[Dreams and interhemispheric asymmetry]

Zh Nevrol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova. 2001;101(12):51-4.
[Article in Russian]

Abstract

The dreams of 103 children and adolescents, aged 10-17 years, have been studied. The test group included 78 patients with neurotic disorders; control one consisted of 25 healthy subjects. Dream features, which were common for those with preferentially left asymmetry profile both in patients as well as in healthy subjects, were: less expressed novelty factor and frequent appearance of rare phenomena, such as "déjà vu in wakefulness", reality, "mixed" (overlapped) dreams, prolonged dreams in repeat sleep, frequent changes of personages and scenes of action. Left-hander dream peculiarities, being detected only in neurotic patients but not in healthy subjects, emerged as lucid phenomena deficit, "dream in dreams" and "dream reminiscence in dream" syndrome, which have been found only in left-handers. Right and left hemispheres seem to contribute in different ways to a dream formation. In authors believe that the left hemisphere seems to provide dream origin while the right hemisphere provides dream vividness, figurativeness and affective activation level.

Publication types

  • English Abstract

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Brain / physiology*
  • Child
  • Dreams*
  • Female
  • Functional Laterality / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Male