Rapid Eye Movements in Sleep Furnish a Unique Probe Into Consciousness.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Cognitive Science
• Sleep Research

Background:

• Rapid eye movements (REMs) during sleep exhibit robust neural correlates, including multisensory-motor integration and specific brain region activation.
• Perceptual experience in both sleep and wakefulness is theorized as a constructive process involving prediction and active sensory sampling via eye movements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose Rapid Eye Movements (REMs) as a probe for studying consciousness as an internal process, particularly during REM sleep.
• To explore REMs as a tool for investigating active inference and predictive coding when sensory input is blocked.
• To highlight REMs as a natural, task-free probe for developmental and comparative studies of consciousness, and for understanding psychopathology.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of neural correlates associated with REMs during sleep.
• Theoretical framework linking REM phenomenology to predictive coding and active inference models.
• Consideration of REMs as a temporal probe for time-series analysis.

Main Results:

• REMs during sleep may represent an "internal scanning" of self-generated visual constructs, independent of external sensory input.
• This internal sampling aligns with the concept of consciousness as an "exclusively internal affair" and active inference.
• The temporal precision and natural occurrence of REMs make them suitable for studying diverse populations and conditions.

Conclusions:

• REMs provide a unique opportunity to study the neural basis of consciousness and predictive coding in a state of sensory isolation.
• REMs can serve as a valuable tool for investigating the development of consciousness across species and in conditions like schizophrenia and autism.