Luria’s model of the functional units of the brain and the neuropsychology of dreaming
Traditionally, neuropsychology has focused on identifying the brain mechanisms of specific psychological processes, such as attention, motor skills, perception, memory, language, and consciousness, as well as their corresponding disorders. However, there are psychological processes that have receive...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University
2016-12-01
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Series: | Psychology in Russia: State of Art |
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Online Access: | http://psychologyinrussia.com/volumes/index.php?article=5618 |
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author | Téllez A. Sánchez T. |
author_facet | Téllez A. Sánchez T. |
author_sort | Téllez A. |
collection | DOAJ |
description | Traditionally, neuropsychology has focused on identifying the brain mechanisms of specific psychological processes, such as attention, motor skills, perception, memory, language, and consciousness, as well as their corresponding disorders. However, there are psychological processes that have received little attention in this field, such as dreaming. This study examined the clinical and experimental neuropsychological research relevant to dreaming, ranging from sleep disorders in patients with brain damage, to brain functioning during REM sleep, using different methods of brain imaging. These findings were analyzed within the framework of Luria’s Three Functional Unit Model of the Brain, and a proposal was made to explain certain of the essential characteristics of dreaming. This explanation describes how, during dreaming, an activation of the First Functional Unit occurs, comprising the reticular formation of the brainstem; this activates, in turn, the Second Functional Unit — which is formed by the parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes and Unit L, which is comprised of the limbic system, as well as simultaneous hypo-functioning of the Third Functional Unit (frontal lobe). This activity produces a perception of hallucinatory images of various sensory modes, as well as a lack of inhibition, a non-selfreflexive thought process, and a lack of planning and direction of such oneiric images. Dreaming is considered a type of natural confabulation, similar to the one that occurs in patients with frontal lobe damage or schizophrenia. The study also suggests that the confabulatory, bizarre, and impulsive nature of dreaming has a function in the cognitiveemotional homeostasis that aids proper brain function throughout the day. |
first_indexed | 2024-04-13T16:26:50Z |
format | Article |
id | doaj.art-6b553c216e6e4a00ab743be98e79e6cb |
institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
issn | 2074-6857 2307-2202 |
language | English |
last_indexed | 2024-04-13T16:26:50Z |
publishDate | 2016-12-01 |
publisher | M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University |
record_format | Article |
series | Psychology in Russia: State of Art |
spelling | doaj.art-6b553c216e6e4a00ab743be98e79e6cb2022-12-22T02:39:44ZengM.V. Lomonosov Moscow State UniversityPsychology in Russia: State of Art2074-68572307-22022016-12-0194809310.11621/pir.2016.0407Luria’s model of the functional units of the brain and the neuropsychology of dreamingTéllez A.Sánchez T.Traditionally, neuropsychology has focused on identifying the brain mechanisms of specific psychological processes, such as attention, motor skills, perception, memory, language, and consciousness, as well as their corresponding disorders. However, there are psychological processes that have received little attention in this field, such as dreaming. This study examined the clinical and experimental neuropsychological research relevant to dreaming, ranging from sleep disorders in patients with brain damage, to brain functioning during REM sleep, using different methods of brain imaging. These findings were analyzed within the framework of Luria’s Three Functional Unit Model of the Brain, and a proposal was made to explain certain of the essential characteristics of dreaming. This explanation describes how, during dreaming, an activation of the First Functional Unit occurs, comprising the reticular formation of the brainstem; this activates, in turn, the Second Functional Unit — which is formed by the parietal, occipital, and temporal lobes and Unit L, which is comprised of the limbic system, as well as simultaneous hypo-functioning of the Third Functional Unit (frontal lobe). This activity produces a perception of hallucinatory images of various sensory modes, as well as a lack of inhibition, a non-selfreflexive thought process, and a lack of planning and direction of such oneiric images. Dreaming is considered a type of natural confabulation, similar to the one that occurs in patients with frontal lobe damage or schizophrenia. The study also suggests that the confabulatory, bizarre, and impulsive nature of dreaming has a function in the cognitiveemotional homeostasis that aids proper brain function throughout the day.http://psychologyinrussia.com/volumes/index.php?article=5618dreamingbrainneuropsychologyfunctional unitsLuria´s model |
spellingShingle | Téllez A. Sánchez T. Luria’s model of the functional units of the brain and the neuropsychology of dreaming Psychology in Russia: State of Art dreaming brain neuropsychology functional units Luria´s model |
title | Luria’s model of the functional units of the brain and the neuropsychology of dreaming |
title_full | Luria’s model of the functional units of the brain and the neuropsychology of dreaming |
title_fullStr | Luria’s model of the functional units of the brain and the neuropsychology of dreaming |
title_full_unstemmed | Luria’s model of the functional units of the brain and the neuropsychology of dreaming |
title_short | Luria’s model of the functional units of the brain and the neuropsychology of dreaming |
title_sort | luria s model of the functional units of the brain and the neuropsychology of dreaming |
topic | dreaming brain neuropsychology functional units Luria´s model |
url | http://psychologyinrussia.com/volumes/index.php?article=5618 |
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