Zusammenfassung der Ressource
Biological Rhythms
- Circadian
- Decoursey and krulas: Found
that chipmunks that had their
endogenous clocks surgically
damaged so that they lost their
normal rest-activity cycles were
more prone to predation in the
wild.
- Animals which lose
the ability to adjust to
these 24 hour cycles
do not survive for as
long as those that can
adjust.
- Observation has made it apparent
that the rhythms are controlled
endogenously. The cycles continue
in absence of exogenous cues.
Studies has isolated humans from
from all exogenous cues that may
indicate time such as light and
temperature.
- Micheal Siffre: Spent long periods of
time isolated under ground in caves.
His longest study lasted 205 days.
He had no way of knowing what the
time was. Researchers found that
his sleeping pattern was erratic but
soon settled into a regular
free-running rhythm. his day shifted
to 25 hours in length.
- Ultradian
- Sleep has it's own
identifiable Ultradian
Rhythm. REM and NREM.
- When we go to sleep we enter our first 4 stages of
NREM sleep. Stages 3+4 are known as SWS (slow
wave). After 20 mins of SWS we enter REM sleep.
For the rest of the night sleep shifts from SWS to
REM aprox every 90 mins. A typical nights sleep of
8 hrs may have contained 5 cycles of NREM and
REM sleep.
- The regularity of the cycle suggests that there is a brain mechanism causing
sleep to alternate between NREM and REM sleep. Research has suggested that
this mechanism in in the brain stem. JOUVET found that destruction of an area
called the Locus Coeruleus in the brain cell of cats would permenantly destroy
their REM sleep.
- Klietman: Rest-activity cycle - It is a human
biological cycle of approximately 90
minutes, that is characterized by different
level of excitement and rest. The cycle is
controlled by the human biological clock. It
is best observed in stages of sleep, for
example, REM and the delta activity cycle.
When awake, your brainwaves are faster
during the first half of your BRAC, when you
feel alert and focused, and then your
brainwaves slow during the second half, till
you reach the last 20 minutes when you
feel dreamy and perhaps a little tired, while
your body's being readied for the alert part
of the following BRAC; when asleep, your
brainwaves first slow and then rise, and the
BRAC occurs as stages of sleep — first
falling into deep sleep, then rising into the
REM (Rapid Eye-Movement) stage, when
dreams occur.
- Ultradian Rhythm in Neurochemical
Activity: Salomon et al- investigated
neurochemical ultradian rhythms in
people with depression. they took
Cerebrospinal fluid from 15 depressed
patients at 10 minute intervals for 24
hours before and after anti-depressants.
there was a change in ultradian rhythms
suggesting that abnormal ultradian
rhythms are part of the general
pathophysiology of depression.
- Ultradian Rhythms in Urine flow. Mandell et al: found evidence of
ultradian rhythms in urine flow. They catherterised 7 men and
measured urine flow over 11 nights. Periods of urine flow were
associated with REM sleep. Within 2 minutes of REM sleep urine
flow decreased. At the end of REM sleep urine flow increased again.
- Infradian
- Adjusted cycles which are greater than 24
hours. EG: as seasons change, the day length
changes so organisms learn to adapt
accordingly. The monthly cycle, tidal rhythms,
seasonal change and anuual change are
examples of infradian rhythms.
- Hibernation: Endogenous mechanisms allow organisms to make
serious changes of hormones, which in turn influence the
hibernation process of preparation, initiation, maintanece and final
arousal. Dawe and Spurrier: transfused blood from hibernating
squirrels into awake active ones and noted that within 48 hours
they began hibernating too, even though it was spring ( a time they
would not usually hibernate). The hibernation induction trigger is
said to be released when triggered by zeitgebers (days becoming
shorter and cooler)
- Seasonal Affective Disorder- some people experience
annual episodes of depression which occur on a seasonal
basis. Sufferers from SAD have a number of Circadian
abnormalities, including sleep disturbances, increase in
core body temperature and disturbances in melatonin
and cortisol secretion. Many researchers have pointed out
the role of melatonin in the seasonal behaviour of many
animals. This hormone is only released during hours of
darkness and excess of secretion of melatonin in the
winter were thought to explain the symptoms of SAD.
Eastman Et Al treated patients with bright light or a
placebo. They found that those treated with bright light
were most likely to respond with partial or full remission
of symptoms.
- The Menstrual Cycle: Arden
et al- reported that 80% of
women believed that when
extended time spent with
women resulted in
synchrony. McClintock
suggested that women who
spent extensive amounts of
time together tend to synch.
Weller and Weller suggested
that sychrony depends on
the closeness of the women
eg. mother and daughter,
women who work togetyher,
basketball players and
lesbian couples. McClintock
suggested that synchrony
was caused by Pheremones
- Russel et al: collected
odor from women's
armpits, then rubbed it
on the upper lip of
another woman, this
happened three times a
week for six months,
they found that the
menstural cycles
dramatically shifted
resembeling the donors
cycle.