Dreams and hallucinations: A common neurochemical mechanism mediating their phenomenological similarities

摘要: Abstract Dreams and drug-induced hallucinations have several phenomenological similarities, especially with respect to their visual emotive components. This similarity is hypothesized be due a neurochemical mechanism which common both states: the inactivation of brain serotonin system. supported by electrophysiological data indicating that activity serotonin-containing neurons depressed during dreaming (in REM non-REM sleep) in response hallucinogenic drugs. Further support for hypothesis derives from neuropharmacological demonstrating decreases synaptic are associated increased hallucinatory-like behavior or hallucinatory experience waking, duration periods sleep. Reciprocally, increases decreased experience, sleep time dream reports. Neuroanatomical evidence heavily concentrated areas mediate perception consonant strong components dreams hallucinations. When these considered conjunction exclusively inhibitory action forebrain, an explicit can formulated: A cessation, decrease, discharge rate neurons, either spontaneously sleep, drugs such as LSD, precipitates, through disinhibition, dramatic increase target mediating sensation emotional experience. These latter neural events primary physiological substrate emergence sensory processes