On the psychophysiology of dreaming: a sensory image--free association hypothesis of the dream process.
A psychophysiological hypothesis of the dream process during REM sleep called "a sensory image-free association hypothesis" is proposed. It is assumed that a state with a sustained EEG pattern of drowsiness (non-REM stage-1) and muscle atonia produces a stream of disorganized and vague thinking as a background mentation during the REM sleep. The phasic excitation of the brain occurring concurrently with the burst of rapid eye movements (REMs) activates the hippocampal-neocortical memory system and draws out sensory images from the memory reservoir of the brain. The dreamer makes a freely organized association about the successive sensory images and makes up a dream story. This hypothesis is compatible not only with the recent neurophysiological findings but also with traditional psychological interpretation of the dream content.
Okuma
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National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan.
D000818:Animals; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology; D001921:Brain / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D004325:Dreams / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination / Q000502:physiology*; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology*; D012895:Sleep, REM / Q000502:physiology*