Investigating neural mechanisms of dreaming using phase-targeted auditory stimulation (PTAS)

Dreaming is a universal human experience, yet the brain mechanisms that produce it remain poorly understood. EEG research has identified a posterior cortical region — referred to as the “posterior hot zone” — where low-frequency brain activity during sleep is closely linked to whether we dream or not. However, it remains unclear whether this neural activity actually causes dream experiences, or whether it simply reflects other processes occurring independently.

This line of research — conducted in collaboration with Dr. Francesca Siclari (Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, NIN), whose high-density EEG work established the posterior hot zone as a key region in the neuroscience of dreaming — addresses that question directly. By applying Phase-Targeted Auditory Stimulation (PTAS) we investigate whether selectively enhancing posterior slow-wave activity influences how often and how vividly we dream.

This work applies non-invasive stimulation techniques to address a causal question that correlational approaches leave open: what role do distinct brain oscillations in the low frequency range actually play in forming dream experiences?

Group Leader: Prof. Dr. Reto Huber
Project Leader: Prof. Dr. Reto Huber, Dr. Francesca Siclari (CHUV, NIN)

PhD: Dr. Melanie Furrer, Dr. Jessica Bruijel (NIN), Ladina Glanzmann, Aline Ripoll Odermatt
Institution:
Child Development Center
University Children's Hospital Zurich
University of Zurich
In collaboration with Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV)
Centre d’Investigation et de Recherche sur le sommeil (CIRS)
Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience

This collaborative project is supported by grants from the Divesa foundation, the bourse pro-femme of the CHUV and University of Lausanne and the Pierre-Mercier foundation for Science. These grants have been allocated to the project leader Dr. Francesca Siclari.