Sleep

·         Theta wave: curved on the top

·         REM Sleep: Sawtooth waves seen (to differentiate it from beta wave)

·         Elderly people have decreased Delta.

·         In both adults and children, during the first 3 hours of sleep:

1. There is a very large output of human growth hormone (related to Stage 4 sleep). This is by far the greatest release of this hormone in a 24-hour period.
2. Prolactin rises rapidly and dopamine falls, in both sexes.
3. Serotonin (5-HT) rises.
4. Sleep inhibits the release of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)

·         Neurotransmitters Associated With Sleep:"SANDman"

1. Serotonin: helps initiate sleep
2. Acetylcholine (ACh): higher during REM sleep (associated with erections in men)
3. Norepinephrine (NE): lower during REM sleep

1. Ratio of ACh and NE is the biochemical trigger for REM sleep.
2. NE pathway begins in the pons, which regulates REM sleep.

Dopamine: produces arousal and wakefulness. Rises with waking