During REM sleep, the brain flexibly amplifies or suppresses external sounds depending on eye movements. Using EEG to reconstruct speech from brain responses in a multi-talker environment, meaningful speech was amplified over meaningless speech overall. However, at the precise moments of rapid eye movements, meaningful speech was selectively suppressed. This shows that eye movements during REM sleep act as a gate, selectively blocking informative external stimuli while allowing them at other times, resolving a long-standing debate about whether the sleeping brain processes or ignores the outside world.
Language plays a generative role in shaping and sustaining consciousness, not merely reporting it. Cognitive neuroscientist Jeremy I. Skipper argues against localizationist models of language processing, emphasizing context-dependent and dynamic brain recruitment. Aphasic patients report loss of self-narrative and increased connectedness, paralleling psychedelic states where linguistic categories dissolve and ineffability arises. Potential neural mechanisms linking language disruption to psychedelic experiences are outlined. The UNITy Project aims to study post-acute meaning-making processes and predict changes in language and well-being after psychedelic sessions.