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Dreaming conundrum

Carlotta Mutti, Francesca Siclari, Ivana Rosenzweig

Journal of Sleep Research October 3, 2024 DOI: 10.1111/jsr.14338 (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Review Peer reviewed
Topics Dreaming
Keywords Dream Phenomenon Recall Scientific discovery Cognition Psychoanalysis Cognitive psychology Cognitive science Epistemology
Citations 2
Key findings Scientific investigation of dreaming gained momentum with the discovery of REM sleep in the 1950s, and current research synthesizes neurobiological and psychological aspects of dreaming with implications for clinical practice.

Abstract

Dreaming, a common yet mysterious cognitive phenomenon, is an involuntary process experienced by individuals during sleep. Although the fascination with dreams dates back to ancient times and gained therapeutic significance through psychoanalysis in the early twentieth century, its scientific investigation only gained momentum with the discovery of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep in the 1950s. This review synthesises current research on the neurobiological and psychological aspects of dreaming, including factors influencing dream recall and content, neurophysiological correlates, and experimental models, and discusses the implications for clinical practice.