“Silent Echoes of the Day: Dream Content Analysis in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis”

People with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) have dreams that differ from those of healthy individuals, with notable differences between men and women. In a study of 68 ALS patients who recorded 127 dreams, men reported fewer friends, anatomical elements, aggression, friendship, and sexuality in their dreams, but more family members, familiar settings, and situations where they initiated aggression. Women reported fewer friends, aggressive and friendly elements, sex-related content, and misfortune, but more animal content. These dream patterns may reflect how patients internalize their condition and could help clinicians better support them.

Study at a glance

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons, leading to muscle atrophy, weakness, and respiratory failure. Numerous studies evaluated the impact of diseases on dream content, and the dream content analysis may be considered an interesting tool in the study of the internalization of the consequences of significant life changes. The study of ALS patients' dream content has been mostly neglected in the literature. This study investigated the dream content in a population affected by ALS. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We evaluated all consecutive outpatients referred to our ALS Centre using a weekly diary of dreams. Dream contents were coded according to the Hall and Van de Castle coding system. RESULTS: Sixty-eight patients completed the study. We collected 127 dreams (females 39.4%) (males 60.6%). Males showed a reduced presence of friends, anatomical elements, aggression, friendship, and sexuality. Instead, we found an increased presence of family members, situations in which the dreamer initiates aggressive action and familiar settings. In the female sample, we found a decreased presence of friends, aggressive and friendly elements, sex-related content, and misfortune, while an increase in animal content. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that dream content in ALS patients differs from that of healthy subjects, and we noticed some gender differences among ALS patients. The dream content can offer insights into ALS patients' mental state and may improve clinicians' ability to support their patients during their therapeutic course.