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Poor recall of eye-movement signals from Stage 2 compared to REM sleep: implications for models of dreaming.

Russell Conduit, Sheila Gillard Crewther, Grahame Coleman

Consciousness and Cognition September 2004 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2004.06.008 (opens in new tab)

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AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Experimental study Peer reviewed
Population Participants who were instructed to produce an eye movement signal in response to tones during sleep
Topics Dreaming
Key findings Recollection of signal-verified tone presentations was significantly lower after Stage 2 sleep (65%) than after REM sleep (100%). This recall was also significantly correlated with reported dream recall frequency, suggesting the same processes involved in recalling signal-verified tones might also underlie dream recall.

Abstract

An ongoing assumption made by sleep researchers is that since dreams are more often recalled on awakening from rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, dreams must occur more often during this stage of sleep. An alternative hypothesis is that cognition occurs throughout sleep, but the recall of this mentation differs on awakening. When a dream is not reported on awakening, there is no method of establishing whether it did not happen or was forgotten. The aim of the present study was to investigate this issue using an eye movement (EM) signal verification technique. Participants were instructed to produce an EM signal whenever they heard a tone. Tones were presented at increasing volume during Stage 2 and REM sleep until EM signal verification was observed. Ninety seconds after signal verification, participants were awakened and asked if they remembered hearing the tone or responding with the EM signal. Such recollection of signal verified tone (SVT) presentations was significantly less after Stage 2 sleep (65%) compared to REM sleep (100%) presentations. Furthermore, SVT recall was significantly correlated with reported dream recall frequency, suggesting the same processes involved in recalling SVTs might also underlie dream recall.

Comparable studies

Other experimental studies on dreaming, most cited first.

Study Year Design Participants
Lucid Dreaming Verified by Volitional Communication during Rem Sleep Selected subjects proficient in lucid dreaming 1981 Experimental study n = 5
Incorporation of concern- and nonconcern-related verbal stimuli into dream content. Seven male subjects studied during sleep Stages 2 and REM 1981 Experimental study n = 7
Lucid Dreaming and Alpha Activity: A Preliminary Report Good dream recallers 1982 Experimental study n = 10
Lucid dreaming during NREM sleep: Two case reports 2012 Sleep laboratory study
The Dream Catcher experiment: blinded analyses failed to detect markers of dreaming consciousness in EEG spectral power. Human participants during sleep 2020 Experimental study with blinded classification n = 9

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