The effects of menstrual cycle hormones on dreams.

Abstract

Changes in contents and language style of dream reports during the menstrual cycle were evaluated in seven women diagnosed as having Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS). Dream diaries were scored for Referential Activity (RA), i.e., the degree to which subjective emotional experience is captured and expressed in the communicative verbal code. Mean scores for overall RA and for the four individual RA scales (Specificity, Concreteness, Imagery and Clarity), showed peaks in the early luteal phase, i.e., at the time of high gonadal hormone concentration. The dominant contents of dreams in the early luteal phase reflected emotions directed towards other people, in contrast to the early follicular and late luteal phase themes of passivity and self care. The results support the interaction of physiological, emotional and cognitive events as postulated by the multiple code theory. Several questions are considered concerning the precise impact of hormonal fluctuation on emotional information processing as reflected in dreams.

Concreteness and Specificity in Clinical Psychology

“…Please view critically the inconsistent and erroneous equation of concreteness with specificity in this chapter as well as in other publications reported in this section (author's note). Bucci et al (1991) evaluated changes in contents and language style of dream reports during the menstrual cycle in seven women (aged 28-45 years) with premenstrual syndrome (PMS). Dream diaries were scored for referential activity (RA), and mean scores for overall RA and for the four individual RA scales ( specificity, concreteness, imagery, and clarity) showed peaks in the early luteal phase (ELF), i.e., at the time of high gonadal hormone concentration.…”

The Effects of Menstrual Cycle on Dreaming

“…Dreams provide an exceptional opportunity to study cognitive processes (Stickgold et al, 1999) as well as the dreamer emotional setting, waking concerns, physiological state, and hormonal milieu (Bucci et al, 1991). The cognitive model describes three components in the dream production: the input that involves the activation of memory units, the planner that is the processing of the activated memories, and the output, or the final organisation (Foulkes, 1985;Cavallero & Foulkes, 1993).…”

Dreams and Nightmares in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

“…For example, health-related stressors have been evidenced in the home dream content of patients awaiting surgery 15 and in hospitalized burn patients. 18 Academic and occupational stress might also influence dream content. 17 In addition, the dreams of women with stressful menstruation are more likely to contain emotional content and relationship themes during the peak hormonal phase compared with other days in the menstrual cycle.…”

“…16 Dreams in pregnancy have been interpreted as reflecting concerns about the body and about the ability to mother and nurture. 18 Academic and occupational stress might also influence dream content. 18 Academic and occupational stress might also influence dream content.…”

“…Stress and trauma appear to acutely affect the thematic content of dreams irrespective of whether the dreamer goes on to experience continuing emotional distress. 18 Academic and occupational stress might also influence dream content. In addition to indicating that stressful experiences are incorporated into dream content, findings from experimental and naturalistic studies further suggest that dreams can positively influence adaptation to stress and base from Vietnam veterans, a measure that combined instances of nightmares related to military experiences and of distress from dreaming was strongly associated with PTSD.…”