Max Planck Institute: self-reflection in everyday life is more pronounced in lucid dreamers

Neuroscientists from the Max Planck Institute have compared brain structures of frequent lucid dreamers and participants who never or only rarely have lucid dreams. Accordingly, the anterior prefrontal cortex, i.e., the brain area controlling conscious cognitive processes and playing an important role in the capability of self-reflection, is larger in lucid dreamers.

The differences in volumes in the anterior prefrontal cortex between lucid dreamers and non-lucid dreamers suggest that lucid dreaming and metacognition are indeed closely connected. This theory is supported by brain images taken when test persons were solving metacognitive tests while being awake. Those images show that the brain activity in the prefrontal cortex was higher in lucid dreamers. “Our results indicate that self-reflection in everyday life is more pronounced in persons who can easily control their dreams,” states Elisa Filevich, post-doc in the Center for Lifespan Psychology at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development.

Research | Research news | 2015 | Lucid dreams and metacognition: Awareness of thinking - awareness of dreaming

All day awareness, here we come!

I have to believe innate lucid dreamers have a genetic predisposition for enhanced development of certain areas of the brain and perhaps it's accentuated by environment.

We know about neuroplasticity and there's a good amount of research out there documenting how meditation changes the brain, both in terms of structure and function. I have to believe the practices to cultivate lucid dreaming will likewise exercise the brain's neuroplasticity.

I believe there's a certain synergy between meditation and lucid dreaming, and in fact that's what piqued my interest several weeks back.

It would be interesting to compare the results from the Max Planck Institute against those from the lab of Dr. Richard Davidson and see the similarities and dissimilarities between lucid dreamers and meditators.

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Originally Posted by IAmCoder

Neuroscientists from the Max Planck Institute have compared brain structures of frequent lucid dreamers and participants who never or only rarely have lucid dreams. Accordingly, the anterior prefrontal cortex, i.e., the brain area controlling conscious cognitive processes and playing an important role in the capability of self-reflection, is larger in lucid dreamers.

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Interesting, but not really a surprise -- aside from the fact that the Max Planck Institute studied LD'ers at all!

"Sometimes, they can even play an active role in their dreams. Most of them, however, have this experience only several times a year and just very few almost every night."
They make it sound like something really special to have a lucid dream, with a little bit of practice you can have them every night. The special thing is not to have a lucid dream, but the ability to make them last and do things like transforming, summoning, changing things, that kind of stuff.

It's great to hear though! Hardly a minute passes without me self reflecting!