Spectral EEG correlates of dream recall.
P C Williamson, A Csima, H Galin, M Mamelak
Biological Psychiatry July 1, 1986 DOI: 10.1016/0006-3223(86)90236-2 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 6 |
| Population | Six normal volunteers studied over 24 nights in a sleep laboratory |
| Duration | 24 nights |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Keywords | Humans Electroencephalography Dreams Memory Mental recall Sleep stages Models, neurological Adolescent Adult Female |
| Key findings | Mean frequency in the beta band was the best EEG correlate of mental activity in Stage 2 sleep, while awakenings with dream recall tended to have lower total power. Beta mean frequency was highest in REM sleep and wakefulness and declined in Stage 2 and Stage 4, paralleling reported declines in mental activity. |
Abstract
Recent studies have shown that dreaming is not limited to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, but can be found to varying degrees in any stage of sleep. This study attempted to quantify the EEG correlations of dreaming during Stage 2 sleep. Six normal volunteers were studied for 24 nights in the sleep laboratory. Electroencephalogram (EEG) recording prior to awakening from Stage 2 sleep and from other stages without awakening were subjected to computer spectral analysis. Although awakenings associated with dream recall tended to have lower total power, mean frequency in the beta band proved to be the best correlate of mental activity in Stage 2 sleep. Mean frequency had its highest values in REM sleep and wakefulness and declined in Stage 2 and Stage 4 sleep, in keeping with the decline in mental activity reported from these stages. Implications of these findings are discussed with regard to models of dream recall and clinical states.
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 |
| The prevalence of nightmares and their independence from anxiety. Undergraduates | 1990 | Observational study using daily dream logs | n = 220 |
Citations in the library
Cited by 16
- Assessing sleep consciousness within subjects using a serial awakening paradigm Frontiers in Psychology 2013
- Dreaming in NREM Sleep: A High-Density EEG Study of Slow Waves and Spindles Journal of Neuroscience September 10, 2018
- Dream Recall: State or Trait Variable? Part II: State Factors, Investigations and Final Conclusions Imagination, Cognition and Personality March 1, 1997
- DREAM: A Dream EEG and Mentation database May 16, 2023
- The electrophysiological correlates of dream recall and nonrecall from Stage 2 sleep. Canadian Journal of Psychology/Revue Canadienne de Psychologie June 1, 1991
and 11 more in the library