Neural correlates of self-generated imagery and cognition throughout the sleep cycle
arXiv (Cornell University) October 6, 2016 DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.1610.01704 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractDifferent sleep stages are linked to distinct types of mental content, such as dreams and imagery. Evidence from electrophysiology, neurochemistry, and functional neuroimaging suggests relationships between sleep stage, brain activity, and subjective experiences. Activation and deactivation of default network and visual network areas parallel the frequency and intensity of imagery across sleep stages, while frontoparietal control network activity may correspond to levels of cognitive control and meta-awareness. These findings point to brain-mind isomorphisms that could help explain the connection between neurophysiology and psychology in sleep and dreaming.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Cognition Sleep system call Neurophysiology Dream Functional neuroimaging |
| Key finding | Different sleep stages are dissociable at the subjective level, and emerging evidence links sleep stage, neurophysiological activity, and subjective experiences, including parallels between default and visual network activity and imagery, and frontoparietal control network activity and cognitive control. |
Abstract
Humans have been aware for thousands of years that sleep comes in many forms, accompanied by different kinds of mental content. We review the first-person report literature on the frequency and type of content experienced in various stages of sleep, showing that different sleep stages are dissociable at the subjective level. We then relate these subjective differences to the growing literature differentiating the various sleep stages at the neurophysiological level, including evidence from electrophysiology, neurochemistry, and functional neuroimaging. We suggest that there is emerging evidence for relationships between sleep stage, neurophysiological activity, and subjective experiences. Specifically, we emphasize that functional neuroimaging work suggests a parallel between activation and deactivation of default network and visual network brain areas and the varying frequency and intensity of imagery and dream mentation across sleep stages; additionally, frontoparietal control network activity across sleep stages may parallel levels of cognitive control and meta-awareness. Together these findings suggest intriguing brain-mind isomorphisms and may serve as a first step toward a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between neurophysiology and psychology in sleep and dreaming.