Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Einfluss olfaktorischer Reize und Reize anderer Sinnesmodalitäten auf den Trauminhalt

Eine Literaturübersicht

Effect of olfactory stimuli and stimuli of other sensory modalities on dream content

A review of the literature

  • Schwerpunkt
  • Published:
Somnologie - Schlafforschung und Schlafmedizin Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Zusammenfassung

Der Artikel gibt einen Überblick über die Forschung zur Inkorporation von während des Schlaf applizierten externen Reizen in das Traumgeschehen. Der Vergleich der Inkorporationsraten zwischen den Studien legt 2 mögliche Einflussfaktoren auf die Integration externer Reize in den Traum nahe: „Körpernähe“ (Hautreiz wirksamer als akustischer Reiz) und Bedeutsamkeit des Stimulus. Eine Besonderheit stellen olfaktorische Reize dar, da sie kortikal anders verarbeitet werden als beispielsweise akustische Stimuli (Umgehung des Thalamus, direkte Verbindungen zur Amygdala). Tatsächlich zeigt sich in einer neueren Studie, dass die Traumemotionen, nicht jedoch der Trauminhalt, durch die Valenz des olfaktorischen Reizes beeinflusst werden. Die bisherige Forschung zeigt sehr klar, dass eine Informationsverarbeitung während des Schlafes stattfindet. Eine Fortführung dieser Forschungsrichtung wäre die Untersuchung von internen Reizen auf den Trauminhalt, z. B. Schmerzreize bei chronischen Schmerzpatienten oder Atemstillstände bei Schlafapnoe-Patienten.

Abstract

Research regarding the incorporation of external stimuli presented during sleep into dream content is reviewed. Comparing the incorporation rates between studies indicates two possible influencing factors on the integration of external stimuli into dreams: “physical closeness” (stimuli applied to the skin are more effective than acoustic stimuli) and the significance of the stimulus. Olfactory stimuli are special because their cortical processing differs from the processing of, for example, auditory stimuli (bypassing the thalamus, direct connections to the amygdala). A recent study indeed indicated that the valence of olfactory stimuli affected dream emotions but dream content was not altered. Overall, the studies clearly demonstrate that information processing during sleep takes place. To continue this branch of research, it would be interesting to study the effect of internal stimuli on dream content, e.g., pain in patients with chronic pain or breathing pauses in sleep apnea patients.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Literatur

  1. Berger RJ (1963) Experimental modification of dream content by meaningful verbal stimuli. Br J Psychiatry 109:722–740

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Boerner J (1855) Das Alpdrücken: Seine Begründung und Verhütung. Carl Joseph Becker, Würzburg

  3. Dement WC, Wolpert EA (1958) The relation of eye movements, body motility and external stimuli to dream content. J Exp Psychol 44:543–553

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Doty RL, Brugger WE, Jurs PC et al (1978) Intranasal trigeminal stimulation from odorous volatiles: psychometric responses from anosmic and normal humans. Physiol Behav 20:175–185

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Erlacher D, Schredl M (2008) Do REM (lucid) dreamed and executed actions share the same neural substrate? Int J Dream Res 1:7–14

    Google Scholar 

  6. Gottfried JA (2006) Smell: central nervous processing. Adv Otorhinolaryngol 63:44–69

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Gottfried JA, Neville KR, Haberly LB (2004) Olfactory cortex. In: Shepherd GM (ed) The synaptic organization of the brain. Oxford University Press, New York, pp 415–454

  8. Hall CS (1981) Do we dream during sleep? Evidence for the Goblot hypothesis. Percept Mot Skills 53:239–246

    Google Scholar 

  9. Hoelscher TJ, Klinger E, Barta SG (1981) Incorporation of concern- and nonconcern-related verbal stimuli into dream content. J Abnorm Psychol 90:88–91

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Koulack D (1969) Effects of somatosensory stimulation on dream content. Arch Gen Psychiatry 20:718–725

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Landis BN, Hummel T, Lacroix JS (2005) Basic and clinical aspects of olfaction. In: Pickard JD (ed) Advances and Technical Standards in Neurosurgery. Springer, Wien, pp 69–105

  12. Leslie K, Ogilvie R (1996) Vestibular dreams: the effect of rocking on dream mentation. Dreaming 6:1–16

    Google Scholar 

  13. McCormick DA, Bal1 T (1997) Sleep and arousal: thalamocortical mechanisms. Annu Rev Neurosci 20:185–215

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Neville KR, Haberly LB (2004) Olfactory cortex. In: Shepherd GM (ed) The synaptic organization of the brain. Oxford University Press, New York, pp 415–454

  15. Nielsen TA (1993) Changes in the kinaesthetic content of dreams following somatosensory stimulation of leg muscles during REM sleep. Dreaming 3:99–113

    Google Scholar 

  16. Nielsen TA (2000) Covert REM sleep effects on REM memtation: further methodological considerations and supporting evidence. Behav Brain Sci 23:1040–1056

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Nielsen TA, McGregor DL, Zadra A et al (1993) Pain in dreams. Sleep 16:490–498

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Rasch B, Büchel C, Gais S, Born J (2007) Odor cues during slow-wave sleep prompt declarative memory consolidation. Science 315:1426–1429

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Rechtschaffen A, Foulkes D (1965) Effect of visual stimuli on dream content. Percept Mot Skills 20:1149–1160

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Sabri M, Campbell KB (2005) Is the failure to detect stimulus deviance during sleep due to a rapid fading of sensory memory or a degradation of stimulus encoding? J Sleep Res 14:113–122

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Saint-Denys H de (1982) Dreams and how to guide them (1867). Duckworth, London

  22. Schredl M (2001) Körper-Seele-Interaktion: Trauminhalt und Physiologie des REM-Schlafes. Verhaltensther Verhaltensmed 22:137–151

    Google Scholar 

  23. Schredl M (2008) Traum. Reinhardt/UTB, München

  24. Schredl M (2008) Laboratory references in dreams: Methodological problem and/or evidence for the continuity hypothesis of dreaming? Int J Dream Res 1:3–6

    Google Scholar 

  25. Schredl M, Atanasova D, Hörmann K et al (n d) (in press). Information processing during sleep: the effect of olfactory stimuli on dream content and dream emotions. J Sleep Res

  26. Schredl M, Schmitt J (2009) Dream recall frequency and nightmare frequency in patients with sleep disordered breathing. Somnologie 13:12–17

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Schredl M, Schmitt J, Hein G et al (2006) Nightmares and oxygen desaturations: is sleep apnea related to heightened nightmare frequency? Sleep Breath 10:203–209

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Strauch I, Meier B (1992) Den Träumen auf der Spur – Ergebnisse der experimentellen Traumforschung. Huber, Bern

  29. Stuck BA, Stieber K, Frey S et al (2007) Arousal responses to olfactory or trigeminal stimulation during sleep. Sleep 30:506–510

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Stuck BA, Weitz H, Hörmann K et al (2006) Chemosensory event-related potentials during sleep – A pilot study. Neurosci Lett 406:222–226

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Trotter K, Dallas K, Verdone P (1988) Olfactory stimuli and their effects on REM dreams. Psychiatr J University Ottawa 13:94–96

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Weygandt W (1893) Entstehung der Träume. Grübel & Sommerlatte, Leipzig

  33. Zadra AL, Nielsen TA, Donderi DC (1998) Prevalence of auditory, olfactory and gustatory experiences in home dreams. Percept Mot Skills 87:819–826

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Interessenkonflikt

Der korrespondierende Autor gibt an, dass kein Interessenkonflikt besteht.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Schlaflabor, Zentralinstitut für Seelische Gesundheit, 68072, Mannheim, Deutschland

    M. Schredl Dipl.-Psych., Dipl.-Ing.

  2. Universitäts-HNO-Klinik, Universitätsmedizin Mannheim, Mannheim, Deutschland

    B.A. Stuck

Authors
  1. M. Schredl Dipl.-Psych., Dipl.-Ing.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. B.A. Stuck
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. Schredl Dipl.-Psych., Dipl.-Ing..

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schredl, M., Stuck, B. Einfluss olfaktorischer Reize und Reize anderer Sinnesmodalitäten auf den Trauminhalt. Somnologie 13, 170–175 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11818-009-0417-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11818-009-0417-5

Schlüsselwörter

Keywords

Search

Navigation