Lucid Dreaming (LD) is defined as the phenomenon of becoming consciously aware of dreaming while still dreaming. In sleep laboratory experiments LD has been verified to occur during REM sleep stage by proficient lucid dreamers who have signaled while becoming lucid through specific pre-determined eye-movements. Using this method, (lucid) dreamed activity has been shown to correlate with both psychophysiological and neurophysiological responses to those observable if the same activity was to be performed during wakefulness. LD has also shown potential to be of therapeutic value, in reducing recurrent nightmare frequency. Recurrent nightmare sufferers engaging in Lucid Dreaming Treatment (LDT) show reduced nightmare frequency after treatment. As such, LDT has been suggested to be effective in the treatment of posttraumatic nightmares in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The attitude and feeling of control provided by LDT has been shown to be fruitful also in fearful waking situations, indicating that LDT might be effective in disorders epitomized by fear.

<p>Lucid Dreaming (LD) is defined as the phenomenon of becoming consciously aware of dreaming while still dreaming. In sleep laboratory experiments LD has been verified to occur during REM sleep stage by proficient lucid dreamers who have signaled while becoming lucid through specific pre-determined eye-movements. Using this method, (lucid) dreamed activity has been shown to correlate with both psychophysiological and neurophysiological responses to those observable if the same activity was to be performed during wakefulness. LD has also shown potential to be of therapeutic value, in reducing recurrent nightmare frequency. Recurrent nightmare sufferers engaging in Lucid Dreaming Treatment (LDT) show reduced nightmare frequency after treatment. As such, LDT has been suggested to be effective in the treatment of posttraumatic nightmares in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). The attitude and feeling of control provided by LDT has been shown to be fruitful also in fearful waking situations, indicating that LDT might be effective in disorders epitomized by fear.</p>

Lucida drömmar (LD) innebär att drömmaren inser, under drömmens gång, att omgivningen och händelserna runtomkring är en dröm och inger förmågan att kunna påverka och reflektera över händelserna i drömmen. I lucid dreaming treatment (LDT) får drömmaren lära sig att förändra mardrömmars händelseförlopp. Dock blir inte alla lucida och många tror att det är själva känslan av kontroll som ger en effekt. Studien kommer utforska om kontroll utgör en nyckelkomponent i LDT genom att undersöka sambandet mellan LD och locus of control (LoC), depression och subjektivt välbefinnande där LD verkar som en medierande variabel mellan å ena sidan LoC och å andra sidan depression samt subjektivt välbefinnande. Deltagarna (n = 54) i undersökningen har fyllt i formulär gällande frekvens av drömmar och LD samt formulären Rotter’s 29 item internal-external scale, Center for epidemiologic studies depression scale, International positive and negative affect schedule short form, Satisfaction with life scale och Pittsburgh sleep quality index. Undersökningen gav inte stöd för ställda hypoteserna att LD har en medierande effekt i sambandet mellan LoC och depression eller mellan LoC och subjektivt välbefinnande. Dock har den visat på en liten signifikant korrelation mellan högre frekvens av LD och högre grad av negativ affekt. Resultatet antyder att LD korrelerar med känslor, vilket bör undersökas vidare då affekt skulle kunna vara en komponent inom LDT via möjligheten att förändra känslor från negativa till positiva.

Research on the neural correlates of lucid dreaming has recently gained more underlying data. By exploring seven studies that investigated the neural basis of lucid dreaming, this essay sought to examine which neural correlates are associated with lucid dreaming and how proposed neural correlates relate to phenomenological aspects. Dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) was judged as the region most associated with lucid dreaming, in support of a DLPFC hypothesis. Support for reactivation of DLPFC in lucid dreaming consisted of data from electroencephalography, functional magnetic resonance imaging, and transcranial direct current stimulation. Phenomenological aspects associated with this region involved meta-awareness, working-memory, decision-making, and conscious perception. Other regions of interest were parietal areas, frontal areas, and precuneus. Data was not always compatible, implying need for further research. The possibility of further research was judged as promising, based on a recent study inducing lucid dreaming in a significant percent of its test subjects.

No description available.

While dreaming, one lacks the understanding that what is experienced is self-generated hallucinatory contents of consciousness. However, during dreaming there is a rare state called lucid dreaming. The minimal requirement for a dream to be considered lucid is that one is self-aware that one is currently sleeping. If self-awareness is the minimal criterion for lucid dreaming, that would entail the activation of those brain areas and networks typically related to self-referential processing. Further, lucid dreaming often entails the ability to exert volition over dream content. This thesis is a systematic review of the neural correlates of lucid dreaming and investigates the potential overlap of the neural correlates of lucid dreaming and volition. Only peer-reviewed original empirical articles that used healthy adults as participants were included. Thus, five studies were found. Two of the studies used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), two used electroencephalography (EEG), and one used both EEG and fMRI. This thesis found that the precuneus and left parietal lobe, which are brain areas related to self-referential processing, have increased activity during lucid dreaming compared to non-lucid dreaming. Also, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has increased functional connectivity in people who are more likely to experience lucid dreaming. DLPFC has been associated with metacognitive functions, which includes volition.There also seems to be an overlap in brain regions activated in volition compared to lucid dreaming; these areas include the parietal cortex, supplementary motor area, and anteriorprefrontal cortex.

No description available.

The objectives of this study were to explore (a) the relationships between dream reflective awareness and different types of impactful dreams, (b) the relationships between waking reflective awareness and dream reflective awareness following loss and trauma, and (c) the self-transformative potential of reflective awareness within dreams. We conducted a 2 (loss/trauma experiences) X 3 (timeframe: within the preceding 6 months, within the preceding 6-24 months, within the preceding 3-7 years) cross-sectional study to examine reflective awareness within impactful dreams and the changes in subsequent waking reflective awareness. The major results suggested that (a) only transcendent dreams were highly related to explicit dream lucidity (i.e., lucid mindfulness); (b) a continuity between pre-dream waking mindfulness and intra-dream self-awareness was specific to mundane dreams; (c) the experiences of loss or trauma and the timeframe of such experiences both predicted depersonalization within dreams; and (d) depersonalization within dreams was predictive of subsequent decreases in waking mindfulness. In sum, the present study replicated prior studies of the self-transformative effects of impactful dreams, demonstrated the continuity between dreaming and waking reflective awareness, and clarified the ways in which reflective awareness within dreams may affect post-traumatic growth.

A dream can impact a person so profoundly that it may permanently alter his or her life, beliefs, or behaviour. Most of the time, these gifts of insight happen to only a rare few and usually occur without intention. These life-altering dreams are spontaneous and unpredictable. While most studies focus on the content or meaning of dreams after they occur, this study explores the possibility of using dreams to influence behavioural changes in the waking world. This study examined three of the dream elements associated with profound dreams that could potentially be used to develop a systematic method of using dreams to create behavioural changes. The three elements are (a) Emotion: the ability to generate high-emotion states within a dream; (b) Narrative: the formation of narratives within a dream; and (c) Reality: the ability of the dreamer to perceive and accept the dream as reality. This study was conducted using a qualitative research design with a narrative analysis approach in order to explore and understand the subjective experiences of two participants. Data were collected through the participants‘ interviews and dream journals to help determine themes emerging from each of the participants‘ individual experiences. The themes were then analysed for any information regarding the three elements of dreaming as well as the dreams‘ personal significance to the dreamer. Further analysis explored whether lucid or non-lucid dreaming was able to intentionally produce an experientially-based shift in a specific target behaviour. The results of this research study suggest that there is potential for using dreams to induce behavioural change. The research provided a preliminary inquiry into this new field of dream therapy. This exploration of key elements to a potential dream method may prove essential to defining a basic framework and the tools that may be required to implement a new dream method. Future studies are necessary to uncover the correct combination of elements that will produce profound dream experiences at will. / Psychology / Ph. D. (Psychology)

Made available in DSpace on 2014-12-17T15:36:38Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 SergioAMR_TESE_1-152.pdf: 4687573 bytes, checksum: d13791598d6a440077f9a5703901fe3b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-06-19 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior / Lucid dreaming (LD) is a mental state in which the subject is aware of being dreaming while dreaming. The prevalence of LD among Europeans, North Americans and Asians is quite variable (between 26 and 92%) (Stepansky et al., 1998; Schredl & Erlacher, 2011; Yu, 2008); in Latin Americans it is yet to be investigated. Furthermore, the neural bases of LD remain controversial. Different studies have observed that LD presents power increases in the alpha frequency band (Tyson et al., 1984), in beta oscillations recorded from the parietal cortex (Holzinger et al., 2006) and in gamma rhythm recorded from the frontal cortex (Voss et al., 2009), in comparison with non-lucid dreaming. In this thesis we report epidemiological and neurophysiological investigations of LD. To investigate the epidemiology of LD (Study 1), we developed an online questionnaire about dreams that was answered by 3,427 volunteers. In this sample, 56% were women, 24% were men and 20% did not inform their gender (the median age was 25 years). A total of 76.5% of the subjects reported recalling dreams at least once a week, and about two-thirds of them reported dreaming always in the first person, i.e. when the dreamer observes the dream from within itself, not as another dream character. Dream reports typically depicted actions (93.3%), known people (92.9%), sounds/voices (78.5%), and colored images (76.3%). The oneiric content was related to plans for upcoming days (37.8%), and memories of the previous day (13.8%). Nightmares were characterized by general anxiety/fear (65.5%), feeling of being chased (48.5%), and non-painful unpleasant sensations (47.6%). With regard to LD, 77.2% of the subjects reported having experienced LD at least once in their lifetime (44.9% reported up to 10 episodes ever). LD frequency was weakly correlated with dream recall frequency (r = 0.20, p <0.001) and was higher in men (?2=10.2, p=0.001). The control of LD was rare (29.7%) and inversely correlated with LD duration (r=-0.38, p <0.001), which is usually short: to 48.5% of the subjects, LD takes less than 1 minute. LD occurrence is mainly associated with having sleep without a fixed time to wake up (38.3%), which increases the chance of having REM sleep (REMS). LD is also associated with stress (30.1%), which increases REMS transitions into wakefulness. Overall, the data suggest that dreams and nightmares can be evolutionarily understood as a simulation of the common situations that happen in life, and that are related to our social, psychological and biological integrity. The results also indicate that LD is a relatively common experience (but not recurrent), often elusive and difficult to control, suggesting that LD is an incomplete stationary stage (or phase transition) between REMS and wake state. Moreover, despite the variability of LD prevalence among North Americans, Europeans and Asians, our data from Latin Americans strengthens the notion that LD is a general phenomenon of the human species. To further investigate the neural bases of LD (Study 2), we performed sleep recordings of 32 non-frequent lucid dreamers (sample 1) and 6 frequent lucid dreamers (sample 2). In sample 1, we applied two cognitive-behavioral techniques to induce LD: presleep LD suggestion (n=8) and light pulses applied during REMS (n=8); in a control group we made no attempt to influence dreaming (n=16). The results indicate that it is quite difficult but still possible to induce LD, since we could induce LD in a single subject, using the suggestion technique. EEG signals from this one subject exhibited alpha (7-14 Hz) bursts prior to LD. These bursts were brief (about 3s), without significant change in muscle tone, and independent of the presence of rapid eye movements. No such bursts were observed in the remaining 31 subjects. In addition, LD exhibited significantly higher occipital alpha and right temporo-parietal gamma (30-50 Hz) power, in comparison with non-lucid REMS. In sample 2, LD presented increased frontal high-gamma (50-100 Hz) power on average, in comparison with non-lucid REMS; however, this was not consistent across all subjects, being a clear phenomenon in just one subject. We also observed that four of these volunteers showed an increase in alpha rhythm power over the occipital region, immediately before or during LD. Altogether, our preliminary results suggest that LD presents neurophysiological characteristics that make it different from both waking and the typical REMS. To the extent that the right temporo-parietal and frontal regions are related to the formation of selfconsciousness and body internal image, we suggest that an increased activity in these regions during sleep may be the neurobiological mechanism underlying LD. The alpha rhythm bursts, as well as the alpha power increase over the occipital region, may represent micro-arousals, which facilitate the contact of the brain during sleep with the external environment, favoring the occurrence of LD. This also strengthens the notion that LD is an intermediary state between sleep and wakefulness / O sonho l?cido (SL) ? um estado mental no qual o sujeito est? consciente de estar sonhando durante o sonho. A preval?ncia do SL em Europeus, Norte-Americanos e Asi?ticos ? bastante vari?vel (entre 26 e 92%) (Stepansky et al., 1998; Erlacher & Schredl, 2011; Yu, 2008) e em Latino-Americanos ainda n?o foi investigada. Al?m disso, as bases neurais do SL permanecem controversas. Diferentes estudos observaram um aumento da pot?ncia na frequ?ncia alfa (Tyson et al., 1984), na oscila??o beta na ?rea parietal (Holzinger et al., 2006) e no ritmo gama na regi?o frontal (Voss et al., 2009) durante o SL em rela??o ao n?o l?cido. Assim, para investigar a quest?o epidemiol?gica (Estudo 1), elaboramos um question?rio online sobre sonhos que foi respondido por 3427 volunt?rios. Em nossa amostra, 56% s?o mulheres, 24% s?o homens e 20% n?o responderam o g?nero; a mediana de idade foi de 25 anos. Um total de 76,5% dos indiv?duos refere que lembra dos sonhos pelo menos uma vez por semana. Cerca de dois ter?os dos sujeitos observam o sonho em primeira pessoa, ou seja, vendo o sonho da pr?pria perspectiva e n?o como mais um dos personagens do sonho. Os elementos mais comuns nos sonhos s?o movimentos/a??es (93,3%), pessoas conhecidas (92,9%), sons/vozes (78,5%) e imagens coloridas (76,3%). O conte?do on?rico se relaciona principalmente com planos para o dia seguinte (37,8%) e mem?rias do dia anterior (13,8%). Os pesadelos apresentam principalmente ansiedade/medo (65,5%), ser perseguido (48,5%) e sensa??es desagrad?veis que n?o envolvem dor (47,6%). Assim, sonhos e pesadelos podem ser evolutivamente entendidos como uma simula??o das situa??es frequentes que acontecem na vida e que se relacionam com a nossa integridade social, psicol?gica e biol?gica. Observamos tamb?m que a maioria dos indiv?duos (77,2%) relata ter tido pelo menos um SL, tendo experimentado na sua maior parte at? 10 epis?dios (44,9%). A frequ?ncia do SL foi fracamente correlacionada com a frequ?ncia de lembran?a dos sonhos (r=0,20, p<0,001) e foi tamb?m maior em homens (?2=10,2, p= 0,001). O controle do SL ? raro (29,7%) e inversamente correlacionado com o tempo de dura??o do SL (r=- 0,38, p<0,001), que normalmente ? curto: para 48,5% dos sujeitos o SL dura menos que 1 minuto. A ocorr?ncia do SL ? principalmente facilitada pela possibilidade de dormir sem hora para acordar (38,3%) que aumenta a chance de ter sono REM (SREM), e estresse (30,1%) que aumenta tamb?m as transi??es do SREM para a vig?lia. Como conclus?o, nossos resultados indicam que o SL ? uma experi?ncia relativamente comum (mas n?o recorrente), geralmente fugaz e dif?cil de controlar, o que sugere que o SL ? um est?gio intermedi?rio, incompleto e estacion?rio (ou fase de transi??o) entre o SREM e a vig?lia. Al?m disso, apesar das popula??es Europeias, Norte-Americanas e Asi?ticas terem uma preval?ncia de SL bastante vari?vel, nossos dados de uma amostra de Latino-Americanos fortalecem a no??o de que o SL ? um fen?meno universal da esp?cie humana. Para investigar as bases neurais do SL (Estudo 2), realizamos registros de sono em 32 sujeitos que n?o apresentam SL de forma frequente, e investigamos 6 sujeitos que apresentam SL recorrentemente. A primeira amostra foi submetida a duas t?cnicas cognitivo-comportamentais para induzir o SL: sugest?o pr?- sono (n = 8) e incuba??o de est?mulos do ambiente (pulsos de luz) no sonho durante o SREM (n = 8). Um grupo controle n?o foi submetido a nenhuma das duas t?cnicas (n = 16). Os resultados indicam que ? muito dif?cil induzir SL em laborat?rio, uma vez que conseguimos obter apenas um SL em um sujeito, que era do grupo em que aplicamos a t?cnica de sugest?o pr?-sono. O sinal eletroencefalogr?fico deste volunt?rio apresentou pulsos de ritmo alfa (7-14Hz) anteriores ao SL, de forma breve (aproximadamente 3s), sem altera??o significativa do t?nus muscular e independente da presen?a de movimentos oculares r?pidos. O SL desse sujeito apresentou tamb?m uma maior pot?ncia do ritmo alfa (7-14Hz) na regi?o occipital e um aumento de atividade gama (20- 50Hz) na regi?o temporo-parietal direita. Nos 6 sujeitos que frequentemente t?m SL, o mesmo apresentou em m?dia um aumento de pot?ncia em gama alto (50-100Hz) na regi?o frontal em compara??o com o SREM n?o-l?cido; no entanto, isso aconteceu de forma clara para apenas um dos indiv?duos. Observamos tamb?m que quatro desses volunt?rios apresentaram um aumento da pot?ncia do ritmo alfa na regi?o occipital, pouco antes do SL, ou durante o mesmo. Dessa forma, nossos resultados preliminares sugerem que o SL apresenta diferentes caracter?sticas neurofisiol?gicas dos estados t?picos de SREM e vig?lia: 1) Os pulsos de ritmo alfa, bem como o aumento da pot?ncia dessa oscila??o na regi?o occipital, podem ser micro-despertares. Estes facilitam o contato do c?rebro durante o sono com o meio externo, favorecendo a ocorr?ncia do SL e fortalecendo a ideia de que o SL seria um estado intermedi?rio entre o sono e a vig?lia. 2) Como as regi?es temporoparietal direita e frontal se relacionam com a forma??o da auto-consci?ncia e da imagem corporal, sugerimos que um aumento de atividade nessas regi?es durante o sono pode ser o mecanismo neurobiol?gico subjacente ao SL