Dream recall frequency and content in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy
Carla Bentes, João G. Costa, Ana Rita Peralta, Joana Pires, Paula Sousa, Teresa Paiva
Epilepsia October 17, 2011 DOI: 10.1111/j.1528-1167.2011.03290.x (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational cohort Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 52 |
| Population | Patients with pharmacoresistant temporal lobe epilepsy |
| Duration | Five consecutive days |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Keywords | Dream Epilepsy Temporal lobe Audiology Recall Neuropsychology Content measure theory Morning Electroencephalography Cognition Cognitive psychology |
| Citations | 7 |
| Key findings | Patients with TLE have lower dream recall rate and different dream content (more familiar settings, fewer successes) compared to healthy controls. |
Abstract
Purpose: To evaluate morning dream recall frequency and content in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).
Methods: Fifty-two patients with pharmacoresistant TLE submitted to a written dream diary during five consecutive days and continuous video-electroencephalographic (video-EEG) monitoring. A matched control group of 41 healthy subjects completed the same diary at home. The number of recalled dreams (including long dreams) and nonrecalled dream mentation were collected, and the Dream Recall Rate (DRR) was calculated. Hall and Van de Castle dream content analysis was performed. KEY
Findings: Greater than 70% of patients with TLE (37 of 52) recall their dreams, but DRR rate in these patients is lower than in controls (p ≤ 0.001). Dream recall does not appear to be influenced by the presence of neuropsychological deficits nor seizure frequency. In dreams descriptions, TLE patients (vs. controls) have a higher percentage of familiarity in settings and fewer dreams with at least one success.
Significance: Onirical activity of patients with TLE is different from that of healthy subjects. Our results support the role of mesial and neocortical temporal structures in dream experience. The selective activation of dysfunctional mesial structures may be responsible for some of the observed variability. However, dream content changes can also mirror social and psychological comorbidities of patients with epilepsy.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on dreaming, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lucid Dreaming: a State of Consciousness with Features of Both Waking and Non-Lucid Dreaming Student volunteers trained to become lucid and signal lucidity with horizontal eye... | 2009 | Observational study | n = 6 |
| Nightmare Prevalence, Nightmare Distress, and Self-Reported Psychological Disturbance Young adults with a mean age of 20 years | 2002 | Prospective observational study | n = 116 |
| Long-term effects of extreme situational stress on sleep and dreaming Survivors of traumatic events who complained of sleep disturbances, compared with... | 1987 | Case-control study | n = 11 |
| The relationship of nightmare frequency and nightmare distress to well‐being Adults who reported dreams | 2004 | Observational cohort | n = 147 |
| Dreaming in NREM Sleep: A High-Density EEG Study of Slow Waves and Spindles Healthy human subjects | 2018 | Observational cohort | n = 14 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
Cites 6
- Dreams as the Expression of Conceptions and Concerns: A Comparison of German and American College Students Imagination, Cognition and Personality March 1, 2006
- Similarities and differences in dream content at the cross-cultural, gender, and individual levels. Consciousness and Cognition October 4, 2008
- Rhinal-hippocampal connectivity determines memory formation during sleep. Brain January 2006
- Dream experience during REM and NREM sleep of patients with complex partial seizures. Brain Research Bulletin June 30, 2004
- Dream Recall Frequency in Epilepsy Patients with Partial and Generalized Seizures: A Dream Diary Study Epilepsia August 1, 2002
and 1 more in the library