![]() I think this is sort of what you are getting at as well, with 'instincts'. The first source of all prediction errors and internal models isn't the visual world or human interactions – it's all about motor learning in the womb: Where does my body begin and end? What is a consequence of my actions (sucking my thumb) or another's actions (mother rolling over)? I think this may be why infants 'dream' more – they are making those models of the world and assigning value to them. ![]() That allows the brain to make new memories and prevent that error in the future. They are a way to attach value to prediction errors – the signal that happens if a response is different to what your brain expected to happen, based on your prior experiences. Q: For infant animals (such as humans) prior to birth, I wonder if what is showing up as dreaming is actually the brain is writing instincts – an initial formatting of brain data with basic skills such as self-preservation, communication, emotions, and so forth.Ī: With regard to emotions, think of what emotions do for you. Maybe we have been blinded by our fixation on our own consciousness, which is not the end-all of what a brain does. But maybe the brain has been doing something very similar all along: blocking out the world, just a little bit more during sleep. One aspect is of great interest to me: are sleep and wake really all that different, in terms of brain functions and processes? We think they are very different because when we wake up we have a conscious experience of changing states. On the other hand, daydreaming could be accomplishing some REM sleep functions, which might involve emotional learning. Many people say that meditation is important for their wellbeing, making them feel refreshed, and it could be accomplishing deep-sleep functions. Maybe that is what happens during meditation. It would be great if we could accomplish some sleep functions while we are awake, and there is some research at QBI on this right now. Q: Are there any biological similarities between daydreaming and dreaming at night? Are the same connections happening in our brains?Ī: I do believe serious research is being done on that. Here, he answers questions about dreaming, sleep and consciousness. What sleeping animals can tell us about our sleepĪssociate Professor Bruno van Swinderen studies sleep and consciousness.Podcast: General anesthetics and consciousness.General anaesthetics do more than put you to sleep.
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