The Science of Dreams!
25th September 2024

It’s World Dream Day, so today we’ll be taking a brief look at the science of dreams – why we have them, and the neurological processes that create them.
Dreams are theorized to be a way for the brain to process memories as a means to optimize behaviours while we are awake. Therefore, the physiological processes by which dreams occur are linked to the neurological pathways by which memories are formed.
Memory formation is described as a tripartite system comprising dynamic interactions between neurons and the surrounding extracellular matrix; trace metal cations; and neurotransmitters. The latter two are involved in forming a chemical code wherein metal-centred complexes act as cognitive units of information and neurotransmitters modulate emotional states.
So why can our dreams be so surreal while regular memories remain grounded in reality?
Unlike during conscious memory recall, the metal-centred complexes are read in a random order without temporal logic during sleep. Because each unit of cognitive information triggers neurotransmission, emotional states are induced but without rhyme or reason, so our dreams present as disordered, and fantastical versions of reality!
Because of the association between metal-centred complexes and neurotransmitters, the emotional ‘weight’ of cognitive units is a greater factor in memory recall while dreaming than factual relevance or timeliness [1].
Studies utilising PET (positron emission tomography) scans show that the hippocampus and amygdala regions of the brain are activated during both dreams and waking memory recall. It has also been demonstrated that visual-associated areas of the brain become activated during dreams, while the primary visual processing centres do not. This implies that higher-order processing is occurring in the brain, even though there is no visual stimulus [2]!
We hope you’ve enjoyed this brief exploration of the neurology of dreams, and that we’ve left you with plenty of science to sleep on!
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References:
[1] Gilon, C. and Marx, G. 2021. A Chemical “Interpretation of Dreams”. International Journal of Dream Research, 14(1), https://doi.org/10.11588/ijodr.2021.1.78213
[2] Akhtar, N. 2022. Sleep and Neuropsychiatric Disorders (online ed.), Springer, Singapore, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-0123-1_4