Thread: Rapid Eye Mouvements are only indications of dream activity that is closely connected to ...

Actually, science also shows that if those areas of the brain are sufficiently damaged, the subject will no longer be able to dream; it's called Charcot–Wilbrand syndrome. If you damage certain areas of the brain stem, a subject will experience loss (or even complete cessation) of REM. You can even trigger REM sleep through cholinergic stimulation of the pontine reticular formation.

EDIT: it looks like zoth00 already mentioned this! BTW, damage to these areas of the brainstem just ceases REM, not dreaming.

Also, stimulation of the dopaminergic pathways can cause an increase in dream frequency and make them even more vivid--without affecting REM/atonia.

The mechanisms responsible for REM and that which is responsible for the hallucinations/dreams have been shown to be of separate origin, and one can actually function independently from the other, as studies have shown.

MRI scans show activity; neuroscientific studies and experiments confirm what is actually responsible. You can attempt to deny this in order to rationalize your conclusions, but your presumptions just don't hold water. Sorry.