Biological rhythms circadian

• What are the main centres involved in the localisation of function in the brain?

  Motor, somatosensory, visual, auditory, language
• What are Broca’s and Wernicke’s areas responsible for?

  Language processing and production
• What does split brain research investigate?

  Hemispheric lateralisation and brain function
• What is plasticity in the context of the brain?

  Brain's ability to adapt after trauma
• What are the main scanning techniques used to study the brain?

  fMRI, EEGs, ERPs, post-mortem examinations
• What are biological rhythms?

  Regular cycles of biological processes
• What are the three types of biological rhythms?

  Circadian, infradian, ultradian
• What influences biological rhythms?

  Endogenous pacemakers and exogenous zeitgebers
• What is a circadian rhythm?

  A biological cycle that repeats every 24 hours
• What does the term 'circadian' mean?

  Approximately one day
• What governs the sleep/wake cycle?

  The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)
• How does light affect melatonin production?

  Low light increases melatonin, high light decreases it
• What is a free-running circadian rhythm?

  The rhythm without environmental time cues
• What did Siffre's cave study demonstrate?

  Influence of internal biological clock on sleep
• How long did Siffre spend in the cave?

  2 months
• What was the result of Aschoff and Wever's study?

  Circadian rhythms were between 24-25 hours
• What did Folkard et al.'s study reveal about circadian rhythms?

  They cannot easily be overridden by environmental changes
• How does core body temperature vary throughout the day?

  Lowest at 4am, peaks at 6pm
• What effect does body temperature have on cognitive performance?

  Warmer temperatures improve cognitive performance
• What did Folkard et al. (1977) find regarding story recall?

  Better recall at 3pm than at 9am
• What is the relationship between shift work and health?

  Shift work increases risk of heart disease
• How can circadian rhythms be applied in medical treatment?

  Timing treatments to align with biological rhythms
• What did Czeisler et al. (1999) find about sleep/wake cycles?

  They vary from 13 to 65 hours
• What are the implications of shifting the school day?

  Benefits for academic performance and behavior
• What ethical issues arise in Folkard's study?

  Deception regarding the speeded-up clock
• What is the purpose of peer review in research?

  To validate research quality and findings
• What is the definition of a circadian rhythm?

  A 24-hour biological cycle
• What is the role of endogenous pacemakers?

  They regulate internal biological clocks
• What are exogenous zeitgebers?

  External cues that influence biological rhythms
• How do individual differences affect circadian rhythms?

  They cause variations in sleep/wake cycles
• What is the significance of the circadian trough?

  Period of reduced concentration and performance
• What is the effect of light on the SCN?

  It provides information about light levels
• What is the relationship between circadian rhythms and productivity?

  Aligning work with biological rhythms increases productivity
• What are the potential consequences of disrupting circadian rhythms?

  Increased risk of accidents and health issues
• How can research on circadian rhythms inform shift work practices?

  By optimizing shift patterns to reduce fatigue
• What is the main finding of Gupta (1991) regarding IQ tests?

  Better performance at 7pm than 2pm
• What is the role of melatonin in sleep regulation?

  It promotes sleep when light is low
• What are the implications of circadian rhythm research for healthcare?

  Improved timing of medication administration
• What is the significance of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in circadian rhythms?

  It regulates the sleep/wake cycle
• What is the effect of shift work on concentration?

  It leads to reduced concentration during night shifts