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Sharon O, Ben Simon E, Shah VD, Desel T, Walker MP. The new science of sleep: From cells to large-scale societies. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002684. [PMID: 38976664 PMCID: PMC11230563 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
In the past 20 years, more remarkable revelations about sleep and its varied functions have arguably been made than in the previous 200. Building on this swell of recent findings, this essay provides a broad sampling of selected research highlights across genetic, molecular, cellular, and physiological systems within the body, networks within the brain, and large-scale social dynamics. Based on this raft of exciting new discoveries, we have come to realize that sleep, in this moment of its evolution, is very much polyfunctional (rather than monofunctional), yet polyfunctional for reasons we had never previously considered. Moreover, these new polyfunctional insights powerfully reaffirm sleep as a critical biological, and thus health-sustaining, requisite. Indeed, perhaps the only thing more impressive than the unanticipated nature of these newly emerging sleep functions is their striking divergence, from operations of molecular mechanisms inside cells to entire group societal dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omer Sharon
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Eti Ben Simon
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Vyoma D. Shah
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Tenzin Desel
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Matthew P. Walker
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California, Berkeley, California, United States of America
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2
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Desai D, Momin A, Hirpara P, Jha H, Thaker R, Patel J. Exploring the Role of Circadian Rhythms in Sleep and Recovery: A Review Article. Cureus 2024; 16:e61568. [PMID: 38962617 PMCID: PMC11221196 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.61568] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Sleep is essential for every living organism. Humans spend about one-third of their lives sleeping. Sleep has been studied extensively, and the role of sleep in psychological, mental, and physical well-being is established to be the best. The rhythm of the brain between wakefulness and sleep is called the circadian rhythm, which is mainly controlled by melatonin and the pineal gland. The imbalance of this rhythm can lead to devastating effects on health. Vigorous workouts close to bedtime can interfere with falling asleep. Meal timing and composition can significantly affect sleep quality. It is advised to avoid large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bedtime. Heavy meals close to bedtime can lead to poor sleep and hormone disruption. By following these guidelines enumerated in the article, individuals can improve sleep quality and overall health. Sleep cycles, especially rapid eye movement sleep, have a profound influence on mental and physical health. Adhering to recommended sleep practices enhances bodily restoration, fortifies the immune system, and upholds metabolic equilibrium. Sleep hygiene aligned with circadian rhythms is crucial for disease prevention and well-being. Healthcare professionals should prioritize sleep optimization strategies for patient care and public health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dev Desai
- Internal Medicine, Smt. Nathiba Hargovandas Lakhmichand Municipal Medical College, Ahmedabad, IND
| | - Aryan Momin
- Internal Medicine, Smt. Nathiba Hargovandas Lakhmichand Municipal Medical College, Ahmedabad, IND
| | - Priya Hirpara
- Internal Medicine, Gujarat Medical Education and Research Society Medical College, Vadnagar, IND
| | - Hemali Jha
- Internal Medicine, Integral Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre, Lucknow, IND
| | - Ravi Thaker
- Physiology, Dr. Narendra Dharmsinh Desai Faculty of Medical Science and Research, Dharmsinh Desai University, Nadiad, IND
| | - Jitendra Patel
- Physiology, Gujarat Medical Education and Research Society Medical College, Vadnagar, IND
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3
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Tononi G, Boly M, Cirelli C. Consciousness and sleep. Neuron 2024; 112:1568-1594. [PMID: 38697113 PMCID: PMC11105109 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 05/04/2024]
Abstract
Sleep is a universal, essential biological process. It is also an invaluable window on consciousness. It tells us that consciousness can be lost but also that it can be regained, in all its richness, when we are disconnected from the environment and unable to reflect. By considering the neurophysiological differences between dreaming and dreamless sleep, we can learn about the substrate of consciousness and understand why it vanishes. We also learn that the ongoing state of the substrate of consciousness determines the way each experience feels regardless of how it is triggered-endogenously or exogenously. Dreaming consciousness is also a window on sleep and its functions. Dreams tell us that the sleeping brain is remarkably lively, recombining intrinsic activation patterns from a vast repertoire, freed from the requirements of ongoing behavior and cognitive control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulio Tononi
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53719, USA.
| | - Melanie Boly
- Department of Neurology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53719, USA
| | - Chiara Cirelli
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53719, USA
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Zhang J, Pena A, Delano N, Sattari N, Shuster AE, Baker FC, Simon K, Mednick SC. Evidence of an active role of dreaming in emotional memory processing shows that we dream to forget. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8722. [PMID: 38622204 PMCID: PMC11018802 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-58170-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Dreaming is a universal human behavior that has inspired searches for meaning across many disciplines including art, psychology, religion, and politics, yet its function remains poorly understood. Given the suggested role of sleep in emotional memory processing, we investigated whether reported overnight dreaming and dream content are associated with sleep-dependent changes in emotional memory and reactivity, and whether dreaming plays an active or passive role. Participants completed an emotional picture task before and after a full night of sleep and they recorded the presence and content of their dreams upon waking in the morning. The results replicated the emotional memory trade-off (negative images maintained at the cost of neutral memories), but only in those who reported dreaming (Dream-Recallers), and not in Non-Dream-Recallers. Results also replicated sleep-dependent reductions in emotional reactivity, but only in Dream-Recallers, not in Non-Dream-Recallers. Additionally, the more positive the dream report, the more positive the next-day emotional reactivity is compared to the night before. These findings implicate an active role for dreaming in overnight emotional memory processing and suggest a mechanistic framework whereby dreaming may enhance salient emotional experiences via the forgetting of less relevant information.
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5
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Hu Z, Li W, Ye Y, Zhang F, Liu H, Wang C, Lan X, Chen X, You Z, Lan Y, Ning Y, Zhou Y. Alterations of functional connectivity in young people with depression mediate the relationship between sleep quality and cognitive function. J Affect Disord 2023; 340:160-166. [PMID: 37557984 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2023.08.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sleep disturbances is common in young people with depression, and poor sleep quality affects the ability to learn. In this study, we examined possible resting-state functional connectivity abnormalities between regions of interest, and clarified the relationship with depressive symptoms, sleep quality, and cognitive function. METHODS Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was collected on 42 healthy controls (HCs), 82 youth depressive patients (44 without sleep disturbances (NSD), and 38 with sleep disturbances (SD)). Regions of interest were defined by using Brainnetome Atlas. Functional connectivity was calculated, and its associations with depressive symptoms, sleep quality, and cognitive function were examined using correlation analysis and mediation analysis. RESULTS The left and right caudal of cingulate gyrus, tongue and larynx region of postcentral gyrus were significant brain regions in NSD versus SD. The average functional connectivity between these regions was associated with poor sleep quality (r = 0.368, p = 0.001) and worse working memory (r = -0.256, p = 0.023) and mediated the relationship between sleep quality and working memory (c = -0.738, c' = -0.500). LIMITATION Data consistency in this study was not good enough. This study did not monitor sleep rhythms to provide objective sleep-related data. CONCLUSION The functional connectivity between the left and right caudal of cingulate gyrus with tongue and larynx region of postcentral gyrus may be the neural mechanism by which sleep disturbances affect working memory. This provides an intervention target for clinically improving cognitive function in young people with depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhibo Hu
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine of Metal Disorders, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weicheng Li
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine of Metal Disorders, Guangzhou, China; The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanxiang Ye
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine of Metal Disorders, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine of Metal Disorders, Guangzhou, China; The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Haiyan Liu
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine of Metal Disorders, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chengyu Wang
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine of Metal Disorders, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaofeng Lan
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine of Metal Disorders, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyu Chen
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine of Metal Disorders, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zerui You
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine of Metal Disorders, Guangzhou, China; The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuting Lan
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine of Metal Disorders, Guangzhou, China; The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuping Ning
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine of Metal Disorders, Guangzhou, China; The First School of Clinical Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Yanling Zhou
- The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China; Guangdong Engineering Technology Research Center for Translational Medicine of Metal Disorders, Guangzhou, China; Key Laboratory of Neurogenetics and Channelopathies of Guangdong Province and the Ministry of Education of China, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
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Samson DR, Clerget A, Abbas N, Senese J, Sarma MS, Lew-Levy S, Mabulla IA, Mabulla AZP, Miegakanda V, Borghese F, Henckaerts P, Schwartz S, Sterpenich V, Gettler LT, Boyette A, Crittenden AN, Perogamvros L. Evidence for an emotional adaptive function of dreams: a cross-cultural study. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16530. [PMID: 37783728 PMCID: PMC10545663 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43319-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The function of dreams is a longstanding scientific research question. Simulation theories of dream function, which are based on the premise that dreams represent evolutionary past selective pressures and fitness improvement through modified states of consciousness, have yet to be tested in cross-cultural populations that include small-scale forager societies. Here, we analyze dream content with cross-cultural comparisons between the BaYaka (Rep. of Congo) and Hadza (Tanzania) foraging groups and Global North populations, to test the hypothesis that dreams in forager groups serve a more effective emotion regulation function due to their strong social norms and high interpersonal support. Using a linear mixed effects model we analyzed 896 dreams from 234 individuals across these populations, recorded using dream diaries. Dream texts were processed into four psychosocial constructs using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC-22) dictionary. The BaYaka displayed greater community-oriented dream content. Both the BaYaka and Hadza exhibited heightened threat dream content, while, at the same time, the Hadza demonstrated low negative emotions in their dreams. The Global North Nightmare Disorder group had increased negative emotion content, and the Canadian student sample during the COVID-19 pandemic displayed the highest anxiety dream content. In conclusion, this study supports the notion that dreams in non-clinical populations can effectively regulate emotions by linking potential threats with non-fearful contexts, reducing anxiety and negative emotions through emotional release or catharsis. Overall, this work contributes to our understanding of the evolutionary significance of this altered state of consciousness.
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Affiliation(s)
- David R Samson
- Sleep and Human Evolution Lab, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Canada.
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, 3359 Mississauga Road, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada.
| | - Alice Clerget
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Noor Abbas
- Sleep and Human Evolution Lab, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Canada
| | - Jeffrey Senese
- Sleep and Human Evolution Lab, University of Toronto, Mississauga, Canada
| | - Mallika S Sarma
- School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sheina Lew-Levy
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ibrahim A Mabulla
- Department of Archaeology and Heritage, Institute of Resource Assessment, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Audax Z P Mabulla
- Department of Archaeology and Heritage, Institute of Resource Assessment, University of Dar es Salaam, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Valchy Miegakanda
- Laboratoire National de Santé Publique, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
| | - Francesca Borghese
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Pauline Henckaerts
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sophie Schwartz
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Virginie Sterpenich
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Lee T Gettler
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Adam Boyette
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Lampros Perogamvros
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Sleep Medicine, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
- Department of Psychiatry, Center for Sleep Medicine, 2 Chemin du Petit-Bel-Air, 1226 Thônex, Switzerland.
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7
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Onoda K, Akama H. Complex of global functional network as the core of consciousness. Neurosci Res 2023; 190:67-77. [PMID: 36535365 DOI: 10.1016/j.neures.2022.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Finding the neural basis of consciousness is challenging, and the distribution location of the core of consciousness remains inconclusive. Integrated information theory (IIT) argues that the posterior part of the brain is the hot zone of consciousness, especially phenological consciousness. The IIT has proposed a "main complex", a set of elements determined such that the information loss in a hierarchical partition approach is the largest among those of any other supersets and subsets, as the core of consciousness in a dynamic system. This approach may be applicable not only to phenomenal but also to access-consciousness. This study estimated the main complex of brain dynamics using functional magnetic resonance imaging in Human Connectome Project (HCP) and sleep datasets. The complex analyses revealed the common networks across various tasks and rest-state in HCP, composed of executive control, salience, and dorsal/ventral attention networks. The set of networks of the main complex was maintained during sleep. However, compared with the wakefulness stage, the amount of information of these networks and the default mode network, was reduced for the hypnagogic stage. The global interconnected structure composed of major functional networks can comprise the core of consciousness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keiichi Onoda
- Department of Psychology, Otemon Gakuin University, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-8502, Japan.
| | - Hiroyuki Akama
- Department of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8550, Japan
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8
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Abbas NH, Samson DR. Dreaming during the COVID-19 pandemic: Support for the threat simulation function of dreams. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1124772. [PMID: 36814654 PMCID: PMC9939895 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1124772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Evolutionary theories suggest that dreams function as a world simulator of events that maximizes our ability to surmount social and threat-related challenges critical to survivorship and reproduction. Here, in contrast to the incorporation continuity hypothesis, we test the (1) social bias hypothesis, which states that dreams will overrepresent positive social interactions relative to waking life, (2) the mutually exclusive threat bias hypothesis, the idea that dream content will be negative relative to waking life, (3) the strengthening hypothesis, which states that dreams will rehearse more positive interactions with individuals the self is familiar with relative to waking life, and (4) the compensation hypothesis, which states that social contents in dreams increases during periods of social seclusion. Dream (n = 168) and wake (n = 184) reports were collected through a standardized online survey from 24 undergraduate students. Recalls were analyzed using the Social Content Scale. Generalized linear mixed effects models were used, and the following fixed-effects were considered for the study; the number of reports contributed, report state, biological sex, stress, social support, and media exposures. Results showed support for the threat bias hypothesis, we found that dreams were more negative and featured more unfamiliar individuals in contrast to waking life. Additionally, we found partial support for the social bias and the strengthening hypotheses, however no support was shown for the compensation hypothesis. Overall, these results demonstrate support for the threat simulation function of dreams.
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9
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Schwartz S, Clerget A, Perogamvros L. Enhancing imagery rehearsal therapy for nightmares with targeted memory reactivation. Curr Biol 2022; 32:4808-4816.e4. [PMID: 36306786 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2022.09.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Nightmare disorder (ND) is characterized by dreams with strong negative emotions occurring during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. ND is mainly treated by imagery rehearsal therapy (IRT), where the patients are asked to change the negative story line of their nightmare to a more positive one. We here used targeted memory reactivation (TMR) during REM sleep to strengthen IRT-related memories and accelerate remission of ND. Thirty-six patients with ND were asked to perform an initial IRT session and, while they generated a positive outcome of their nightmare, half of the patients were exposed to a sound (TMR group), while no such pairing took place for the other half (control group). During the next 2 weeks, all patients performed IRT every evening at home and were exposed to the sound during REM sleep with a wireless headband, which automatically detected sleep stages. The frequency of nightmares per week at 2 weeks was used as the primary outcome measure. We found that the TMR group had less frequent nightmares and more positive dream emotions than the control group after 2 weeks of IRT and a sustained decrease of nightmares after 3 months. By demonstrating the effectiveness of TMR during sleep to potentiate therapy, these results have clinical implications for the management of ND, with relevance to other psychiatric disorders too. Additionally, these findings show that TMR applied during REM sleep can modulate emotions in dreams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Schwartz
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland; Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Alice Clerget
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Lampros Perogamvros
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland; Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland; Center for Sleep Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, 1225 Geneva, Switzerland; Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals, 1225 Geneva, Switzerland.
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10
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Sikka P, Engelbrektsson H, Zhang J, Gross JJ. Negative dream affect is associated with next-day affect level, but not with affect reactivity or affect regulation. Front Behav Neurosci 2022; 16:981289. [PMID: 36338877 PMCID: PMC9626956 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2022.981289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that sleep plays an important role in affective processing. However, it is unclear whether dreaming-the subjective experiences we have during sleep-also serves an affect regulation function. Here, we investigated the within-person relationship between negative affect experienced in dreams and next-day waking affect level, affect reactivity, and affect regulation. For 5 days, 40 participants reported their dreams and rated their dream affect and post-sleep waking affect level upon morning awakening. Thereafter, they performed an affect reactivity and regulation task which involved viewing neutral and negative pictures with the instruction either to simply view the pictures or to down-regulate the affect evoked by these pictures. Multilevel regression analyses showed that the more negative affect people experienced in their dreams at night, the more negative affect and the less positive affect they reported the next morning. However, negative dream affect was associated neither with affect reactivity to the pictures nor with the ability to down-regulate negative affect in response to these pictures. In fact, Bayesian analyses favored the null hypotheses. These findings fail to provide support for the affect regulation function of dreaming and, instead, speak for affective continuity between dreaming and post-sleep wakefulness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilleriin Sikka
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
- Department of Psychology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience and Philosophy, University of Skövde, Skövde, Sweden
| | - Hilda Engelbrektsson
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience and Philosophy, University of Skövde, Skövde, Sweden
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Jinxiao Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
| | - James J. Gross
- Department of Psychology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States
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11
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Perogamvros L, Park HD, Schwartz S. Commentary on the paper "The heartbeat evoked potential is a questionable biomarker in nightmare disorder: A replication study. By Bogdany, T., Perakakis, P., Bodizs, R., Simor, P., 2021. Neuroimage Clin 33, 102933". Neuroimage Clin 2022; 36:103196. [PMID: 36137497 PMCID: PMC9493136 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2022.103196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lampros Perogamvros
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; Center for Sleep Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Hyeong-Dong Park
- Graduate Institute of Mind, Brain and Consciousness, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Sophie Schwartz
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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12
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Dreaming during the COVID-19 pandemic: A narrative review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 138:104710. [PMID: 35643121 PMCID: PMC9132492 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
According to several influential models, dreams can be affected by state- and trait-like factors, sleep features, and diurnal experiences. The COVID-19 pandemic globally affected daily habits, emotional experiences, and sleep. Previous studies suggested an influence of collective traumatic events on dreaming. Starting from these premises, several studies assessed the effect of the pandemic on dreams. This paper aims to review findings concerning the oneiric activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. We report pandemic-related changes in dreams and nightmares, and we consider the possible factors associated with dreaming. Moreover, we provide results about changes in the oneiric activity in different phases of the pandemic. The reviewed findings suggest a pandemic-related enhancement of dream and nightmare frequency, emotional intensity, and distressing contents, modulated by modifications in restrictive measures and associated with diurnal experiences, emotional status, and sleep pattern. We highlight several methodological issues and a large heterogeneity in the present literature, limiting results’ generalizability. However, we provide possible interpretations of the most consistent findings in light of the main theoretical frameworks about dreaming.
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13
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Otaiku DAI. Distressing dreams and risk of Parkinson's disease: A population-based cohort study. EClinicalMedicine 2022; 48:101474. [PMID: 35783487 PMCID: PMC9249554 DOI: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with alterations to the phenomenology of dreaming - including an increased frequency of distressing dreams. Whether distressing dreams may precede the development of PD is unknown. This study investigated the association between frequent distressing dreams and the risk of incident PD. Methods 3818 men aged 67 years or older from the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study (MrOS), a population-based cohort from the USA, who were free from PD at baseline (December 2003 - April 2011) and completed item 5h of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index - which probes the frequency of distressing dreams in the past month, were included in this analysis. Incident PD was based on doctor diagnosis. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (OR) for incident PD according to distressing dream frequency, with adjustment for potential confounders. Findings During a mean follow-up of 7·3 years, 91 (2·4%) cases of incident PD were identified. Participants with frequent distressing dreams at baseline had a 2-fold risk for incident PD (OR, 2·01; 95% CI, 1·1-3·6, P = 0.02). When stratified by follow-up time, frequent distressing dreams were associated with a greater than 3-fold risk for incident PD during the first 5 years after baseline (OR, 3·38; 95% CI, 1·3-8·7; P = 0·01), however no effect was found during the subsequent 7 years (OR, 1·55; 95% CI, 0·7-3·3; P = 0·26). Interpretation In this prospective cohort, frequent distressing dreams were associated with an increased risk for incident PD. The association was only significant within the 5 years prior to diagnosis, which suggests that frequent distressing dreams may be a prodromal symptom of PD. Funding The study received no external funding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dr Abidemi I. Otaiku
- Department of Neurology, Birmingham City Hospital, Birmingham, UK
- Centre for Human Brain Health, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
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Scarpelli S, Alfonsi V, Gorgoni M, De Gennaro L. What about dreams? State of the art and open questions. J Sleep Res 2022; 31:e13609. [PMID: 35417930 PMCID: PMC9539486 DOI: 10.1111/jsr.13609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Several studies have tried to identify the neurobiological bases of dream experiences, nevertheless some questions are still at the centre of the debate. Here, we summarise the main open issues concerning the neuroscientific study of dreaming. After overcoming the rapid eye movement (REM) ‐ non‐REM (NREM) sleep dichotomy, investigations have focussed on the specific functional or structural brain features predicting dream experience. On the one hand, some results underlined that specific trait‐like factors are associated with higher dream recall frequency. On the other hand, the electrophysiological milieu preceding dream report upon awakening is a crucial state‐like factor influencing the subsequent recall. Furthermore, dreaming is strictly related to waking experiences. Based on the continuity hypothesis, some findings reveal that dreaming could be modulated through visual, olfactory, or somatosensory stimulations. Also, it should be considered that the indirect access to dreaming remains an intrinsic limitation. Recent findings have revealed a greater concordance between parasomnia‐like events and dream contents. This means that parasomnia episodes might be an expression of the ongoing mental sleep activity and could represent a viable direct access to dream experience. Finally, we provide a picture on nightmares and emphasise the possible role of oneiric activity in psychotherapy. Overall, further efforts in dream science are needed (a) to develop a uniform protocol to study dream experience, (b) to introduce and integrate advanced techniques to better understand whether dreaming can be manipulated, (c) to clarify the relationship between parasomnia events and dreaming, and (d) to determine the clinical valence of dreams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Scarpelli
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | | | - Maurizio Gorgoni
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Body and Action Lab, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Luigi De Gennaro
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.,Body and Action Lab, IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
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15
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Borghese F, Henckaerts P, Guy F, Perez Mayo C, Delplanque S, Schwartz S, Perogamvros L. Targeted Memory Reactivation During REM Sleep in Patients With Social Anxiety Disorder. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:904704. [PMID: 35845468 PMCID: PMC9281560 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.904704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is characterized by a significant amount of fear when confronted to social situations. Exposure therapy, which is based on fear extinction, does not often lead to full remission. Here, based on evidence showing that rapid eye movement (REM) sleep promotes the consolidation of extinction memory, we used targeted memory reactivation (TMR) during REM sleep to enhance extinction learning in SAD. METHODS Forty-eight subjects with SAD were randomly assigned to two groups: control or TMR group. All patients had two successive exposure therapy sessions in a virtual reality (VR) environment, where they were asked to give a public talk in front of a virtual jury. At the end of each session, and only in the TMR group (N = 24), a sound was paired to the positive feedback phase of therapy (i.e., approval of their performance), which represented the memory to be strengthened during REM sleep. All participants slept at home with a wearable headband device which automatically identified sleep stages and administered the sound during REM sleep. Participants' anxiety level was assessed using measures of parasympathetic (root mean square of successive differences between normal heartbeats, RMSSD) and sympathetic (non-specific skin conductance responses, ns-SCRs) activity, and subjective measures (Subjective Units of Distress Scale, SUDS), during the preparation phase of their talks before (T1) and after (T2) one full-night's sleep and after 1 week at home (T3). Participants also filled in a dream diary. RESULTS We observed an effect of time on subjective measures of anxiety (SUDS). We did not find any difference in the anxiety levels of the two groups after 1 week of TMR at home. Importantly, the longer the total duration of REM sleep and the more stimulations the TMR group had at home, the less anxious (increased RMSSD) these participants were. Finally, fear in dreams correlated positively with ns-SCRs and SUDS at T3 in the TMR group. CONCLUSION TMR during REM sleep did not significantly modulate the beneficial effect of therapy on subjective anxiety. Yet, our results support that REM sleep can contribute to extinction processes and substantiate strong links between emotions in dreams and waking stress levels in these patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Borghese
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Pauline Henckaerts
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Fanny Guy
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Coral Perez Mayo
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sylvain Delplanque
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sophie Schwartz
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Human Neuroscience Platform, Fondation Campus Biotech Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Lampros Perogamvros
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Human Neuroscience Platform, Fondation Campus Biotech Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Center for Sleep Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.,Department of Psychiatry, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland
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16
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Moyne M, Legendre G, Arnal L, Kumar S, Sterpenich V, Seeck M, Grandjean D, Schwartz S, Vuilleumier P, Domínguez-Borràs J. OUP accepted manuscript. Cereb Cortex Commun 2022; 3:tgac003. [PMID: 35174329 PMCID: PMC8844542 DOI: 10.1093/texcom/tgac003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The waking brain efficiently detects emotional signals to promote survival. However, emotion detection during sleep is poorly understood and may be influenced by individual sleep characteristics or neural reactivity. Notably, dream recall frequency has been associated with stimulus reactivity during sleep, with enhanced stimulus-driven responses in high vs. low recallers. Using electroencephalography (EEG), we characterized the neural responses of healthy individuals to emotional, neutral voices, and control stimuli, both during wakefulness and NREM sleep. Then, we tested how these responses varied with individual dream recall frequency. Event-related potentials (ERPs) differed for emotional vs. neutral voices, both in wakefulness and NREM. Likewise, EEG arousals (sleep perturbations) increased selectively after the emotional voices, indicating emotion reactivity. Interestingly, sleep ERP amplitude and arousals after emotional voices increased linearly with participants’ dream recall frequency. Similar correlations with dream recall were observed for beta and sigma responses, but not for theta. In contrast, dream recall correlations were absent for neutral or control stimuli. Our results reveal that brain reactivity to affective salience is preserved during NREM and is selectively associated to individual memory for dreams. Our findings also suggest that emotion-specific reactivity during sleep, and not generalized alertness, may contribute to the encoding/retrieval of dreams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maëva Moyne
- Campus Biotech, chemin des mines, 9 CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Geneva, Rue Michel Servet 1, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Guillaume Legendre
- Campus Biotech, chemin des mines, 9 CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Geneva, Rue Michel Servet 1, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Luc Arnal
- Campus Biotech, chemin des mines, 9 CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Geneva, Rue Michel Servet 1, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Samika Kumar
- Department of Psychology, University of Cambridge, Downing Street, Cambridge CB2 3EB, USA
| | - Virginie Sterpenich
- Campus Biotech, chemin des mines, 9 CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Geneva, Rue Michel Servet 1, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Margitta Seeck
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Geneva University Hospitals, 4 rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Geneva, 4 rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Didier Grandjean
- Campus Biotech, chemin des mines, 9 CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Psychology, University of Geneva, Uni Mail, bd du Pont-d’Arve 40, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sophie Schwartz
- Campus Biotech, chemin des mines, 9 CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Geneva, Rue Michel Servet 1, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
- Center for Affective Sciences, CISA - chemin des mines 9, CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Patrik Vuilleumier
- Campus Biotech, chemin des mines, 9 CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Geneva, Rue Michel Servet 1, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
- Center for Affective Sciences, CISA - chemin des mines 9, CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Judith Domínguez-Borràs
- Campus Biotech, chemin des mines, 9 CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Geneva, 4 rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland
- Center for Affective Sciences, CISA - chemin des mines 9, CH-1202 Geneva, Switzerland
- Corresponding author: Judith Domínguez-Borràs, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, P. Vall d'Hebron 171, 08035 Barcelona, Spain.
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17
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Fränkl E, Scarpelli S, Nadorff MR, Bjorvatn B, Bolstad CJ, Chan NY, Chung F, Dauvilliers Y, Espie CA, Inoue Y, Leger D, Macêdo T, Matsui K, Merikanto I, Morin CM, Mota-Rolim S, Partinen M, Penzel T, Plazzi G, Sieminski M, Wing YK, De Gennaro L, Holzinger B. How our Dreams Changed During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Effects and Correlates of Dream Recall Frequency - a Multinational Study on 19,355 Adults. Nat Sci Sleep 2021; 13:1573-1591. [PMID: 34588830 PMCID: PMC8473566 DOI: 10.2147/nss.s324142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Many have reported odd dreams during the pandemic. Given that dreams are associated with mental health, understanding these changes could provide crucial information about wellbeing during the pandemic. This study explored associations between COVID-19 and dream recall frequency (DRF), and related social, health, and mental health factors. METHODS We conducted a cross-sectional web survey of 19,355 individuals in 14 countries from May to July 2020. We collected data on COVID-19, mental health, sleep and DRF during the pandemic. We performed McNemar Tests to compare low (<3 nights per week) and high DRF (≥3 nights per week) before and during COVID-19 and to evaluate changes in sleep variables segmented by DRF. Chi-square tests were conducted to compare characteristics between low and high DRF. Logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine associations between various independent variables and DRF. RESULTS Reports of high DRF during the pandemic were higher than before the pandemic (P<0.001). Female gender (aOR=1.25, 95% CI 1.10-1.41), nightmares (aOR=4.22, 95% CI 3.45-5.17), sleep talking (aOR= 2.36, 1.73-3.23), sleep maintenance problems (aOR=1.34, 95% CI 1.15-1.56), symptoms of REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD; aOR=1.24, 95% CI 1.09-1.41) and repeated disturbing thoughts (posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms) were associated with high DRF. Age group 55-64 years (aOR=0.69, 95% CI 0.58-0.83) reported less high DRF than younger participants. Unadjusted OR showed associations between depression, anxiety, and DRF; however, in adjusted regression depression (aOR= 0.71, 0.59-0.86) and anxiety (aOR=0.79, 95% CI 0.66-0.94) were negatively associated with high DRF. CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE DRF was higher than pre-pandemic levels across four continents. DRF was associated with gender and parasomnias like nightmares and RBD symptoms, sleep maintenance problems, PTSD symptoms and negatively associated with depression and anxiety. The results implicate that COVID-19 is reflected in our dreams as an expression of the emotional intensity of the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eirin Fränkl
- Institute for Consciousness and Dream Research, Vienna, Austria
| | - Serena Scarpelli
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Michael R Nadorff
- Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Bjørn Bjorvatn
- Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, and Norwegian Competence Center for Sleep Disorders, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway
| | | | - Ngan Yin Chan
- Li Chiu Kong Family Sleep Assessment Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China
| | - Frances Chung
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University Health Network, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Yves Dauvilliers
- Sleep-Wake Disorders Center, Department of Neurology, Gui-de-Chauliac Hospital, Institute for Neurosciences of Montpellier INM, INSERM, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Colin A Espie
- Sleep and Circadian Neuroscience Institute, Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Yuichi Inoue
- Department of Somnology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
- Japan Somnology Center, Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Damien Leger
- Université de Paris, VIFASOM (EA 7331 Vigilance Fatigue, Sommeil et Santé Publique), Paris, France
- APHP, Hotel-Dieu de Paris, Centre du Sommeil et de la Vigilance, Paris, France
| | - Tainá Macêdo
- Department of Psychology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Kentaro Matsui
- Department of Clinical Laboratory and Department of Sleep-Wake Disorders, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry National Institute of Mental Health, Kodaira, Japan
- Department of Psychiatry, Tokyo Women’s Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ilona Merikanto
- Sleep Well Research Program, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Public Health Solutions, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
- Orton Orthopaedics Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Charles M Morin
- École de Psychologie, Centre d’étude des troubles du sommeil, Centre de recherche CERVO/Brain Research Center, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
| | - Sérgio Mota-Rolim
- Brain Institute, Physiology and Behavior Department, and Onofre Lopes University Hospital, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
| | - Markku Partinen
- Helsinki Sleep Clinic, Terveystalo Healthcare, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Neurosciences, Clinicum, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Thomas Penzel
- Sleep Medicine Center, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Giuseppe Plazzi
- IRCCS, Istituto delle Scienze Neurologiche di Bologna, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Mariusz Sieminski
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Yun Kwok Wing
- Li Chiu Kong Family Sleep Assessment Unit, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China
| | - Luigi De Gennaro
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Brigitte Holzinger
- Institute for Consciousness and Dream Research, Vienna, Austria
- Medical University Vienna, ZK-Schlafcoaching, Vienna, Austria
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18
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Marogna C, Montanari E, Contiero S, Lleshi K. Dreaming during COVID-19: the effects of a world trauma. RESEARCH IN PSYCHOTHERAPY (MILANO) 2021; 24:541. [PMID: 34568109 PMCID: PMC8451215 DOI: 10.4081/ripppo.2021.541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared a state of health emergency affecting the entire world population. Given the serious practical and psychological difficulties and complications that have been experienced during this period, many scholars have created hypothesis, as a consequence, an increased possibility of developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) within the general population with significant implications for one's dream activity. Participants in the study were recruited via the instant messaging application 'WhatsApp' for a period of 14 days. The study consisted of three phases: the first phase provided information on the purpose of the research and how to carry it out; in the second phase, each participant, using the Bionian model of dream experience as a focus, was asked to write down dreams, emotions and free connections/associations related to the dream. At the end of the collection, the texts obtained were analysed by means of a qualitative analysis performed with the aid of the MAXQDA software. The study confirms the computational and exploratory analysis of the text carried out in the research of Pesonen et al. (2020), finding also in our sample the presence of the hypothesized clusters going to explain the manifestation of imagery related to COVID-19 also within the dream activity. To confirm this, the nightmare of participant number 6 of the study is reported. The following qualitative research has offered an insight into the traumatic nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, showing how many unmetabolized 'daytime elements' have been reproposed in the dream scenario, recalling the symptomatology of PTSD through the presence of distressing content that affect the quality of sleep and the daily life of the individual.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Marogna
- Department of Philosophy, Sociology, Education & Applied Psychology (FISPPA), University of Padua, Italy
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19
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Sterpenich V, van Schie MKM, Catsiyannis M, Ramyead A, Perrig S, Yang HD, Van De Ville D, Schwartz S. Reward biases spontaneous neural reactivation during sleep. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4162. [PMID: 34230462 PMCID: PMC8260738 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24357-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Sleep favors the reactivation and consolidation of newly acquired memories. Yet, how our brain selects the noteworthy information to be reprocessed during sleep remains largely unknown. From an evolutionary perspective, individuals must retain information that promotes survival, such as avoiding dangers, finding food, or obtaining praise or money. Here, we test whether neural representations of rewarded (compared to non-rewarded) events have priority for reactivation during sleep. Using functional MRI and a brain decoding approach, we show that patterns of brain activity observed during waking behavior spontaneously reemerge during slow-wave sleep. Critically, we report a privileged reactivation of neural patterns previously associated with a rewarded task (i.e., winning at a complex game). Moreover, during sleep, activity in task-related brain regions correlates with better subsequent memory performance. Our study uncovers a neural mechanism whereby rewarded life experiences are preferentially replayed and consolidated while we sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginie Sterpenich
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
- Geneva Neuroscience Center, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
| | - Mojca K M van Schie
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Geneva Neuroscience Center, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Maximilien Catsiyannis
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Avinash Ramyead
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Institute for Neurosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Stephen Perrig
- Center of Sleep Medicine, Division of Pneumology, University Hospital Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Hee-Deok Yang
- Department of Computer Engineering, Chosun University, Seosuk-dong, Dong-ku, Gwangju, Korea
| | - Dimitri Van De Ville
- Geneva Neuroscience Center, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Department of Radiology and Medical Informatics, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Institute of Bioengineering, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Sophie Schwartz
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- Geneva Neuroscience Center, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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20
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Microsurgical resection of fronto-temporo-insular gliomas in the non-dominant hemisphere, under general anesthesia using adjunct intraoperative MRI and no cortical and subcortical mapping: a series of 20 consecutive patients. Sci Rep 2021; 11:6994. [PMID: 33772073 PMCID: PMC7997967 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-86165-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Fronto-temporo-insular (FTI) gliomas continue to represent a surgical challenge despite numerous technical advances. Some authors advocate for surgery in awake condition even for non-dominant hemisphere FTI, due to risk of sociocognitive impairment. Here, we report outcomes in a series of patients operated using intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (IoMRI) guided surgery under general anesthesia, using no cortical or subcortical mapping. We evaluated the extent of resection, functional and neuropsychological outcomes after IoMRI guided surgery under general anesthesia of FTI gliomas located in the non-dominant hemisphere. Twenty patients underwent FTI glioma resection using IoMRI in asleep condition. Seventeen tumors were de novo, three were recurrences. Tumor WHO grades were II:12, III:4, IV:4. Patients were evaluated before and after microsurgical resection, clinically, neuropsychologically (i.e., social cognition) and by volumetric MR measures (T1G+ for enhancing tumors, FLAIR for non-enhancing). Fourteen (70%) patients benefited from a second IoMRI. The median age was 33.5 years (range 24–56). Seizure was the inaugural symptom in 71% of patients. The median preoperative volume was 64.5 cm3 (min 9.9, max 211). Fourteen (70%) patients underwent two IoMRI. The final median EOR was 92% (range 69–100). The median postoperative residual tumor volume (RTV) was 4.3 cm3 (range 0–38.2). A vast majority of residual tumors were located in the posterior part of the insula. Early postoperative clinical events (during hospital stay) were three transient left hemiparesis (which lasted less than 48 h) and one prolonged left brachio-facial hemiparesis. Sixty percent of patients were free of any symptom at discharge. The median Karnofsky Performance Score was of 90 both at discharge and at 3 months. No significant neuropsychological impairment was reported, excepting empathy distinction in less than 40% of patients. After surgery, 45% of patients could go back to work. In our experience and using IoMRI as an adjunct, microsurgical resection of non-dominant FTI gliomas under general anesthesia is safe. Final median EOR was 92%, with a vast majority of residual tumors located in the posterior insular part. Patients experienced minor neurological and neuropsychological morbidity. Moreover, neuropsychological evaluation reported a high preservation of sociocognitive abilities. Solely empathy seemed to be impaired in some patients.
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Effects of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia on Subjective-Objective Sleep Discrepancy in Patients with Primary Insomnia: a Small-Scale Cohort Pilot Study. Int J Behav Med 2021; 28:715-726. [PMID: 33629218 DOI: 10.1007/s12529-021-09969-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is a first-line therapy for insomnia disorders. We assessed changes in discrepancies between subjective and objective sleep measures and correlations between discrepancy changes and clinical insomnia severity for CBT-I in patients with primary insomnia METHODS: Fifty-two outpatients (mean age, 60.3 years; 26 women) with primary insomnia were treated by individual CBT-I (50 min, maximum six sessions, once every 1-2 weeks). One week before and after CBT-I, patients recorded a sleep log and wore an actigraphy device. Subjective and objective time in bed (TIB), total sleep time (TST), sleep-onset latency (SOL), wake time after sleep onset (WASO), and sleep efficiency (SE) were evaluated by averaging 1-week records. Relative values of sleep discrepancy in TIB, TST, SOL, WASO, and SE were calculated for estimating effects of CBT-I. The therapeutic effects were also evaluated using psychological scales before and after CBT-I. RESULTS Subjective and objective discrepancies in sleep measures decreased by 36, 25, and 37 min in TST, SOL, and WASO, respectively, and 7% in SE (all P < 0.001) after CBT-I. Seven patients transitioned from underestimating SE before CBT-I to overestimating SE after CBT-I. Although CBT-I improved relative values of discrepancy in WASO and SE, alongside ISI, the improvement in insomnia severity only correlated with SOL discrepancy. CONCLUSIONS CBT-I may reduce the discrepancy between subjective and objective sleep measures in patients with primary insomnia. However, a greater therapeutic effect of CBT-I was observed in reducing the ISI, which was slightly influenced by improvements in sleep discrepancies.
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22
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Gorgoni M, Scarpelli S, Alfonsi V, Annarumma L, Cordone S, Stravolo S, De Gennaro L. Pandemic dreams: quantitative and qualitative features of the oneiric activity during the lockdown due to COVID-19 in Italy. Sleep Med 2021; 81:20-32. [PMID: 33631710 PMCID: PMC7868738 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2021.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Objective The lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic had a strong impact on daily habits, emotional experience, mental health and sleep. A large body of evidence suggests that dreams are affected by both waking experiences and sleep pattern. In this view, the lockdown should have induced intense modifications in dreaming activity. The aim of the study was to assess dream features during the lockdown in Italy. Methods We used an online survey to collect self-reported demographic, clinical, sleep and dream data. Our sample included 1091 participants. Results Results point to an increased dream frequency, emotional load, vividness, bizarreness and length during the lockdown, compared to a pre-lockdown period. Higher dream frequency and specific qualitative features were found in females and subjects with poor sleep quality, nocturnal disruptive behaviours and depressive symptoms. Most of the dream features assessed during the lockdown were predicted by age, gender, depressive symptoms, presence/absence of other people at home, and territorial area. A specific focus on sleep features revealed that sleep duration and several sleep quality indexes were the best predictors of dream variables. During the lockdown, dreams were also characterized by increased negative emotions, which were particularly frequent in females, younger adults, and participants with poor sleep quality, nocturnal disruptive behaviours, anxiety and depressive symptoms. Conclusions Our results confirm the hypothesis of a strong influence of the pandemic on dreaming, supporting both the hypothesis of continuity between wake and sleep mental processes and the view of a crucial influence of sleep quality and duration on dreaming activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maurizio Gorgoni
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
| | | | | | | | - Susanna Cordone
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Serena Stravolo
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Luigi De Gennaro
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
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23
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Manger PR, Siegel JM. Do all mammals dream? J Comp Neurol 2020; 528:3198-3204. [PMID: 31960424 PMCID: PMC8211436 DOI: 10.1002/cne.24860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Revised: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The presence of dreams in human sleep, especially in REM sleep, and the detection of physiologically similar states in mammals has led many to ponder whether animals experience similar sleep mentation. Recent advances in our understanding of the anatomical and physiological correlates of sleep stages, and thus dreaming, allow a better understanding of the possibility of dream mentation in nonhuman mammals. Here, we explore the potential for dream mentation, in both non-REM and REM sleep across mammals. If we take a hard-stance, that dream mentation only occurs during REM sleep, we conclude that it is unlikely that monotremes, cetaceans, and otariid seals while at sea, have the potential to experience dream mentation. Atypical REM sleep in other species, such as African elephants and Arabian oryx, may alter their potential to experience REM dream mentation. Alternatively, evidence that dream mentation occurs during both non-REM and REM sleep, indicates that all mammals have the potential to experience dream mentation. This non-REM dream mentation may be different in the species where non-REM is atypical, such as during unihemispheric sleep in aquatic mammals (cetaceans, sirens, and Otariid seals). In both scenarios, the cetaceans are the least likely mammalian group to experience vivid dream mentation due to the morphophysiological independence of their cerebral hemispheres. The application of techniques revealing dream mentation in humans to other mammals, specifically those that exhibit unusual sleep states, may lead to advances in our understanding of the neural underpinnings of dreams and conscious experiences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul R. Manger
- School of Anatomical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Republic of South Africa
| | - Jerome M. Siegel
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, and Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, California
- Brain Research Institute, Neurobiology Research, Sepulveda VA Medical Center, Los Angeles, California
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24
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Bréchet L, Brunet D, Perogamvros L, Tononi G, Michel CM. EEG microstates of dreams. Sci Rep 2020; 10:17069. [PMID: 33051536 PMCID: PMC7553905 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-74075-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Why do people sometimes report that they remember dreams, while at other times they recall no experience? Despite the interest in dreams that may happen during the night, it has remained unclear which brain states determine whether these conscious experiences will occur and what prevents us from waking up during these episodes. Here we address this issue by comparing the EEG activity preceding awakenings with recalled vs. no recall of dreams using the EEG microstate approach. This approach characterizes transiently stable brain states of sub-second duration that involve neural networks with nearly synchronous dynamics. We found that two microstates (3 and 4) dominated during NREM sleep compared to resting wake. Further, within NREM sleep, microstate 3 was more expressed during periods followed by dream recall, whereas microstate 4 was less expressed. Source localization showed that microstate 3 encompassed the medial frontal lobe, whereas microstate 4 involved the occipital cortex, as well as thalamic and brainstem structures. Since NREM sleep is characterized by low-frequency synchronization, indicative of neuronal bistability, we interpret the increased presence of the “frontal” microstate 3 as a sign of deeper local deactivation, and the reduced presence of the “occipital” microstate 4 as a sign of local activation. The latter may account for the occurrence of dreaming with rich perceptual content, while the former may account for why the dreaming brain may undergo executive disconnection and remain asleep. This study demonstrates that NREM sleep consists of alternating brain states whose temporal dynamics determine whether conscious experience arises.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucie Bréchet
- Functional Brain Mapping Laboratory, Fundamental Neuroscience Department, University Geneva, Campus Biotech, 9 Chemin des Mines, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland.,Biomedical Imaging Research Center (CIBM), Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Denis Brunet
- Functional Brain Mapping Laboratory, Fundamental Neuroscience Department, University Geneva, Campus Biotech, 9 Chemin des Mines, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland.,Biomedical Imaging Research Center (CIBM), Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Lampros Perogamvros
- Sleep and Cognition Neuroimaging Laboratory, Fundamental Neuroscience Department, University Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Division of Pneumology, Department of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Rue Gabrielle-Perret Gentil 4, 1205, Geneva, Switzerland.,Wisconsin Institute for Sleep and Consciousness, Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 6001 Research Park Blvd, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Giulio Tononi
- Wisconsin Institute for Sleep and Consciousness, Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 6001 Research Park Blvd, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Christoph M Michel
- Functional Brain Mapping Laboratory, Fundamental Neuroscience Department, University Geneva, Campus Biotech, 9 Chemin des Mines, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland. .,Biomedical Imaging Research Center (CIBM), Lausanne, Geneva, Switzerland.
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25
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Conte F, Cellini N, De Rosa O, Caputo A, Malloggi S, Coppola A, Albinni B, Cerasuolo M, Giganti F, Marcone R, Ficca G. Relationships between Dream and Previous Wake Emotions Assessed through the Italian Modified Differential Emotions Scale. Brain Sci 2020; 10:brainsci10100690. [PMID: 33003600 PMCID: PMC7601812 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10100690] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the increasing interest in sleep and dream-related processes of emotion regulation, their reflection into wake and dream emotional experience remains unclear. Here, we aimed to assess dream emotions and their relationships with wake emotions through the modified Differential Emotions Scale (Fredrickson, 2003), which includes a broad array of both positive and negative emotions. The scale has been first validated on 212 healthy Italian participants, in two versions: a WAKE-2wks form, assessing the frequency of 22 emotions over the past 2 weeks, and a WAKE-24hr form, assessing their intensity over the past 24 h. Fifty volunteers from the wider sample completed the WAKE-24hr mDES for several days until a dream was recalled, and dream emotions were self-reported using the same scale. A bifactorial structure was confirmed for both mDES forms, which also showed good validity and reliability. Though Positive and Negative Affect (average intensity of positive and negative items, PA, and NA, respectively) were balanced in dreams, specific negative emotions prevailed; rmANOVA showed a different pattern (prevalence of PA and positive emotions) in wake (both WAKE-2wks and WAKE-24hr), with a decrease of PA and an increase of NA in the dream compared to previous wake. No significant regression model emerged between waking and dream affect, and exploratory analyses revealed a stable proportion of PA and NA (with prevailing PA) over the 3 days preceding the dream. Our findings highlight a discontinuity between wake and dream affect and suggest that positive and negative emotions experienced during wake may undertake distinct sleep-related regulation pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Conte
- Department of Psychology, University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Viale Ellittico 31, 81100 Caserta, Italy; (O.D.R.); (A.C.); (A.C.); (B.A.); (M.C.); (R.M.); (G.F.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0823-274790
| | - Nicola Cellini
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, 35131 Padova, Italy;
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padova, Italy
- Padova Neuroscience Center, University of Padova, Via Giuseppe Orus 2, 35131 Padova, Italy
- Human Inspired Technology Center, University of Padova, Via Luzzatti 4, 35121 Padova, Italy
| | - Oreste De Rosa
- Department of Psychology, University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Viale Ellittico 31, 81100 Caserta, Italy; (O.D.R.); (A.C.); (A.C.); (B.A.); (M.C.); (R.M.); (G.F.)
| | - Antonietta Caputo
- Department of Psychology, University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Viale Ellittico 31, 81100 Caserta, Italy; (O.D.R.); (A.C.); (A.C.); (B.A.); (M.C.); (R.M.); (G.F.)
| | - Serena Malloggi
- Department NEUROFARBA, University of Firenze, Via di San Salvi 12, 50135 Firenze, Italy; (S.M.); (F.G.)
| | - Alessia Coppola
- Department of Psychology, University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Viale Ellittico 31, 81100 Caserta, Italy; (O.D.R.); (A.C.); (A.C.); (B.A.); (M.C.); (R.M.); (G.F.)
| | - Benedetta Albinni
- Department of Psychology, University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Viale Ellittico 31, 81100 Caserta, Italy; (O.D.R.); (A.C.); (A.C.); (B.A.); (M.C.); (R.M.); (G.F.)
| | - Mariangela Cerasuolo
- Department of Psychology, University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Viale Ellittico 31, 81100 Caserta, Italy; (O.D.R.); (A.C.); (A.C.); (B.A.); (M.C.); (R.M.); (G.F.)
| | - Fiorenza Giganti
- Department NEUROFARBA, University of Firenze, Via di San Salvi 12, 50135 Firenze, Italy; (S.M.); (F.G.)
| | - Roberto Marcone
- Department of Psychology, University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Viale Ellittico 31, 81100 Caserta, Italy; (O.D.R.); (A.C.); (A.C.); (B.A.); (M.C.); (R.M.); (G.F.)
| | - Gianluca Ficca
- Department of Psychology, University of Campania L. Vanvitelli, Viale Ellittico 31, 81100 Caserta, Italy; (O.D.R.); (A.C.); (A.C.); (B.A.); (M.C.); (R.M.); (G.F.)
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26
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Sterpenich V, Perogamvros L, Tononi G, Schwartz S. Fear in dreams and in wakefulness: Evidence for day/night affective homeostasis. Hum Brain Mapp 2019; 41:840-850. [PMID: 31663236 PMCID: PMC7267911 DOI: 10.1002/hbm.24843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Revised: 10/04/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent neuroscientific theories have proposed that emotions experienced in dreams contribute to the resolution of emotional distress and preparation for future affective reactions. We addressed one emerging prediction, namely that experiencing fear in dreams is associated with more adapted responses to threatening signals during wakefulness. Using a stepwise approach across two studies, we identified brain regions activated when experiencing fear in dreams and showed that frightening dreams modulated the response of these same regions to threatening stimuli during wakefulness. Specifically, in Study 1, we performed serial awakenings in 18 participants recorded throughout the night with high‐density electroencephalography (EEG) and asked them whether they experienced any fear in their dreams. Insula and midcingulate cortex activity increased for dreams containing fear. In Study 2, we tested 89 participants and found that those reporting higher incidence of fear in their dreams showed reduced emotional arousal and fMRI response to fear‐eliciting stimuli in the insula, amygdala and midcingulate cortex, while awake. Consistent with better emotion regulation processes, the same participants displayed increased medial prefrontal cortex activity. These findings support that emotions in dreams and wakefulness engage similar neural substrates, and substantiate a link between emotional processes occurring during sleep and emotional brain functions during wakefulness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Virginie Sterpenich
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Lampros Perogamvros
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Center for Sleep Medicine, Division of Pulmonology, Department of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Geneva, Switzerland.,Wisconsin Institute for Sleep and Consciousness, Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Giulio Tononi
- Wisconsin Institute for Sleep and Consciousness, Department of Psychiatry, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, Wisconsin
| | - Sophie Schwartz
- Department of Basic Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.,Swiss Center for Affective Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
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