Modulation of Movement Sensations in Dreams with Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation during Rapid Eye Movement Sleep

Jennifer Windt (Monash University)

Abstract: In this talk, I will present preliminary results from a study conducted in Turku (Finland) involving non-invasive electrical stimulation of the sensorimotor cortex during REM sleep. We used free dream reports and responses to a questionnaire presented immediately after awakening to investigate possible effects on bodily experiences in dreams. We found that following stimulation, certain types of movement sensations in dreams were reduced. I discuss these findings in the context of broader theoretical questions relevant to consciousness science and dream research. These include the ongoing search for the neural correlates of dreaming in general and specific contents of dreaming in particular; the use of first-person reports for the study of dreaming; and how bodily experience in dreams relates to phenomenal selfhood, but also to outward behavioral activity in sleep.