleep. This is the deepest stage of N-REM sleep and is characterized by slow brain waves, relaxed muscles, and a decrease in heart rate and breathing. It is during this stage that sleepwalking and other sleep-related behaviors can occur.

Question 8

Vanessa crams for her anatomy and physiology final by staying up the entire night before the exam. What is a likely consequence of Vanessa's actions?

Accepted Answer

Staying up the entire night before an exam can lead to sleep deprivation, which can decrease Vanessa's capacity to remember the material. This can result in poor performance, even if Vanessa experiences a surge of energy during the test. Resting her eyes periodically (B) may be a short-term fix for eye strain, but it is not a significant consequence compared to decreased memory capacity. Option D is also incorrect as normal mental functioning can return after one or two nights of normal sleep following sleep deprivation.

Question 9

Why is it thought that the human infant spends about half of its sleep time in REM?

Accepted Answer

REM sleep in infants is believed to provide the necessary stimulation for brain development and the formation of neural connections, which is crucial for brain "wiring."

Question 10

Carlos stands in front of his Thursday night slam poetry group to recite his most recent work. He suddenly experiences temporary muscle paralysis but does not lose consciousness, a condition termed ____.

Accepted Answer

Carlos is experiencing cataplexy, which is a sudden and temporary muscle weakness or paralysis that is often brought on by strong emotions, such as the excitement or nervousness of performing in front of a crowd. Dyspnea refers to difficulty breathing, ataxia refers to a lack of muscle coordination, and narcolepsy is a disorder characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness and sudden bouts of sleep.

Question 11

Study participants who were selectively deprived of Stages 3 and 4 N-REM sleep reported ____.

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that selective deprivation of Stages 3 and 4 N-REM sleep leads to reports of muscle and joint pain.

Question 12

Which disorder is correlated with individuals spending a greater portion of their sleeping time in REM?

Accepted Answer

Individuals with depression often experience alterations in their sleep architecture, including spending a greater portion of their sleeping time in REM sleep.

Question 13

What is the evidence to suggest that sleep plays an important role in repairing the body?

Accepted Answer

Human growth hormone, which aids in repairing and rebuilding tissues in the body, is released during Stages 3 and 4 of N-REM sleep. Therefore, this suggests that sleep plays an important role in repairing the body.

Question 14

What is the physiological basis for night terrors?

Accepted Answer

Night terrors occur when the transition from Stage 4 N-REM sleep to REM sleep goes awry. This results in a mismatch between the body's state of deep sleep and the brain's state of active dreaming. This can cause extreme physiological reactions such as crying, screaming, sweating, and increased heart rate, which may appear as a night terror.

Question 15

Darius suffers from insomnia; his family practitioner prescribes zolpidem to treat his insomnia. What can Darius expect from the medication?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Darius suffers from insomnia; his family practitioner...

Question 16

Maria dreams that she is standing in the middle of the street as a bus travels toward her, but she feels frozen and cannot move out of the way. According to which theory does Maria's inability to move reflect the muscle paralysis that occurs during the REM state?

Accepted Answer

The activation-synthesis theory suggests that dreams result from the brain's attempt to make sense of random neural activity during REM sleep, which includes muscle paralysis.

Question 17

One hypothesized mechanism by which antidepressant medications help to regulate mood is the suppression of ______ sleep.

Accepted Answer

Antidepressant medications are thought to suppress REM sleep, as decreased REM sleep has been associated with improvement in depressive symptoms.

Question 18

Aviva wakes up abruptly after she dreams she is falling from the sky. She is relieved to find herself safe and secure in her comfortable bed. What may have caused Aviva to feel as if she were falling?

Accepted Answer

The sensation of falling in dreams is often linked to the activation of the vestibular system, which is responsible for balance and spatial orientation.

Question 19

Dora has no problem falling asleep each night, but she wakes up frequently in the middle of the night and often cannot fall back asleep. From what type of insomnia does Dora suffer?

Accepted Answer

Dora suffers from maintenance insomnia, which is characterized by difficulty staying asleep or waking up frequently during the night.

Question 20

What is a typical REM and N-REM cycling in humans?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is a typical REM and N-REM...

Quiz 6: The Aware Mind: Elements of Consciousness