Brain Theories of Dreaming

Question 1

What 3 states does Hobson believe the brain has?

Answer 1

Waking brain & waking mindNREM brain and NREM mentationREM brain and dreaming mentation

Question 2

What did Hobson compare?

Answer 2

Sleep physiology with processes of the mind (NOT CONTENT)

Question 3

To Hobson, what is dreaming?

Answer 3

Dreaming is our subjective awareness of brain activation in sleep

Question 4

Hobson’s formal properties of dreaming.why these formal properties?

Answer 4

.visual perception.uncritical belief (don’t question dream content, seems normal).bizarre occurrences (sharp shifts in setting, weird stuff).flawed reasoning (don’t make much sense).intense emotion.poor memoryb/c brain physiology is FUNDAMENTALLY different

Question 5

Hobson believed: REM-ON system, aka?where is it?what brain systems does it activate (5)?

Answer 5

aka dream generator.in the brain stem.activates:1. motor neurons (movmt control)2. stereotypical bhvrs (things we do w/o thinking/logic)3. emotion areas4. sensory systems5. memory areas

Question 6

Hobson splits dreaming into ______ and ______.

Answer 6

activation and synthesis

Question 7

Describe Hobson’s ACTIVATION stage (before _______?)1, 2, & 3?frustration & ______ caused by conflicting ______ & _______

Answer 7

1. Motor neurons & stereotypical bhvr commands are sent, but are inhibited. this is experienced as MOVMT IN THE DREAM2. Emotion areas are directly & indirectly activated by results of #13. Sensory neuron activation causes bizareness (brain regions activated that we can’t physically do anything about)Frustration and Ineffectiveness are caused by the conflicting activation and inhibition

Question 8

Describe Hobson’s SYNTHESIS stage (after _______?)1 (e.g.),2,3?

Answer 8

1. Brain tries to make sense of random activations, just like in real life!.e.g. if someone took out a giant blade in class, would feel like a dream2. Memory is the synthesizer that compares current info to stored info3. Brain tries to create a story out of random activation

Question 9

Why did Hobson make the AIM Continuous State Space Model?He believed that deviations from the three states were?That movements in the space were?

Answer 9

.believed we need to consider that our brain doesn’t necessarily have discrete sleep states, but that continuous mental states exist along a spectrum and can co-exist at different times, with steps between them.deviations from waking/NREM/REM were natural and inevitable.movements in the AIM CSS are NOT jumps, but gradual

Question 10

What does AIM stand for in Hobson’s Continuous State Space Model? Describe each one.

Answer 10

Activation.is the brain highly active or inactive?Input.where is the info coming from, internal or external?Mode.what neurotransmitters are high/involved most?.high ACh (CHOLINERGIC).or hi NE, S (AMINERGIC)

Question 11

Where do each of the following states lie on the AIM CSS model?Waking, NREM, REMLucid dreaming e.g?

Answer 11

Waking.Hi activation, hi external input, hi aminergic (NE, S)NREM.Lo activation, lo aminergic & cholinergic (ACh), Low internal and external inputREM.High activation, high cholinergic, high internal inputLucid dreaming?Hi activation, hi internal, MIX between aminergic and cholinergic

Question 12

Where did Hobson say dreaming initiates from? How?What did he believe REM & dreaming were controlled by?

Answer 12

Dreaming is initiated by the Pons, when PGO spikes are emitted.Hobson maintained that REM/Dreaming controlled by CHOLINERGIC BRAIN STEM mechanisms

Question 13

What did Solms believe about dreaming, in contrast to Hobson?

Answer 13

That the FOREBRAIN controls dreaming, not Pons. The Pons INITIATES sleeping, but not dreaming.

Question 14

What two things did Solms say about dreaming outside REM?Evidence for each?

Answer 14

1. Dream-like mentation happens in BOTH REM & NREM.25% of REM like dreams occur outside of REM: NREM, falling asleep, waking2. Not all REM wakenings yield dreams (~80%).can have dreams w/o REM, and NREM can yield dreams

Question 15

Solms says that _______ (and not REM) is controlled by ________ forebrain mechanisms.His evidence? (3)

Answer 15

Dreaming is controlled by dopaminergic forebrain mechanisms.1. Dopamine is involved in dreaming.If dopamine circuit is cut, people no longer dream.L-Dopa causes vivid dreams/nightmares.drugs blocking dopamine inhibit vivid or freq. dreaming2. Lesions in the forebrain can lead to stopping of dreaming3. Various brain lesions assoc. w/ excessively vivid and freq. dreaming

Question 16

When did Solms believe dreaming was most likely to occur?(3)

Answer 16

REM sleep (hi brain activation)Ascending or Descending Stage 1 (light NREM sleep)

Question 17

To Solms, what can stimulate dopaminergic systems for dreaming? (3)

Answer 17

PGO spikes in REM sleep.inner events (in body).external events beyond a certain threshold

Question 18

What problems did Kremer have with Hobson’s AIM model? (4)#notalldreamsbiz?isomorphic with?emotion?narrative?

Answer 18

1. Not all dreams are bizarre! (hobson assumes this)2. Not all dreaming isomorphic with REM sleep (does not come from REM)3. Not all dreams are emotional, many have no strong emotions4. Does not explain narrative experience of dreaming (prof doesn’t agree w/ this point, cause synthesis phase he mentioned does this, tries to make sense of dreams)

Question 19

What problems does Kremer have with Sloms dreaming theories? (4)lesions?way he gathered data?not all, loss of dreaming?dopamine can both?

Answer 19

1. Dreaming halted by brain lesions, can start up again eventually!2. Solms “lack of dreaming” data gathered from spontaneous morning wakenings, should have come from REM wakenings!3. Not all people w/ dopamine circuit cut (leucotomy) reported a loss of dreaming4. Dopamine can both inhibit AND enhance dreaming!

Question 20

What did Domhoff say about dream content? (2)over time?cultures?

Answer 20

-Surprisingly stable over time (certain dreams sequences would repeat themselves, across generations even!)-Surprising stability between cultures of dream content

Question 21

Describe Domhoff’s Continuity principle

Answer 21

.there is continuity between waking concerns and dream content.we dream about our emotional preoccupations.we don’t dream about politics, government, whatever

Question 22

Describe Domhoff’s Repetition princple

Answer 22

.There is a consistency across an individual’s dreams of characters, activities, settings, elements, and themes.recurrent dreams, especially repetitive nightmares with PTSD

Question 23

To Domhoff, dreams are a _____-_____ record of….past traumas can…?

Answer 23

Dreams are a neurocognitive record of traumas, upsets, and tensions; past traumas can reappear, expressing a current stressor that came up

Question 24

Solms: Damage to ventro-mesial quadrant of frontal lobe OR parieto-temporo-occipital junction causes…

Answer 24

Patient can no longer dream! but REM sleep is preserved

Question 25

Mesocortical/mesolimbic dopamine system

Answer 25

Ventral Tegmental area –> amygdala, frontal cortex, ventral striatum, & cingulate gyrus