PSYB64H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 8: Intrinsically Photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cells, Jet Lag, Seasonal Affective Disorder
29 Jun 2016
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Document Summary
Biological rhythms: e. g. menstrual cycle, mating season behaviors that occur at regular intervals in response to internal, biological clocks. Sleep-wake cycles: about 24 hours; seasonal affective disorder circannual. Ultraradian: rhythms that are shorter than 24 hours and occur several times a day (e. g. rem occurs regularly during human sleep cycle) Free-running circadian rhythm: rhythm not synchronized to environmental cues. To establish and maintain these rhythms, internal biological clocks interact with zeitgebers. Zeitgebers: an external cue for setting biological rhythms: light is the most important zeitgeber for humans others include sleep-related hormones, feeding, etc. Result from different versions of the genes responsible for our internal clocks: larks : morning people/ people who are more alert and productive in the morning; more positive emotions and subjective well being, owls : night people; most adolescents. Teen sleep patterns might reflect dramatic drop in melatonin an important neurochemical involved in regulation of sleep patterns and onset of puberty.
