Roles and mechanisms of emotional experiences in dreams

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24730622
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Experimental psychology
• Research Institution: Hiroshima University
• Principal Investigator: OGAWA Keiko 広島大学, 総合科学研究科, 准教授 (70546861)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: レム睡眠 / 夢見 / 脳波 / 自律神経活動 / 情動体験 / 情動調整

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Dreaming often includes emotional experiences. We investigated the roles and mechanisms of emotions in dreams by using brain activities indicated by pre-REM negativity (PRN) and autonomic activities indicated by heart rate. Results indicated that the negative emotional properties of dreams had a significant positive correlation with the PRN amplitude, which is generated by amygdala, as well as with the heart rate. On the other hand, positive emotional properties had a significant negative correlation with PRN amplitude. Moreover, social pain, or negative emotions after social exclusion, increased in the partial REM sleep deprivation group more than in the partial NREM sleep deprivation group after sleep. These findings suggest that amygdala and autonomic activities might induce emotionality in dreams, and that these psychophysiological activities during REM sleep might function to regulate emotions during wakefulness.

Free Research Field

認知神経科学