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Scarpelli S, Alfonsi V, De Gennaro L, Gorgoni M. Dreaming for two: A systematic review of mental sleep activity during pregnancy. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 163:105763. [PMID: 38852848 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105763] [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: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Changes in sleep and dreams are often observed during pregnancy. Dreaming may represent privileged access to the inner world of individuals, providing relevant information about their well-being. For this reason, a growing but heterogeneous literature has investigated dream experiences of pregnant women. The present paper aimed to systematically review the available evidence on the relationship between pregnancy and oneric activity, focusing on dream and nightmare frequency, dream contents, and emotional features. Moreover, dream changes between pre-partum and post-partum periods and the impact of previous pregnancy-related adverse events on dreaming have been summarized. Overall, 17 studies have been examined. The reviewed evidence suggests that women tend to have an abundant production of dreams and nightmares during pregnancy, and some results support the view that a high rate of dream recall is associated with poor sleep quality. Most studies have shown a high presence of pregnancy-related dream content, likely reflecting waking experiences and concerns. Additionally, dreaming may promote psychological preparation and activation of functional coping strategies to face life changes after childbirth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Scarpelli
- 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
| | - Maurizio Gorgoni
- Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy; IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
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2
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Bloxham A, Horton CL. Enhancing and advancing the understanding and study of dreaming and memory consolidation: Reflections, challenges, theoretical clarity, and methodological considerations. Conscious Cogn 2024; 123:103719. [PMID: 38941924 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2024.103719] [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: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
Empirical investigations that search for a link between dreaming and sleep-dependent memory consolidation have focused on testing for an association between dreaming of what was learned, and improved memory performance for learned material. Empirical support for this is mixed, perhaps owing to the inherent challenges presented by the nature of dreams, and methodological inconsistencies. The purpose of this paper is to address critically prevalent assumptions and practices, with the aim of clarifying and enhancing research on this topic, chiefly by providing a theoretical synthesis of existing models and evidence. Also, it recommends the method of Targeted Memory Reactivation (TMR) as a means for investigating if dream content can be linked to specific cued activations. Other recommendations to enhance research practice and enquiry on this subject are also provided, focusing on the HOW and WHY we search for memory sources in dreams, and what purpose (if any) they might serve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony Bloxham
- Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, NG1 4FQ, United Kingdom.
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Martschuk N, Harris DA, Powell MB, Goodman-Delahunty J. Early childhood memories of individuals convicted of sexual offences. Memory 2024; 32:1-10. [PMID: 37922396 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2023.2276977] [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: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/05/2023]
Abstract
This study used innovative transdisciplinary methods to describe the nature and extent of early childhood memories recalled by 84 adults convicted of sexual offences. The timing of the memories, level of detail recalled and way memories were recollected were largely consistent with extant memory research. One important finding, however, was that more than 30% of our participants recalled particularly traumatic and distressing childhood experiences - a much higher proportion than previously observed in nonoffending samples. The extent to which these memories laid the foundation for subsequent emotional content and feature in the evolution of cognitive schemata is not yet well understood. With that in mind, we consider the implications of our findings for the event centrality in self-narratives. We recommend the inclusion of treatment modalities that maximise as yet unrecognised and undervalued narrative inclinations and story-telling abilities of a complicated population of individuals with rich lived experience that stands to benefit greatly from such approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie Martschuk
- Griffith Criminology Institute, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia
| | | | - Martine B Powell
- Centre for Investigative Interviewing, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia
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Triantafyllou AS, Ilias I, Economou NT, Pappa A, Koukkou E, Steiropoulos P. Dream Recall/Affect and Cortisol: An Exploratory Study. Clocks Sleep 2022; 4:9-15. [PMID: 35225949 PMCID: PMC8883916 DOI: 10.3390/clockssleep4010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The effect of cortisol on dreams has been scarcely studied. The aim of this exploratory study was to assess the possible effect of cortisol levels on dream recall/affect, considering, in female subjects, their menstrual cycle phase. Fifteen men and fifteen women were recruited. Saliva samples were used for the detection of cortisol levels. Participants were instructed to provide four saliva samples, during three consecutive days. After awakening, on the second and third day, they were asked whether they could recall the previous night’s dreams and whether these were pleasant or unpleasant. Female subjects followed this procedure twice: firstly, during the luteal phase and, secondly, during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle. Subjects with higher evening or higher morning cortisol levels tended to show increased dream recall; a non-statistically significant association between morning cortisol levels and positive dream affect was also found. This association acquired statistical significance for salivary morning cortisol levels exceeding the upper normal level of 19.1 nmol/L (OR: 4.444, 95% CI: 1.108–17.830, p-value: 0.039). No connection between menstrual cycle stages and dream recall/affect was detected. In conclusion, cortisol may be a crucial neuromodulator, affecting dream recall and content. Therefore, its effects on sleep and dreams should be further studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandros S. Triantafyllou
- MSc Program in Sleep Medicine, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (A.S.T.); (N.-T.E.); (P.S.)
| | - Ioannis Ilias
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Elena Venizelou Hospital, 11521 Athens, Greece; (A.P.); (E.K.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +30-213-205-1389
| | - Nicholas-Tiberio Economou
- MSc Program in Sleep Medicine, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (A.S.T.); (N.-T.E.); (P.S.)
- Sleep Study Unit, Eginition Hospital, University of Athens & Enypnion Sleep Disorders—Epilepsy Center, 11521 Athens, Greece
| | - Athina Pappa
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Elena Venizelou Hospital, 11521 Athens, Greece; (A.P.); (E.K.)
| | - Eftychia Koukkou
- Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Elena Venizelou Hospital, 11521 Athens, Greece; (A.P.); (E.K.)
| | - Paschalis Steiropoulos
- MSc Program in Sleep Medicine, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece; (A.S.T.); (N.-T.E.); (P.S.)
- Department of Pneumonology, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, 68100 Alexandroupolis, Greece
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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: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [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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Dream Recall/Affect and the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis. Clocks Sleep 2021; 3:403-408. [PMID: 34449575 PMCID: PMC8395463 DOI: 10.3390/clockssleep3030027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
In this concise review, we present an overview of research on dream recall/affect and of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, discussing caveats regarding the action of hormones of the HPA axis (mainly cortisol and its free form, cortisol-binding globulin and glucocorticoid receptors). We present results of studies regarding dream recall/affect and the HPA axis under physiological (such as waking) or pathological conditions (such as in Cushing’s syndrome or stressful situations). Finally, we try to integrate the effect of the current COVID-19 situation with dream recall/affect vis-à-vis the HPA axis.
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Malinowski JE, Horton CL. Dreams reflect nocturnal cognitive processes: Early-night dreams are more continuous with waking life, and late-night dreams are more emotional and hyperassociative. Conscious Cogn 2020; 88:103071. [PMID: 33360822 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2020.103071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Contributions of specific sleep stages to cognitive processes are increasingly understood. Non-REM sleep is particularly implicated in episodic memory consolidation, whilst REM sleep preferentially consolidates and regulates emotional information, and gives rise to creativity and insight. Dream content reflects these processes: non-REM dreams are more likely to picture episodic memories, whereas REM dreams are more emotional and bizarre. However, across-the-night differences in the memory sources of dream content, as opposed to sleep stage differences, are less well understood. In the present study, 68 participants were awoken from sleep in the early and late night and recorded their dreams and waking-life activities. Early-night dreams were more clearly relatable to (or continuous with) waking life than late-night dreams. Late-night dreams were more emotional-important, more time orientation varied, and more hyperassociative, than early-night dreams. These dream content differences may underlie the mental content that accompanies sleep processes like memory consolidation, emotion-processing, and creativity.
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Affiliation(s)
- J E Malinowski
- University of Bedfordshire, Vicarage Street, Luton LU1 3JU, UK; University of East London, School of Psychology, Water Lane, Stratford E15 4LZ, UK(1).
| | - C L Horton
- Leeds Beckett University, Civic Campus, Calverley Street, Leeds LS1 3HE, UK; DrEAMSLab, Bishop Grosseteste University, Longdales Road, Lincoln LN1 3DY, UK(1)
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8
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Horton CL. Key Concepts in Dream Research: Cognition and Consciousness Are Inherently Linked, but Do No Not Control "Control"! Front Hum Neurosci 2020; 14:259. [PMID: 32765237 PMCID: PMC7379370 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2020.00259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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9
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Spanò G, Pizzamiglio G, McCormick C, Clark IA, De Felice S, Miller TD, Edgin JO, Rosenthal CR, Maguire EA. Dreaming with hippocampal damage. eLife 2020; 9:e56211. [PMID: 32508305 PMCID: PMC7279885 DOI: 10.7554/elife.56211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The hippocampus is linked with both sleep and memory, but there is debate about whether a salient aspect of sleep - dreaming - requires its input. To address this question, we investigated if human patients with focal bilateral hippocampal damage and amnesia engaged in dreaming. We employed a provoked awakening protocol where participants were woken up at various points throughout the night, including during non-rapid eye movement and rapid eye movement sleep, to report their thoughts in that moment. Despite being roused a similar number of times, dream frequency was reduced in the patients compared to control participants, and the few dreams they reported were less episodic-like in nature and lacked content. These results suggest that hippocampal integrity may be necessary for typical dreaming to occur, and aligns dreaming with other hippocampal-dependent processes such as episodic memory that are central to supporting our mental life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Goffredina Spanò
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Gloria Pizzamiglio
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Cornelia McCormick
- Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Geriatric Psychiatry, University Hospital BonnBonnGermany
| | - Ian A Clark
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Sara De Felice
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Thomas D Miller
- Department of Neurology, Royal Free HospitalLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Jamie O Edgin
- Department of Psychology, University of ArizonaTucsonUnited States
| | - Clive R Rosenthal
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University of OxfordOxfordUnited Kingdom
| | - Eleanor A Maguire
- Wellcome Centre for Human Neuroimaging, UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, University College LondonLondonUnited Kingdom
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Pieroni MA. Investigation of apomorphine during sleep in Parkinson's: Improvement in UPDRS Scores. Neurol Int 2019; 11:8207. [PMID: 31871600 PMCID: PMC6908956 DOI: 10.4081/ni.2019.8207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Sleep is responsible for several functions required for homeostasis. REM sleep could be a rearrangement period where limits of certain functions can be moved to a new state of balance. This study proposes that dopaminergic deficit may be responsible for the circadian dysregulation that occur with neurodegeneration and therefore a restitution of REM sleep and an improvement in Parkinson disease’s symptoms can be achieved with the controlled use of dopamine agonists during the night. Twenty parkinsonian patients underwent to a onemonth study of subcutaneous nocturnal apomorphine treatment at the beginning of each REM stage. This therapeutic approach led to a significant benefit for patients in all of the 3 UPDRS scores. The mean change from baseline in the MDS-UPDRS Part I, II and III was significantly greater in the apomorphine vs. placebo group. In the UPDRS Part I total score was 0.8 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.612, -0.012) and 3.3 (95% CI: 4.732, 1.867) for the placebo and apomorphine groups, respectively (difference between groups: 2.5, 95% CI: 3.454, 1.545; P = 0.002). For UPDRS Part II total score, the mean change was 1.3 (95% CI: 2.692, - 0.09) and 4.6 (6.916, 2.28). Difference between groups: 3.3, 95% CI: 4.752, 1.847; P = 0.013. In UPDRS Part III was 1.1 (95% CI: 2.425, -0.225) and 5.5 (95% CI: 8.808, 2.191). Difference between groups: 4.4, (95% CI: 6.321, 2.478; P = 0.012). We can conclude that sleep alteration in PD can be improved by stimulation of D2 receptors. The symptomatic benefits obtained due to restoration of REM functions were significant.
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11
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Predicting the affective tone of everyday dreams: A prospective study of state and trait variables. Sci Rep 2019; 9:14780. [PMID: 31611647 PMCID: PMC6791936 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50859-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Although emotions are reported in a large majority of dreams, little is known about the factors that account for night-to-night and person-to-person variations in people’s experience of dream affect. We investigated the relationship between waking trait and state variables and dream affect by testing multilevel models intended to predict the affective valence of people’s everyday dreams. Participants from the general population completed measures of personality and trauma history followed by a three-week daily journal in which they noted dream recall, valence of dreamed emotions and level of perceived stress for the day as well as prior to sleep onset. Within-subject effects accounted for most of the explained variance in the reported valence of dream affect. Trait anxiety was the only variable that significantly predicted dream emotional valence at the between-subjects level. In addition to highlighting the need for more fine-grained measures in this area of research, our results point to methodological limitations and biases associated with retrospective estimates of general dream affect and bring into focus state variables that may best explain observed within-subject variance in emotions experienced in everyday dreams.
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12
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Dream Recall and Content versus the Menstrual Cycle: A Cross-Sectional Study in Healthy Women. Med Sci (Basel) 2019; 7:medsci7070081. [PMID: 31330877 PMCID: PMC6681280 DOI: 10.3390/medsci7070081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2019] [Revised: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The association between sleep and the menstrual cycle has been scarcely studied. This study aimed to investigate the association between dream recall and content and the menstrual cycle among a large sample of young women. To this aim, 944 women were asked about their day of menstrual cycle, whether they remembered the previous night’s dreams and if they did so to describe the dream content as pleasant or unpleasant. A total of 378 women recalled the previous nights’ dreams, with 199 reporting pleasant dream affect/content and 179 reporting unpleasant dream content. In women who recalled their dreams, there was an association of pleasant dream content with the luteal phase (p = 0.038). In conclusion, in women, the hormonal milieu of the luteal phase may influence dream content.
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Nieto M, Ricarte JJ, Griffith JW, Slesinger NC, Taple BJ, Fernández-Aguilar L, Ros L, Latorre JM. Sleep and cognitive development in preschoolers: Stress and autobiographical performance associations. JOURNAL OF APPLIED DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.appdev.2019.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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14
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Eichenlaub JB, van Rijn E, Gaskell MG, Lewis PA, Maby E, Malinowski JE, Walker MP, Boy F, Blagrove M. Incorporation of recent waking-life experiences in dreams correlates with frontal theta activity in REM sleep. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2019; 13:637-647. [PMID: 29868897 PMCID: PMC6022568 DOI: 10.1093/scan/nsy041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2017] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and its main oscillatory feature, frontal theta, have been related to the processing of recent emotional memories. As memories constitute much of the source material for our dreams, we explored the link between REM frontal theta and the memory sources of dreaming, so as to elucidate the brain activities behind the formation of dream content. Twenty participants were woken for dream reports in REM and slow wave sleep (SWS) while monitored using electroencephalography. Eighteen participants reported at least one REM dream and 14 at least one SWS dream, and they, and independent judges, subsequently compared their dream reports with log records of their previous daily experiences. The number of references to recent waking-life experiences in REM dreams was positively correlated with frontal theta activity in the REM sleep period. No such correlation was observed for older memories, nor for SWS dreams. The emotional intensity of recent waking-life experiences incorporated into dreams was higher than the emotional intensity of experiences that were not incorporated. These results suggest that the formation of wakefulness-related dream content is associated with REM theta activity, and accords with theories that dreaming reflects emotional memory processing taking place in REM sleep.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Penelope A Lewis
- School of Psychological Science, Manchester University, Manchester, UK
| | - Emmanuel Maby
- Lyon Neuroscience Research Center, INSERM, CNRS, University of Lyon, Lyon, France
| | | | - Matthew P Walker
- Sleep and Neuroimaging Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Frederic Boy
- Department of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
| | - Mark Blagrove
- Department of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea, UK
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15
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Lukowski AF, Valentovich V, Bohanek JG, Slonecker EM. Sleep Quality and the Subjective Experience of Autobiographical Memory: Differential Associations by Memory Valence and Temporality. APPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/acp.3356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
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16
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Windt JM, Nielsen T, Thompson E. Does Consciousness Disappear in Dreamless Sleep? Trends Cogn Sci 2016; 20:871-882. [PMID: 27765517 DOI: 10.1016/j.tics.2016.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2016] [Revised: 09/21/2016] [Accepted: 09/22/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Consciousness is often said to disappear in deep, dreamless sleep. We argue that this assumption is oversimplified. Unless dreamless sleep is defined as unconscious from the outset there are good empirical and theoretical reasons for saying that a range of different types of sleep experience, some of which are distinct from dreaming, can occur in all stages of sleep. We introduce a novel taxonomy for describing different kinds of dreamless sleep experiences and suggest research methods for their investigation. Future studies should focus on three areas: memory consolidation, sleep disorders, and sleep state (mis)perception. Our proposal suggests new directions for sleep and dream science, as well as for the neuroscience of consciousness, and can also inform the diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer M Windt
- Department of Philosophy, Monash University, Level 6, Menzies Building, Clayton Campus, 20 Chancellor's Walk, Monash University, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Tore Nielsen
- Department of Psychiatry, Université de Montréal, and the Dream and Nightmare Laboratory, Centre for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine, Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, 5400 Boulevard Gouin Ouest, Montréal, QC H4 J 1C5, Canada
| | - Evan Thompson
- Department of Philosophy, University of British Columbia, 1866 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6 T 1Z4, Canada.
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Malinowski JE, Horton CL. Metaphor and hyperassociativity: the imagination mechanisms behind emotion assimilation in sleep and dreaming. Front Psychol 2015; 6:1132. [PMID: 26347669 PMCID: PMC4539471 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2015] [Accepted: 07/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In this paper we propose an emotion assimilation function of sleep and dreaming. We offer explanations both for the mechanisms by which waking-life memories are initially selected for processing during sleep, and for the mechanisms by which those memories are subsequently transformed during sleep. We propose that emotions act as a marker for information to be selectively processed during sleep, including consolidation into long term memory structures and integration into pre-existing memory networks; that dreaming reflects these emotion assimilation processes; and that the associations between memory fragments activated during sleep give rise to measureable elements of dream metaphor and hyperassociativity. The latter are a direct reflection, and the phenomenological experience, of emotional memory assimilation processes occurring during sleep. While many theories previously have posited a role for emotion processing and/or emotional memory consolidation during sleep and dreaming, sleep theories often do not take enough account of important dream science data, yet dream research, when conducted systematically and under ideal conditions, can greatly enhance theorizing around the functions of sleep. Similarly, dream theories often fail to consider the implications of sleep-dependent memory research, which can augment our understanding of dream functioning. Here, we offer a synthesized view, taking detailed account of both sleep and dream data and theories. We draw on extensive literature from sleep and dream experiments and theories, including often-overlooked data from dream science which we believe reflects sleep phenomenology, to bring together important ideas and findings from both domains.
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Horton CL, Malinowski JE. Autobiographical memory and hyperassociativity in the dreaming brain: implications for memory consolidation in sleep. Front Psychol 2015; 6:874. [PMID: 26191010 PMCID: PMC4488598 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2015] [Accepted: 06/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In this paper we argue that autobiographical memory (AM) activity across sleep and wake can provide insight into the nature of dreaming, and vice versa. Activated memories within the sleeping brain reflect one’s personal life history (autobiography). They can appear in largely fragmentary forms and differ from conventional manifestations of episodic memory. Autobiographical memories in dreams can be sampled from non-REM as well as REM periods, which contain fewer episodic references and become more bizarre across the night. Salient fragmented memory features are activated in sleep and re-bound with fragments not necessarily emerging from the same memory, thus de-contextualizing those memories and manifesting as experiences that differ from waking conceptions. The constructive nature of autobiographical recall further encourages synthesis of these hyper-associated images into an episode via recalling and reporting dreams. We use a model of AM to account for the activation of memories in dreams as a reflection of sleep-dependent memory consolidation processes. We focus in particular on the hyperassociative nature of AM during sleep.
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Lara-Carrasco J, Simard V, Saint-Onge K, Lamoureux-Tremblay V, Nielsen T. Disturbed dreaming during the third trimester of pregnancy. Sleep Med 2014; 15:694-700. [PMID: 24780135 DOI: 10.1016/j.sleep.2014.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2013] [Revised: 01/24/2014] [Accepted: 01/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The majority of women develop sleep impairments during pregnancy, but alterations in dream experiences remain poorly understood. This study aimed to assess prospectively and comparatively the recall of dreaming and of disturbed dreaming in late pregnancy. METHODS Fifty-seven nulliparous, third-trimester pregnant women (mean age±SD, 28.7±4.06 years) and 59 non-pregnant controls (mean age±SD, 26.8±4.21 years) completed demographics and psychological questionnaires. A 14-day prospective home log assessed sleep and dream characteristics and the Sleep Disorders Questionnaire measured retrospective dream and disturbed dream recall. RESULTS Even though pregnant and non-pregnant women showed similar prospective dream recall (P=0.47), pregnant women reported prospectively more bad dreams (P=0.004). More pregnant women (21%) than non-pregnant women (7%) reported a nightmare incidence exceeding moderately severe pathology (>1/week) (P=0.03). Pregnant women also reported overall lower sleep quality (P=0.007) and more night awakenings (P=0.003). Higher prospective recall of bad dreams (r = -0.40, P=0.002) and nightmares (r = -0.32, P=0.001) both correlated with lower sleep quality in pregnant women. CONCLUSIONS Late pregnancy is a period of markedly increased dysphoric dream imagery that may be a major contributor to impaired sleep at this time. Further polysomnographic assessments of pregnant women are needed to clarify relationships between sleep and disturbed dream production in this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Lara-Carrasco
- Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine, Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, Québec, Canada; Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Valérie Simard
- Department of Psychology, Université de Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada
| | - Kadia Saint-Onge
- Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine, Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, Québec, Canada; Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Vickie Lamoureux-Tremblay
- Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine, Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, Québec, Canada; Department of Psychology, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada
| | - Tore Nielsen
- Center for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine, Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur de Montréal, Québec, Canada; Department of Psychiatry, Université de Montréal, Québec, Canada.
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Edwards CL, Ruby PM, Malinowski JE, Bennett PD, Blagrove MT. Dreaming and insight. Front Psychol 2013; 4:979. [PMID: 24550849 PMCID: PMC3872037 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2013] [Accepted: 12/09/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
This paper addresses claims that dreams can be a source of personal insight. Whereas there has been anecdotal backing for such claims, there is now tangential support from findings of the facilitative effect of sleep on cognitive insight, and of REM sleep in particular on emotional memory consolidation. Furthermore, the presence in dreams of metaphorical representations of waking life indicates the possibility of novel insight as an emergent feature of such metaphorical mappings. In order to assess whether personal insight can occur as a result of the consideration of dream content, 11 dream group discussion sessions were conducted which followed the Ullman Dream Appreciation technique, one session for each of 11 participants (10 females, 1 male; mean age = 19.2 years). Self-ratings of deepened self-perception and personal gains from participation in the group sessions showed that the Ullman technique is an effective procedure for establishing connections between dream content and recent waking life experiences, although wake life sources were found for only 14% of dream report text. The mean Exploration-Insight score on the Gains from Dream Interpretation questionnaire was very high and comparable to outcomes from the well-established Hill (1996) therapist-led dream interpretation method. This score was associated between-subjects with pre-group positive Attitude Toward Dreams (ATD). The need to distinguish “aha” experiences as a result of discovering a waking life source for part of a dream, from “aha” experiences of personal insight as a result of considering dream content, is discussed. Difficulties are described in designing a control condition to which the dream report condition can be compared.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Perrine M Ruby
- Department of Psychology, Swansea University Swansea, UK ; Brain Dynamics and Cognition Team, Lyon Neuroscience Research Centre, INSERM U1028 Lyon, France
| | | | - Paul D Bennett
- Department of Psychology, Swansea University Swansea, UK
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Abstract
Over more than a century of research has established the fact that sleep benefits the retention of memory. In this review we aim to comprehensively cover the field of "sleep and memory" research by providing a historical perspective on concepts and a discussion of more recent key findings. Whereas initial theories posed a passive role for sleep enhancing memories by protecting them from interfering stimuli, current theories highlight an active role for sleep in which memories undergo a process of system consolidation during sleep. Whereas older research concentrated on the role of rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep, recent work has revealed the importance of slow-wave sleep (SWS) for memory consolidation and also enlightened some of the underlying electrophysiological, neurochemical, and genetic mechanisms, as well as developmental aspects in these processes. Specifically, newer findings characterize sleep as a brain state optimizing memory consolidation, in opposition to the waking brain being optimized for encoding of memories. Consolidation originates from reactivation of recently encoded neuronal memory representations, which occur during SWS and transform respective representations for integration into long-term memory. Ensuing REM sleep may stabilize transformed memories. While elaborated with respect to hippocampus-dependent memories, the concept of an active redistribution of memory representations from networks serving as temporary store into long-term stores might hold also for non-hippocampus-dependent memory, and even for nonneuronal, i.e., immunological memories, giving rise to the idea that the offline consolidation of memory during sleep represents a principle of long-term memory formation established in quite different physiological systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Björn Rasch
- Division of Biopsychology, Neuroscience Center Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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Blagrove M, Fouquet NC, Baird AL, Pace-Schott EF, Davies AC, Neuschaffer JL, Henley-Einion JA, Weidemann CT, Thome J, McNamara P, Turnbull OH. Association of salivary-assessed oxytocin and cortisol levels with time of night and sleep stage. J Neural Transm (Vienna) 2012; 119:1223-32. [DOI: 10.1007/s00702-012-0880-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2012] [Accepted: 07/25/2012] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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Nielsen T. Variations in dream recall frequency and dream theme diversity by age and sex. Front Neurol 2012; 3:106. [PMID: 22783222 PMCID: PMC3389337 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2012.00106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2012] [Accepted: 06/12/2012] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
We assessed dream recall frequency (DRF) and dream theme diversity (DTD) with an internet questionnaire among a cohort of 28,888 male and female participants aged 10–79 years in a cross-sectional design. DRF increased from adolescence (ages 10–19) to early adulthood (20–29) and then decreased again for the next 20 years. The nature of this decrease differed for males and females. For males, it began earlier (30–39), proceeded more gradually, and reached a nadir earlier (40–49) than it did for females. For females, it began later (40–49), dropped more abruptly, and reached nadir later (50–59). Marked sex differences were observed for age strata 10–19 through 40–49 and year-by-year analyses estimated the window for these differences to be more precisely from 14 to 44 years. DTD decreased linearly with age for both sexes up to 50–59 and then dropped even more sharply for 60–79. There was a sex difference favoring males on this measure but only for ages 10–19. Findings replicate, in a single sample, those from several previous studies showing an increase in DRF from adolescence to early adulthood, a subsequent decrease primarily in early and middle adulthood, and different patterns of age-related decrease in the two sexes. Age-related changes in sleep structure, such as decreasing %REM sleep which parallel the observed dream recall changes, might help explain these findings, but these sleep changes are much smaller and more gradual in nature. Changes in the phase and amplitude of circadian rhythms of REM propensity and generational differences in life experiences may also account for some part of the findings. That decreases in DTD parallel known age-related decreases in episodic and autobiographical memory may signify that this new diversity measure indexes an aspect of autobiographical memory that also influences dream recall.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tore Nielsen
- Department of Psychiatry, Université de Montréal Montréal, QC, Canada
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Sleep modulates word-pair learning but not motor sequence learning in healthy older adults. Neurobiol Aging 2012; 33:991-1000. [PMID: 22244090 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2011.06.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 125] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2010] [Revised: 05/23/2011] [Accepted: 06/09/2011] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Sleep benefits memory across a range of tasks for young adults. However, remarkably little is known of the role of sleep on memory for healthy older adults. We used 2 tasks, 1 assaying motor skill learning and the other assaying nonmotor/declarative learning, to examine off-line changes in performance in young (20-34 years), middle-aged (35-50 years), and older (51-70 years) adults without disordered sleep. During an initial session, conducted either in the morning or evening, participants learned a motor sequence and a list of word pairs. Memory tests were given twice, 12 and 24 hours after training, allowing us to analyze off-line consolidation after a break that included sleep or normal wake. Sleep-dependent performance changes were reduced in older adults on the motor sequence learning task. In contrast, sleep-dependent performance changes were similar for all 3 age groups on the word pair learning task. Age-related changes in sleep or networks activated during encoding or during sleep may contribute to age-related declines in motor sequence consolidation. Interestingly, these changes do not affect declarative memory.
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Blagrove M, Fouquet NC, Henley-Einion JA, Pace-Schott EF, Davies AC, Neuschaffer JL, Turnbull OH. Assessing the dream-lag effect for REM and NREM stage 2 dreams. PLoS One 2011; 6:e26708. [PMID: 22046336 PMCID: PMC3202556 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0026708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2011] [Accepted: 10/02/2011] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This study investigates evidence, from dream reports, for memory consolidation during sleep. It is well-known that events and memories from waking life can be incorporated into dreams. These incorporations can be a literal replication of what occurred in waking life, or, more often, they can be partial or indirect. Two types of temporal relationship have been found to characterize the time of occurrence of a daytime event and the reappearance or incorporation of its features in a dream. These temporal relationships are referred to as the day-residue or immediate incorporation effect, where there is the reappearance of features from events occurring on the immediately preceding day, and the dream-lag effect, where there is the reappearance of features from events occurring 5–7 days prior to the dream. Previous work on the dream-lag effect has used spontaneous home recalled dream reports, which can be from Rapid Eye Movement Sleep (REM) and from non-Rapid Eye Movement Sleep (NREM). This study addresses whether the dream-lag effect occurs only for REM sleep dreams, or for both REM and NREM stage 2 (N2) dreams. 20 participants kept a daily diary for over a week before sleeping in the sleep laboratory for 2 nights. REM and N2 dreams collected in the laboratory were transcribed and each participant rated the level of correspondence between every dream report and every diary record. The dream-lag effect was found for REM but not N2 dreams. Further analysis indicated that this result was not due to N2 dream reports being shorter, in terms of number of words, than the REM dream reports. These results provide evidence for a 7-day sleep-dependent non-linear memory consolidation process that is specific to REM sleep, and accord with proposals for the importance of REM sleep to emotional memory consolidation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark Blagrove
- Department of Psychology, Swansea University, Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom.
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