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The analogy between dreams and the ancient art of memory is tempting but superficial

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 November 2013

Nikolai Axmacher  and
Juergen Fell
Nikolai Axmacher
Affiliation:
Department of Epileptology, University of Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany. [email protected]://epileptologie-bonn.de/cms/front_content.php?idcat=470 German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, 53175 Bonn, Germany. [email protected]://epileptologie-bonn.de/cms/front_content.php?idcat=540
Juergen Fell
Affiliation:
Department of Epileptology, University of Bonn, 53105 Bonn, Germany. [email protected]://epileptologie-bonn.de/cms/front_content.php?idcat=470
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Abstract

Although the analogy between dreams and ancient mnemotechniques is tempting because they share several phenomenological characteristics, this analogy is superficial at a closer look. Unlike mneomotechnically encoded material, rapid eye movement (REM) dreams are inherently difficult to remember, do not usually allow conscious subsequent retrieval of all interconnected elements, and have been found to support subsequent episodic memory in only rare cases.

Type
Open Peer Commentary
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 36 , Issue 6 , December 2013 , pp. 607 - 608
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2013 

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