Katrina Stuart1, Russell Conduit. 1. School of Psychology, Psychiatry & Psychological Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Nursing & Health Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia.
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVES: There is debate in dream research as to whether ponto-geniculo-occipital (PGO) waves or cortical arousal during sleep underlie the biological mechanisms of dreaming. This study comprised 2 experiments. As eye movements (EMs) are currently considered the best noninvasive indicator of PGO burst activity in humans, the aim of the first experiment was to investigate the effect of low-intensity repeated auditory stimulation on EMs (and inferred PGO burst activity) during REM sleep. It was predicted that such auditory stimuli during REM sleep would have a suppressive effect on EMs. The aim of the second experiment was to examine the effects of this auditory stimulation on subsequent dream reporting on awakening. DESIGN: Repeated measures design with counterbalanced order of experimental and control conditions across participants. SETTING: Sleep laboratory based polysomnography (PSG) PARTICIPANTS: Experiment 1 : 5 males and 10 females aged 18-35 years (M = 20.8, SD = 5.4). Experiment 2 : 7 males and 13 females aged 18-35 years (M = 23.3, SD = 5.5). INTERVENTIONS: Below-waking threshold tone presentations during REM sleep compared to control REM sleep conditions without tone presentations. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: PSG records were manually scored for sleep stages, EEG arousals, and EMs. Auditory stimulation during REM sleep was related to: (a) an increase in EEG arousal, (b) a decrease in the amplitude and frequency of EMs, and (c) a decrease in the frequency of visual imagery reports on awakening. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study provide phenomenological support for PGO-based theories of dream reporting on awakening from sleep in humans.
STUDY OBJECTIVES: There is debate in dream research as to whether ponto-geniculo-occipital (PGO) waves or cortical arousal during sleep underlie the biological mechanisms of dreaming. This study comprised 2 experiments. As eye movements (EMs) are currently considered the best noninvasive indicator of PGO burst activity in humans, the aim of the first experiment was to investigate the effect of low-intensity repeated auditory stimulation on EMs (and inferred PGO burst activity) during REM sleep. It was predicted that such auditory stimuli during REM sleep would have a suppressive effect on EMs. The aim of the second experiment was to examine the effects of this auditory stimulation on subsequent dream reporting on awakening. DESIGN: Repeated measures design with counterbalanced order of experimental and control conditions across participants. SETTING: Sleep laboratory based polysomnography (PSG) PARTICIPANTS: Experiment 1 : 5 males and 10 females aged 18-35 years (M = 20.8, SD = 5.4). Experiment 2 : 7 males and 13 females aged 18-35 years (M = 23.3, SD = 5.5). INTERVENTIONS: Below-waking threshold tone presentations during REM sleep compared to control REM sleep conditions without tone presentations. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: PSG records were manually scored for sleep stages, EEG arousals, and EMs. Auditory stimulation during REM sleep was related to: (a) an increase in EEG arousal, (b) a decrease in the amplitude and frequency of EMs, and (c) a decrease in the frequency of visual imagery reports on awakening. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study provide phenomenological support for PGO-based theories of dream reporting on awakening from sleep in humans.
Authors: T Hori; Y Sugita; E Koga; S Shirakawa; K Inoue; S Uchida; H Kuwahara; M Kousaka; T Kobayashi; Y Tsuji; M Terashima; K Fukuda; N Fukuda Journal: Psychiatry Clin Neurosci Date: 2001-06 Impact factor: 5.188
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