Consciousness and Drugs Consciousness and Drugs

ConsciousnessConsciousness

• Selective AttentionSelective Attentiono Focusing/conscious awareness on a Focusing/conscious awareness on a

particular stimulusparticular stimuluso ““Cocktail party phenomenon”Cocktail party phenomenon”

• Selective InattentionSelective Inattentiono ““Inattentional blindness” (or, ‘gorillas in Inattentional blindness” (or, ‘gorillas in

the midst’)the midst’)o We also divert our attention from We also divert our attention from

information that (while relevant) might information that (while relevant) might be emotionally upsettingbe emotionally upsetting

SleepSleep

• Circadian rhythmCircadian rhythmo Cyclical biological process revolving Cyclical biological process revolving

around daily cycles of light and darkaround daily cycles of light and dark

o During periods of darkness, pineal gland During periods of darkness, pineal gland produces sleep-inducing hormones produces sleep-inducing hormones (melatonin) that diminish during the day(melatonin) that diminish during the day

SleepSleep StagesStages

SleepSleep

• Sleep patternsSleep patternso Infants sleep 2/3 of every day; Adults sleep Infants sleep 2/3 of every day; Adults sleep

about 1/3about 1/3

• Sleep deprivationSleep deprivation o Reduces functioning of immune system and Reduces functioning of immune system and

concentration concentration o Increases production of stress hormones Increases production of stress hormones

(cortisol) which create body fat(cortisol) which create body fato Rats deprived of sleep die after two weeksRats deprived of sleep die after two weeks

SleepSleep

• Common sleep disordersCommon sleep disorderso InsomniaInsomniao Narcolepsy Narcolepsy o Sleep apneaSleep apneao Night terrorsNight terrorso Sleepwalking, sleepeatingSleepwalking, sleepeatingo Teeth grindingTeeth grinding

SleepSleep

• InsomniaInsomniao Chronic inability to fall asleep, stay asleep, or Chronic inability to fall asleep, stay asleep, or

feel fully restedfeel fully restedo Affects ~6% of men and ~15% of women Affects ~6% of men and ~15% of women o ““Treatments”Treatments”

• Many sleeping pills significantly disrupts sleep Many sleeping pills significantly disrupts sleep patternspatterns

• Modify sleep schedule so that you get up and Modify sleep schedule so that you get up and go to sleep at roughly the same times each go to sleep at roughly the same times each dayday

• Maintain exercise regime, relax half an hour Maintain exercise regime, relax half an hour before bed, avoid bright lightsbefore bed, avoid bright lights                

SleepSleep

• NarcolepsyNarcolepsyo Excessive daytime sleepiness and/or sudden, Excessive daytime sleepiness and/or sudden,

uncontrollable lapses into sleep during the dayuncontrollable lapses into sleep during the dayo Sudden loss of muscle tone, can lead to Sudden loss of muscle tone, can lead to

collapse, and REM sleepcollapse, and REM sleepo Currently no known cure Currently no known cure

SleepSleep• Sleep apneaSleep apnea

o Repeatedly choking and gasping during sleepRepeatedly choking and gasping during sleepo Can occur 300-500 times per night, often with Can occur 300-500 times per night, often with

no recollection of waking upno recollection of waking upo Soft tissue in the back of the throat relaxes, Soft tissue in the back of the throat relaxes,

causing airway blockagecausing airway blockageo Disrupts sleep rhythms, less time in deep, Disrupts sleep rhythms, less time in deep,

restorative sleep (lack of REM sleep), leads to restorative sleep (lack of REM sleep), leads to diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, weight gainstroke, weight gain

o TreatmentsTreatments Surgery to remove sagging or excess tissue Surgery to remove sagging or excess tissue

in throat in throat Pressurized oxygen mask (CPAP) to keep Pressurized oxygen mask (CPAP) to keep

airway openairway open

SleepSleep

• Lifestyle changes that can help sleep apneaLifestyle changes that can help sleep apneao Lose weight.Lose weight. Even a small amount of weight loss Even a small amount of weight loss

can open up throat and improve apnea symptomscan open up throat and improve apnea symptoms

o Quit smoking.Quit smoking. Smoking increases inflammation Smoking increases inflammation and fluid retention in throat and upper airwayand fluid retention in throat and upper airway

o Avoid alcohol, sleeping pills, and sedatives Avoid alcohol, sleeping pills, and sedatives as as they relax muscles in the throat and interfere with they relax muscles in the throat and interfere with breathing breathing

o Maintain regular sleep hours.Maintain regular sleep hours.  Apnea episodes   Apnea episodes decrease with plenty of sleep. decrease with plenty of sleep.

SleepSleep

• Night terrorsNight terrorso Sit up in bed with terrified screams and Sit up in bed with terrified screams and

thrashing aroundthrashing aroundo Ends abruptly and individual returns to sleep Ends abruptly and individual returns to sleep

often with no recollection of what happenedoften with no recollection of what happened o Usually occurs during Stage 4 sleep Usually occurs during Stage 4 sleep

Note: nightmares occur during Note: nightmares occur during REM REM sleepsleep

o Typically affects childrenTypically affects children As we grow older and spend less time in As we grow older and spend less time in

Stage 4 sleep, night terrors diminish Stage 4 sleep, night terrors diminish

SleepSleep

• SleepeatingSleepeatingo Individual is unawareIndividual is unaware of their behaviorof their behavioro Roaming the house, particularly the Roaming the house, particularly the

kitchen, eating large quantities of food kitchen, eating large quantities of food (as well as non-food items)(as well as non-food items)

o Food consumed tend to be high in Food consumed tend to be high in sugar/fat sugar/fat

Odd combinations (potato chips with Odd combinations (potato chips with peanut butter, butter and hot dogs)peanut butter, butter and hot dogs)

o Affects ~1-3% of populationAffects ~1-3% of population

SleepSleep

• SleepeatingSleepeatingo Often a symptom of a larger underlying Often a symptom of a larger underlying

issueissueo High correlation with eating disorders and High correlation with eating disorders and

other anxiety disordersother anxiety disorderso TreatmentsTreatments

Stress managementStress management TherapyTherapy Limit caffeine and alcohol consumptionLimit caffeine and alcohol consumption Benzodiazapines (to reduce motor function Benzodiazapines (to reduce motor function

at night)at night)

Altered StatesAltered States

• More altered states of consciousness More altered states of consciousness o MeditationMeditationo HypnosisHypnosiso Drug-induced statesDrug-induced states

DrugsDrugs

• Definitions Definitions o ToleranceToleranceo DependenceDependence

• Physical and psychologicalPhysical and psychological

o Withdrawal Withdrawal

DrugsDrugs• DepressantsDepressants

o Alcohol, barbiturates/tranquilizers, Alcohol, barbiturates/tranquilizers, morphine/heroin (opiates)morphine/heroin (opiates)

o Creates disinhibition, slows neural processing, Creates disinhibition, slows neural processing, interferes processing of STM to LTMinterferes processing of STM to LTM

• StimulantsStimulantso Methamphetamine, caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, Methamphetamine, caffeine, nicotine, cocaine,

ecstasy ecstasy o Temporarily excite neural activity Temporarily excite neural activity

• HallucinogensHallucinogenso LSD, marijuanaLSD, marijuanao Distort perceptions and evoke sensory imagesDistort perceptions and evoke sensory images