More interesting articles I wish I mentioned in the first post.

"A 2012 study looked at the neural correlates of lucid dreaming using EEG and fMRI scanning. They found:
During lucid dreaming the bilateral precuneus, cuneus, parietal lobules, and prefrontal and occipito-temporal cortices activated strongly as compared with non-lucid REM sleep.”- Sourced from, NeuroLogica Blog » The Brains of Lucid Dreamers

"They found people who reported higher levels of lucid dreaming were also the ones with more gray matter in the anterior prefrontal cortex — thus making this part of the brain larger."

"The findings fall in line with previous research finding lucid dreamers are more insightful. The same study also found they were better at problem solving, specifically with regards to recognizing patterns."- Sourced from, "http://www.medicaldaily.com/lucid-dreaming-associated-more-pronounced-self-reflection-everyday-life-319326"

Quote Originally Posted by RelaxAndDream View Post
Thanks for the infos valis. do you know if regular lucid dreaming also increases the grey matter or if there is any other alteration in the brain structure noticeable? and maybe in comparison to meditation?
On these points.

I could not find anything which correlated the experience of lucid dreaming in itself with neural complexification, but the methods which make Lucidity more likely have been proven to, from meditation, to reality testing, to "thinking about our own thoughts; being self-reflective." But I would have to imagine that it could be said reasonably that Lucid dreams in themselves do cause some structural change in the brain as you mentioned, in that novel Chemical-electrical state-patterns always to my knowledge have long term structural effects. The more often the lucid dream state pattern is present, the greater its intensity, the longer its appearance, the stronger is its potential for long term neurological renovation.

I think there is strong correlations to how meditation works, in ways similar to LDing on that point, I mean how the very presence of the LD state-pattern alters the brain. There are two ways meditations intensity and efficiency increases, one is the increasing skill and neurological capability in reference to the application of the methods, specifically concentration and mindfulness. Then meditations effects increase by the repeated generation of the meditative state which is distinct from and arises from those two factors. So not only does the application of concentration and mindfulness increase certain brain regions, but the unique state-pattern which they produce, which is in some fashion distinct from them, also changes the brain by its very presence. I think this process would also apply to lucid dreaming, in that lucid dreaming could change the brain from the inside, by its very presence. There have been much fewer studies done about lucid dreaming compared to meditation, perhaps soon we will know more surely, but I think we can reasonably say that yes the very presence of the LD state seen as distinct from the methods which produce it, does or at least can cause long term structural changes.