Modulating dream experience: Noninvasive brain stimulation over the sensorimotor cortex reduces dream movement
bioRxiv Preprint Server April 12, 2019 Valdas Noreika, Jennifer M. Windt, Markus Kern et al. preprint
Applying transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the sensorimotor cortex during REM sleep reduces reported dream movement, particularly repetitive actions, without affecting other bodily sensations like touch or balance. This effect coincides with reduced interhemispheric coherence in parietal areas and altered muscle activity correlation between arms. The findings indicate that tDCS causally interferes with the neural mechanisms underlying dream movement, confirming the spatial specificity of the stimulation site and suggesting a reorganization of the motor network during dreaming.