Ricerc@Sapienza

Dream research has advanced significantly over the last twenty years, thanks to the new
applications of neuroimaging and electrophysiological techniques. Many findings pointed out that
mental activity during sleep and wakefulness shared similar neural bases. On the other side, recent
studies have highlighted that dream experience is promoted by significant brain activation,
characterized by reduced low frequencies and increased rapid frequencies. Additionally, several
studies confirmed that the posterior parietal area and prefrontal cortex are responsible for dream
experience. Further, early results revealed that dreaming might be manipulated by sensory
stimulations that would provoke the incorporation of specific cues into the dream scenario.
Recently, transcranial stimulation techniques have been applied to modulate the level of
consciousness during sleep, supporting previous findings and adding new information about
neural correlates of dream recall. Overall, although multiple studies suggest that both the continuity
and activation hypotheses provide a growing understanding of neural processes underlying
dreaming, several issues are still unsolved. The impact of state-/trait-like variables, the influence of
circadian and homeostatic factors, and the examination of parasomnia-like events to access dream
contents are all opened issues deserving further deepening in future research.