THE DREAMING BRAIN: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY SYNTHESIS OF NEURAL MECHANISMS, COGNITIVE FUNCTIONS AND PATHOLOGICAL MANIFESTATIONS
Mostafa Essam Eissa
Universal Journal of Pharmaceutical Research May 15, 2025 DOI: 10.22270/ujpr.v10i2.1315 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Keywords | Multidisciplinary approach Pathological Cognition Cognitive science Cognitive psychology Pathology |
| Key findings | Dreaming arises from limbic hyperactivity and prefrontal hypoactivity during REM sleep, serving memory consolidation, emotional regulation, and creativity, with pathological patterns reflecting dysregulated neural circuits. |
Abstract
Dreaming, a universal phenomenon linked to REM sleep, arises from intricate interactions between limbic regions, cortical networks, and neurotransmitter dynamics. Neuroimaging highlights amygdala and hippocampal hyperactivity alongside prefrontal cortex hypoactivity, elucidating the emotional vividness and cognitive disorganization of dreams. Cholinergic pathways drive REM sleep, while suppressed serotonergic and noradrenergic activity impairs reality monitoring. Emerging evidence suggests multifaceted roles for dreaming: consolidating memories via hippocampal-neocortical dialogue, modulating emotions through fear extinction, and fostering creativity via associative cognition. Pathological dream patterns such as PTSD-related nightmares or reduced recall in depression reflect dysregulated neural circuits. Therapeutic strategies, including SSRIs and cognitive therapies, target these mechanisms. Innovations like fMRI-based dream decoding and cross-cultural studies reveal conserved neurophysiology beneath sociocultural variations. This synthesis positions dreaming as a lens for exploring consciousness, sleep-dependent cognition, and neuropsychiatric interventions. Future research may leverage closed-loop neuromodulation to probe dream content and neuroplasticity. Peer Review History: Received 6 February 2025; Reviewed 11 March 2025; Accepted 16 April; Available online 15 May 2025
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| The cognitive neuroscience of lucid dreaming | 2019 | Review | |
| Sleep and dreaming are for important matters | 2013 | Review | |
| Nightmare Disorder and Isolated Sleep Paralysis | 2020 | Review | |
| My Dream, My Rules: Can Lucid Dreaming Treat Nightmares? | 2019 | Review | |
| Dream Recall: State or Trait Variable? Part I: Model, Theories, Methodology and Trait Factors | 1996 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cites 5
- Exploring the neural correlates of dream phenomenology and altered states of consciousness during sleep Neuroscience of Consciousness 2017
- Investigation on Neurobiological Mechanisms of Dreaming in the New Decade Brain Sciences February 11, 2021
- The Functional Role of Dreaming in Emotional Processes. Frontiers in Psychology 2019
- Best practice guide for the treatment of nightmare disorder in adults. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine August 1, 2010
- The cognitive neuroscience of sleep: neuronal systems, consciousness and learning. Nature Reviews Neuroscience September 2002