Tanisa Rahman - Neurology

 The Neuroscience Behind Dreams

Have you ever woken up from a strange dream, a nightmare, or from something that felt a little too… real? Dreaming is a phenomenon that occurs in everyday life, and is something that cannot be stopped. If you think about it, it’s really interesting how the brain creates its own memories despite being disconnected from the adventures of everyday life.

What is it, exactly, that contributes to the vivid imagery we see (almost) every night? This has been an unanswered question for hundreds of years, mainly because a dream study cannot be observed or experimented on. Rather, dreams can only be reported, making it difficult to trace back dreams to neural receptors in the brain. This makes it so that we can only report on details that work with every dream, instead of getting into the nitty-gritty with unique details on a specific one. 










Although it is difficult to peer into the specifics behind various dreams, scientists can make connections between various dreaming patterns to connect back to modern day issues, specifically memory loss. Studies have found that patients who report the loss of dreaming, are more likely to have memory disorders compared to those who haven’t. Studies have also found that in REM sleep (rapid eye-moving), one of the main phases of sleeping, is associated with the activation of memory-related regions in the medial temporal lobe in the brain. 

Dreaming may seem simple, but the neuroscience behind it contributes to influential research behind memory loss, activation, and much more.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Andreah Falame - Neurology

Image
  Understanding Neurological Disorders: The Brain, Nervous System, and Common Disorders Andreah Falame Neurology is the branch of study in the medical field that focuses primarily on the brain, spinal cord, and the nervous system. The nervous system is a significant system that controls everything we do. From thinking and feeling to moving and sensing the world around us. The study of neurology is an emerging field that continues to advance in more personalized treatments for patients that are battling neurological disorders.   The field of neurology circles on 3 main parts of the nervous system. Starting off with the brain, the brain is known to be a complex organ that serves to process various information. With its ability to send signals throughout different areas of the body, it leads to the works of the spinal cord. The spinal cord carries messages between the brain and the rest of the body. With the help of the nerves, the nerves transmit signals to and from the bra...
Read more

Neurology - Shanta’e Taylor

Image
  Highlighting the Global Healthcare Issues In Neurology. Neurology is the branch of medicine associated with the diagnosis and treatment of the nervous system, encompassing the brain and spinal cord. Furthermore, neurology is a paramount medical concern as it integrates physical and mental health, grasping how we behave, theorize, and recognize neurological health disorders that control our daily lives. Most importantly, everything starts with the brain — it makes us capable of functioning, executing daily habits and conversing with the people we love. Our brain should be calm, safe, and healthy. However, due to circumstances in the healthcare system, this is a privilege, rather than a basic need. In fact, this shapes the reality of many deployed soldiers, and Palestinian citizens suffering from chronic Multiple Sclerosis (MS) disease. MS occurs in the central nervous system, where the body accidentally attacks itself.  Moreover, due to the low-income healthcare system lackin...
Read more

Iasmina Ciocan - Neurosurgery

Image
Neurosurgery Iasmina Ciocan  Neurosurgery is, as we all know, one of the most demanding medical fields, due to needing utmost precision. Here, even the tiniest mistakes bring horrible consequences. Therefore, neurosurgery requires cutting-edge technology, dedicated professionals, and tremendous financial resources. Sadly, in low- and middle-income areas, the proficiency of neurosurgical care is being brought down by numerous challenges. People could always be affected by neurosurgical conditions, no matter which country they live in, hence it is essential to address the obstacles faced in this medical field, on a global level. One of these crucial problems is the absence of trained personnel and adequate surgical equipment. Specialized neurosurgical care is mandatory for conditions like hydrocephalus, brain tumors, congenital anomalies, and spinal cord injuries. However, the growing scarcity of skilled neurosurgeons and neurosurgical facilities in some countries, means that a notab...
Read more