unit 4 states of consciousness. consciousness our level of awareness about ourselves and our...

Unit 4

States of Consciousness

Consciousness

• Our level of awareness about ourselves and our environment – Conscious to the degree we are aware

Crash Course – States of Consciousness

Sleep• Altered state of consciousness.• Less aware of our surroundings.

Biological Rhythms

• Our internal “biological clocks” create periodic physiological fluctuations.

• These cycles occur:– annually (as in seasonal variations

in appetite and mood)– every 28 days (as in women’s

menstrual periods)– every 24 hours (as in daily cycles of

alertness)– every 90 minutes (as in human

sleep stages)

Circadian Rhythm

• 24-hour cycle that regulates our daily schedule of sleeping and waking.

• Light striking the retina, signals the hypothalamus to trigger alterations in the level of sleep chemicals including melatonin.

• Time changes, long flights, shifts in sleep schedules, and exposure to bright light can reset this biological clock.

Sleep Cycle

• A sleep cycle consists of 5 stages– Stage 1 – Stage 2 – Stage 3 – Stage 4 – REM

• Each cycle lasts 90 to 100 minutes

• 4-5 cycles per night

NREM

HOW LONG DO YOU SLEEP?

• Most people, if allowed to sleep as long as they want, will average about 9 hours.

• But sleep is affected by age—newborns, for example, sleep twice as much as adults.

• People also differ in their individual sleep requirements, and twin studies indicate these differences may be partly genetic.

• Cultural expectations about “the perfect sleep” also help determine the amount of sleep we feel is adequate.

Why We Need Our Sleep

• Sleep deprivation puts people at risk for: – Fatigue– a depressed immune system– impaired concentration, creativity, and

communication– Irritability– slowed performance (with greater vulnerability

to accidents). – Chronic sleep deprivation can alter metabolic

and hormonal functioning; creating conditions that may contribute to obesity, hypertension, and memory impairment.

Theories on Sleep • Repair and restorative theory

– Sleeping is essential for revitalizing and restoring our body and mind

• Evolutionary theory– Evolved as a means of conserving energy and avoid

hazardous times.

• Information consolidation theory – people sleep in order to process information that has been

acquired during the day

• Growth Theory – Sleep promotes growth. The pituitary gland secretes a

growth hormone in Stage 4 sleep

Sleep Disorders

• Insomnia • Narcolepsy • Obstructive Sleep Apnea • Parasomnias • Restless Leg Syndrome

Dreams

• Story like images we experience as we sleep• Most common in REM

Most Common Content of Dreams

• We usually dream of ordinary events and everyday experiences

• 80 percent of them involving some anxiety or misfortune.

• Fewer than 10 percent of dreams (and less among women) have any sexual content.

• Most dreams occur during REM sleep; those that happen during non-REM sleep tend to be vague fleeting images.

Freud’s Theory of Dreams

• Dreams are a roadway into our unconscious.

• Dream interpretation – uncover repressed information in our unconscious

• Id vs. Ego • Difficult to validate or invalidate

Activation-Synthesis Theory

• Our Cerebral Cortex is trying to interpret random electrical activity we have while sleeping.

• That is why dreams sometimes make no sense.

Information-Processing Theory

• Brain deals with stress and daily information during REM dreams

• We tend to dream more when we are more stressed.

• Babies need more sleep because they have more new information to process

Other Theories of Dreams:

• Our brain trying to interpret external stimuli during sleep. For example, the sound of the radio may be incorporated into the content of a dream .

• Dreams serve to 'clean up' clutter from the mind, much like clean-up operations in a computer, refreshing the mind to prepare for the next day.

• A form of psychotherapy. The dreamer is able to make connections between different thoughts and emotions in a safe environment .

Hypnosis

Hypnosis

• Altered state of consciousness?

Hypnotic Theories

Role Theory• Hypnosis is NOT an

altered state of consciousness.

• Different people have various state of hypnotic suggestibility.

• A social phenomenon where people want to believe.

• Work better on people with richer fantasy lives.

State Theory• Hypnosis is an altered

state of consciousness.

• Dramatic health benefits

• It works for pain best.

Hypnotic Theories Continued

Dissociation Theory• Theory by Ernest

Hilgard• We voluntarily divide

our consciousness up• Ice Water Experiment• We have a hidden

observer, a level of us that is always aware

Uses of Hypnosis

• Suppress memories • Pain reduction • Anxiety reduction • Encourage relaxation • Reveal information

DREAM ANALYSIS1. On a note card write down an example of a dream

that you have had recently or a dream that you can remember. If you cannot remember one make up a hypothetical dream.

2. In your groups, share your dreams.3. For each dream discuss your interpretations and

decide which theory you believe best explains the dream in question.

4. Select a speaker to make a brief presentation to the class addressing the following questions:

1. What theory did you find best explained the dreams within your group?

2. Was one theory more pomenent that the others? 3. Explain!

• The Experiment: The Assassin

Drugs Prior Knowledge Qs 1. What is a drug?2. Are drugs dangerous? Yes? No? Explain. 3. When you take a drug does it affect your health? If yes, explain.4. When you take a drug does it affect your ability to learn? If yes, explain.5. Define the following:

– Drug Addiction – Tolerance – Withdrawal

6. How does a person become addicted to a drug? 7. If a person is addicted to a drug how does it impact their life? 8. If you knew the “truth” about drugs how could that help you?

DRUGS

“They Said/They Lied”

Drug Statistics

• Illicit drug use in America has been increasing.

• In 2012, an estimated 23.9 million Americans aged 12 or older—or 9.2 percent of the population—had used an illicit drug or abused a psychotherapeutic medication (such as a pain reliever, stimulant, or tranquilizer) in the past month. This is up from 8.3 percent in 2002.

Drug Statistics • Marijuana use has

increased since 2007.

• In 2012, there were 18.9 million current (past-month) users—about 7.3 percent of people aged 12 or older—up from 14.4 million (5.8 percent) in 2007.

• Use of most drugs other than marijuana has not changed appreciably over the past decade or has declined.

Drug Statistics

• Most people use drugs for the first time when they are teenagers.

• There were just over 2.8 million new users (initiates) of illicit drugs in 2012, or about 7,898 new users per day. Half (52 percent) were under 18.

• More than half of new illicit drug users begin with marijuana.

Drug Statistics

• Drug use is highest among people in their late teens and twenties.

• In 2012, 23.9 percent of 18- to 20-year-olds reported using an illicit drug in the past month.

Drug Statistics

• Drug use is increasing among people in their fifties.

• This is, at least in part, due to the aging of the baby boomers, whose rates of illicit drug use have historically been higher than those of previous cohorts.

Drug Statistics • Rates of alcohol dependence/abuse

declined from 2002 to 2012. • In 2012, 17.7 million Americans (6.8 percent

of the population) were dependent on alcohol or had problems related to their use of alcohol (abuse). This is a decline from 18.1 million (or 7.7 percent) in 2002.

• After alcohol, marijuana has the highest rate of dependence or abuse among all drugs.

• In 2012, 4.3 million Americans met clinical criteria for dependence or abuse of marijuana in the past year—more than twice the number for dependence/abuse of prescription pain relievers (2.1 million) and four times the number for dependence/abuse of cocaine (1.1).

Drug Classification

• Drugs can be classified into different categories based on their chemical ingredients and their effects on users.

• Four main categories – Depressants – Stimulants– Opiates – Hallucinogens

Depressants

• Examples: alcohol, barbituates, and Benzodiazepines • Uses: often prescribed for individuals who suffer from anxiety or

sleep disorders.

• Effect on neurotransmission: slows normal brain function by increasing the number of GABA (gammaaminobutyric acid) neurotransmitters which decreases brain activity.

MOUSE PARTY How does the drug effect the neurotransmitters?

Drug Neurotransmitter(s) Involved

Action of Drug Summary Illustration

Alcohol GABA

Glutamate

Increases the inhibitory effects of GABA. Binds to glutamate receptors, preventing glutamate from binding to and exciting the cell.

Signs of use: slurred speech, staggered walk, altered perception, respiratory depression, coma, death, mental fog

• Addiction risk: high addictive potential

• Withdrawal: life-threatening withdraw effects

• Warning: Mixing depressants and stimulants can be fatal

• Warning: Nearly 50% of traffic fatalities are related to alcohol

Stimulants

• Examples: cocaine, methamphetamine, amphetamine, MDMA (Ecstasy), nicotine, and caffeine

• Uses: often prescribed for individuals who suffer from ADHD, narcolepsy, obesity, and depression.

• Effect on neurotransmission: block neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine and dopamine from being reabsorbed.

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/addiction/mouse/

MOUSE PARTY How does the drug effect the neurotransmitters?

Drug Neurotransmitter(s) Involved

Action of Drug Summary Illustration

Cocaine Dopamine Blocks dopamine transporters. Excess dopamine becomes trapped in the synapse where it repeatedly binds to receptors and overstimulates the cell.

MOUSE PARTY How does the drug effect the neurotransmitters?

Drug Neurotransmitter(s) Involved

Action of Drug Summary Illustration

Ecstasy Serotonin Taken up by serotonin transporters. The transporters become “confused” and transport serotonin out of the cell in to the synapse. The serotonin becomes trapped in the synapse, repeatedly binding to receptors and exciting the cell.

MOUSE PARTY How does the drug effect the neurotransmitters?

Drug Neurotransmitter(s) Involved

Action of Drug Summary Illustration

Methamphetamine Dopamine Taken up by dopamine transporters and pushed dopamine out of vesicles. The transporters reverse action and pump dopamine into the synapse where it becomes trapped and repeatedly binds to receptors.

• Signs of use: Increased feeling of euphoria, blood pressure, and heart rate, increased energy, increased body temperature.

• Addiction risk: high addictive potential

• Withdrawal: Not necessarily life threatening but can cause causes depression, fatigue, insomnia, and loss of appetite.

Opiates

• Examples: Heroin, morphine, codeine, prescription pain relievers • Uses: used to treat pain, anesthesia, cough suppression

Lorcet, Lortab, Vicodin Ocycontin, Roxicodone, Percocet

• Effect on neurotransmission: Opiates resemble natural chemicals that have binding sites in the brain called opiate receptors. When the drug binds to these sites it turns off inhibition therefore allowing chemicals to flood the synapse.

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/addiction/mouse/

MOUSE PARTY How does the drug effect the neurotransmitters?

Drug Neurotransmitter(s) Involved

Action of Drug Summary Illustration

Heroin Inhibitory Neurotransmitters Dopamine

Binds to opiate receptors, shutting down the release of inhibitory neurotransmitters. This causes dopamine to flood the synapse.

• Signs of use: Analgesia (feeling no pain), Sedation, Euphoria (feeling high), Respiratory depression, Small pupils, Nausea, vomiting, Itching or flushed skin, confusion or poor judgment

• Addiction risk: Most addictive

• Withdrawal: causes flu like symptoms including muscle aches, nausea and vomiting. Not life threatening

Wednesday was the last day of the quarter. Reflect on everything that we have done so far in this class. What has been your greatest learning experience? What did you have trouble learning or did not like learning? What realistic suggestions do you have for how I can make this course better?

Wednesday was the last day of the quarter. Reflect on everything that we have done so far in this class. What has been your greatest learning experience? What did you have trouble learning or did not like learning? What realistic suggestions do you have for how I can make this course better?

Hallucinogens • Examples: LSD, Mescaline, Psilocybin (magic mushrooms)

Phencydidine (PCP, angel dust), marijuana. • Uses: used to treat symptoms of illnesses such as cancer and

glaucoma. Also used in spiritual rituals.

• Effect on neurotransmission: Hallucinogens work in a variety of ways. They temporarily interfere with neurotransmitter action by binding to their receptor sites and allow excess chemicals to flood the synapse. They can mimic neurotransmitters and over stimulate the cell, or they can mimic the neurotransmitters and decrease the cell activity.

http://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/addiction/mouse/

MOUSE PARTY How does the drug effect the neurotransmitters?

Drug Neurotransmitter(s) Involved

Action of Drug Summary Illustration

LSD Serotonin Mimics serotonin and binds to serotonin receptors. Can be inhibitory or excitatory.

MOUSE PARTY How does the drug effect the neurotransmitters?

Drug Neurotransmitter(s) Involved

Action of Drug Summary Illustration

Marijuana

Inhibitory Neurotransmitters

Dopamine

Binds to cannabinoid receptors and turns off the release of inhibitory neurotransmitters. Excess dopamine floods the synapse.

• Signs of use: Analgesia (inability to feel pain), memory loss, blurred vision, dilated pupils, impaired motor skills, seizures, sensory distortions.

• Addiction risk: Moderate addiction potential. Over time, overstimulation of the endocannabinoid system by marijuana use can cause changes in the brain that lead to addiction. It is estimated that 9 percent of people who use marijuana will become dependent on it.

• Withdrawal: Not life threatening causes a zombie-like state, and can result in aggressive, hostile or violent behavior.