Neuropsychopharmacological Induction of (Lucid) Dreams: A Narrative Review.
Brain sciences April 25, 2024 Abel A Oldoni, André D Bacchi, Fúlvio R Mendes et al. 4 citations
Lucid dreaming, a state where dreamers know they are dreaming and may control the dream, is naturally rare, prompting interest in induction methods. This review examines neuropsychopharmacological approaches, covering sleep regulation, REM sleep control via neurotransmission, and the brain areas involved in lucidity. Substances that boost cholinergic or dopaminergic transmission, like galantamine, show potential for inducing lucid dreaming by increasing metacognition, REM sleep, or dream recall. However, the complexity of these neurotransmitter systems makes interpreting results challenging. The authors conclude that while promising, more research is needed to develop a reliable pharmacological method for inducing lucid dreaming.