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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Main Authors: Téllez A., Sánchez T.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University 2016-12-01
Series:Psychology in Russia: State of Art
Subjects:
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.
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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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