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States of Consciousness pp 109–131Cite as

Dream Therapy: Correlation of Dream Contents with Encephalographic and Cardiovascular Activations

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Part of the book series: The Frontiers Collection ((FRONTCOLL))

Abstract

Sleep and dreaming are overlapping and inseparable phenomena, but they have not often been addressed simultaneously in the scientific sleep research literature. This chapter describes dream research with a focus on objective dream content analysis and on neurocognitive theory analysis. Special emphasis is placed on connecting dream content analysis with current and advanced sleep research methodologies. This chapter presents some of the traditional and current interventions on dreaming during the periods of REM and NREM sleep, namely the behavioral and physical interventions. A more holistic view is provided through the description of the relationship of REM–NREM sleep and dreaming neurophysiology with the autonomous nervous system. A survey of current dream therapy usage is discussed in the light of the holistic approach provided, with the aim of showing pathways for future applications.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    When the neuron’s membrane potential becomes more positive, the neuron is said to depolarize. This brings the membrane potential closer to the threshold for the cell to produce an action potential, and thus to conduct.

  2. 2.

    Hyperpolarization is the opposite process to depolarization: the membrane potential becomes more negative, increasing its distance to the necessary threshold for producing an action potential.

  3. 3.

    Activity in neurons that has acetylcholine as its neurotransmitter is called cholinergic activity. Cholinesterase is a group of enzymes responsible for the decrease in the acetylcholine levels. If these enzymes’ action is inhibited, in this case by physostigmine, the levels of acetylcholine and the activity in the cholinergic neurons are maintained.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Evolutionary Systems and Biomedical Engineering Lab – ISR, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade Tecnica de Lisboa, Av Rovisco Pais 1, Torre Norte 6.20, 1049-001, Lisbon, Portugal

    Agostinho C. da Rosa & João P. Matos Rodrigues

Authors
  1. Agostinho C. da Rosa
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  2. João P. Matos Rodrigues
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Correspondence to Agostinho C. da Rosa .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Electrical, and Computer Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    Dean Cvetkovic

  2. Portfolio Science, Engineering &, Technology, RMIT University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

    Irena Cosic

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da Rosa, A.C., Rodrigues, J.P.M. (2011). Dream Therapy: Correlation of Dream Contents with Encephalographic and Cardiovascular Activations. In: Cvetkovic, D., Cosic, I. (eds) States of Consciousness. The Frontiers Collection. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-18047-7_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-18047-7_5

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