In your dreams! : The neural correlates of lucid dreaming

Abstract: While dreaming, one lacks the understanding that what is experienced is self-generated hallucinatory contents of consciousness. However, during dreaming there is a rare state called lucid dreaming. The minimal requirement for a dream to be considered lucid is that one is self-aware that one is currently sleeping. If self-awareness is the minimal criterion for lucid dreaming, that would entail the activation of those brain areas and networks typically related to self-referential processing. Further, lucid dreaming often entails the ability to exert volition over dream content. This thesis is a systematic review of the neural correlates of lucid dreaming and investigates the potential overlap of the neural correlates of lucid dreaming and volition. Only peer-reviewed original empirical articles that used healthy adults as participants were included. Thus, five studies were found. Two of the studies used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), two used electroencephalography (EEG), and one used both EEG and fMRI. This thesis found that the precuneus and left parietal lobe, which are brain areas related to self-referential processing, have increased activity during lucid dreaming compared to non-lucid dreaming. Also, the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) has increased functional connectivity in people who are more likely to experience lucid dreaming. DLPFC has been associated with metacognitive functions, which includes volition.There also seems to be an overlap in brain regions activated in volition compared to lucid dreaming; these areas include the parietal cortex, supplementary motor area, and anteriorprefrontal cortex.