TOKYO: Scientists have identified a pair of genes that regulate how much one dreams, an advance that may allow them to ‘switch off’ nightmares in the future.
Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, a mysterious stage of sleep in which animals dream, is known to play an important role in maintaining a healthy mental and physical life, but the molecular mechanisms behind this state are barely understood.
A research team led by scientists at the RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research (BDR) in Japan has identified a pair of genes that regulate how much REM and non-REM sleep an animal experiences.
During REM sleep, our brain is as active as it is during wakefulness, and this stage is believed to function in memory consolidation.
Art by Smita Sahay.
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