The roles of the reward system in sleep and dreaming
Open accessAbstract
The mesolimbic dopaminergic system (ML-DA) allows adapted interactions with the environment and is therefore of critical significance for the individual's survival. The ML-DA system is implicated in reward and emotional functions, and it is perturbed in schizophrenia, addiction, and depression. The ML-DA reward system is not only recruited during wakeful behaviors, it is also active during sleep. Here, we introduce the Reward Activation Model (RAM) for sleep and dreaming, according to which activation of the ML-DA reward system during sleep contributes to memory processes, to the regulation of rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep, and to the generation and motivational content of dreams. In particular, the engagement of ML-DA and associated limbic structures prioritizes information with high emotional or motivational relevance for (re)processing during sleep and dreaming. The RAM provides testable predictions and has clinical implications for our understanding of the pathogenesis of major depression and addiction.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
Neural activation of emotional-limbic and reward systems during REM-DE contributes to the offline reprocessing of emotions and associative learning.
“the neural activation of emotional-limbic (Nir and Tononi, 2010) and reward systems (Perogamvros and Schwartz, 2012) during REM-DE contributes to the offline reprocessing of emotions and associative learning”
From The Functional Role of Dreaming in Emotional Processes (2019) · cites this paper as Perogamvros and Schwartz, 2012
Cites
Parkinson's disease: clinical features and diagnosis
Jankovic, J. (2008) · Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry · doi:10.1136/jnnp.2007.131045 · Cited by 5,720 · see citing works
The reward circuit: linking primate anatomy and human imaging
Haber, S. N., & Knutson, B. (2010) · Neuropsychopharmacology · doi:10.1038/npp.2009.129 · Cited by 3,718 · see citing works
Impact of sleep debt on metabolic and endocrine function
Spiegel, K., Leproult, R., & Van Cauter, E. (1999) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(99)01376-8 · Cited by 3,668 · see citing works
Kapur, S. (2003) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/appi.ajp.160.1.13 · Cited by 2,813 · see citing works
The hippocampal-VTA loop: controlling the entry of information into long-term memory
Lisman, J. E., & Grace, A. A. (2005) · Neuron · doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2005.05.002 · Cited by 1,983 · see citing works
Dissecting components of reward: ‘liking’, ‘wanting’, and learning
Berridge, K. C., Robinson, T. E., & Aldridge, J. W. (2009) · Current Opinion in Pharmacology · doi:10.1016/j.coph.2008.12.014 · Cited by 1,942 · see citing works
Dement, W., & Kleitman, N. (1957) · Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology · doi:10.1016/0013-4694(57)90088-3 · Cited by 1,876 · see citing works
Sleep-dependent memory consolidation
Stickgold, R. (2005) · Nature · doi:10.1038/nature04286 · Cited by 1,857 · see citing works
Behavioral Theories and the Neurophysiology of Reward
Schultz, W. (2006) · Annual Review of Psychology · doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.56.091103.070229 · Cited by 1,637 · see citing works
Breakdown of cortical effective connectivity during sleep
Massimini, M., Ferrarelli, F., Huber, R., Esser, S. K., Singh, H., & Tononi, G. (2005) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1117256 · Cited by 1,534 · see citing works
The human emotional brain without sleep—a prefrontal amygdala disconnect
Yoo, S.-S., Gujar, N., Hu, P., Jolesz, F. A., & Walker, M. P. (2007) · Current Biology · doi:10.1016/j.cub.2007.08.007 · Cited by 1,303 · see citing works
A common role of insula in feelings, empathy and uncertainty
Singer, T., Critchley, H. D., & Preuschoff, K. (2009) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.tics.2009.05.001 · Cited by 1,270 · see citing works
Regional cerebral blood flow throughout the sleep-wake cycle. An H2(15)O PET study
Braun, A. (1997) · Brain · doi:10.1093/brain/120.7.1173 · Cited by 1,268 · see citing works
The role of dopamine in the pathophysiology of depression
Dunlop, B. W., & Nemeroff, C. B. (2007) · Archives of General Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/archpsyc.64.3.327 · Cited by 1,244 · see citing works
Functional neuroanatomy of human rapid-eye-movement sleep and dreaming
Maquet, P., Péters, J.-M., Aerts, J., Delfiore, G., Degueldre, C., Luxen, A., & Franck, G. (1996) · Nature · doi:10.1038/383163a0 · Cited by 1,168 · see citing works
The neurobiology of anhedonia and other reward-related deficits
Der-Avakian, A., & Markou, A. (2012) · Trends in Neurosciences · doi:10.1016/j.tins.2011.11.005 · Cited by 1,130 · see citing works
Floresco, S. B., West, A. R., Ash, B., Moore, H., & Grace, A. A. (2003) · Nature Neuroscience · doi:10.1038/nn1103 · Cited by 1,106 · see citing works
Dorsal anterior cingulate cortex: A role in reward-based decision making
Bush, G., Vogt, B. A., Holmes, J., Dale, A. M., Greve, D., Jenike, M. A., & Rosen, B. R. (2002) · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences · doi:10.1073/pnas.012470999 · Cited by 1,096 · see citing works
Overnight therapy? The role of sleep in emotional brain processing
Walker, M. P., & van der Helm, E. (2009) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/a0016570 · Cited by 1,087 · see citing works
Tsuno, N., Besset, A., & Ritchie, K. (2005) · The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry · doi:10.4088/jcp.v66n1008 · Cited by 1,084 · see citing works
Toward a general psychobiological theory of emotions
Panksepp, J. (1982) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00012759 · Cited by 999 · see citing works
Reward-motivated learning: mesolimbic activation precedes memory formation
Adcock, R. A., Thangavel, A., Whitfield-Gabrieli, S., Knutson, B., & Gabrieli, J. D. E. (2006) · Neuron · doi:10.1016/j.neuron.2006.03.036 · Cited by 977 · see citing works
Meerlo, P., Sgoifo, A., & Suchecki, D. (2008) · Sleep Medicine Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2007.07.007 · Cited by 948 · see citing works
Place of chronic insomnia in the course of depressive and anxiety disorders
Ohayon, M. M., & Roth, T. (2003) · Journal of Psychiatric Research · doi:10.1016/s0022-3956(02)00052-3 · Cited by 873 · see citing works
Metabolic consequences of sleep and sleep loss
Van Cauter, E., Spiegel, K., Tasali, E., & Leproult, R. (2008) · Sleep Medicine · doi:10.1016/s1389-9457(08)70013-3 · Cited by 812 · see citing works
Johnson, E. O., Roth, T., & Breslau, N. (2006) · Journal of Psychiatric Research · doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2006.07.008 · Cited by 804 · see citing works
The reinterpretation of dreams: An evolutionary hypothesis of the function of dreaming
Revonsuo, A. (2000) · Behavioral and Brain Sciences · doi:10.1017/s0140525x00004015 · Cited by 676 · see citing works
Primary insomnia: a risk factor to develop depression?
Riemann, D. (2003) · Journal of Affective Disorders · doi:10.1016/s0165-0327(02)00072-1 · Cited by 641 · see citing works
Wagner, U., Gais, S., & Born, J. (2001) · Learning & Memory · doi:10.1101/lm.36801 · Cited by 605 · see citing works
Strengthening Individual Memories by Reactivating Them During Sleep
Rudoy, J. D., Voss, J. L., Westerberg, C. E., & Paller, K. A. (2009) · Science · doi:10.1126/science.1179013 · Cited by 532 · see citing works
Forebrain activation in REM sleep: an FDG PET study
Nofzinger, E. A., Mintun, M. A., Wiseman, M., Kupfer, D. J., & Moore, R. Y. (1997) · Brain Research · doi:10.1016/s0006-8993(97)00807-x · Cited by 501 · see citing works
Gujar, N., Yoo, S.-S., Hu, P., & Walker, M. P. (2011) · The Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.3220-10.2011 · Cited by 491 · see citing works
Zohar, D., Tzischinsky, O., Epstein, R., & Lavie, P. (2005) · Sleep · doi:10.1093/sleep/28.1.47 · Cited by 478 · see citing works
Sleep selectively enhances memory expected to be of future relevance
Wilhelm, I., Diekelmann, S., Molzow, I., Ayoub, A., Mölle, M., & Born, J. (2011) · The Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.3575-10.2011 · Cited by 397 · see citing works
(1987) · American Journal of Psychiatry · doi:10.1176/ajp.144.2.201 · Cited by 346 · see citing works
Pennartz, C. M. A., Lee, E., Verheul, J., Lipa, P., Barnes, C. A., & McNaughton, B. L. (2004) · The Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.0575-04.2004 · Cited by 282 · see citing works
Sleep problems in early childhood and early onset of alcohol and other drug use in adolescence
Wong, M. M., Brower, K. J., Fitzgerald, H. E., & Zucker, R. A. (2004) · Alcoholism Clinical and Experimental Research · doi:10.1097/01.alc.0000121651.75952.39 · Cited by 271 · see citing works
Sleep-related hippocampo-cortical interplay during emotional memory recollection
Sterpenich, V., Albouy, G., Boly, M., Vandewalle, G., Darsaud, A., Balteau, E., Dang-Vu, T. T., Desseilles, M., D'Argembeau, A., Gais, S., et al. (2007) · PLoS Biology · doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.0050282 · Cited by 265 · see citing works
Dreaming of a learning task is associated with enhanced sleep-dependent memory consolidation
Wamsley, E. J., Tucker, M., Payne, J. D., Benavides, J. A., & Stickgold, R. (2010) · Current Biology · doi:10.1016/j.cub.2010.03.027 · Cited by 255 · see citing works
Nausieda, P. A., Weiner, W. J., Kaplan, L. R., Weber, S., & Klawans, H. L. (1982) · Clinical Neuropharmacology · doi:10.1097/00002826-198205020-00003 · Cited by 245 · see citing works
Schenck, C. H., Arnulf, I., & Mahowald, M. W. (2007) · Sleep · doi:10.1093/sleep/30.6.683 · Cited by 235 · see citing works
Bergmann, T. O., Mölle, M., Diedrichs, J., Born, J., & Siebner, H. R. (2012) · NeuroImage · doi:10.1016/j.neuroimage.2011.10.036 · Cited by 228 · see citing works
Cortical reactivity and effective connectivity during REM sleep in humans
Massimini, M., Ferrarelli, F., Murphy, M. J., Huber, R., Riedner, B. A., Casarotto, S., & Tononi, G. (2010) · Cognitive Neuroscience · doi:10.1080/17588921003731578 · Cited by 202 · see citing works
Anticipated reward enhances offline learning during sleep.
Fischer, S., & Born, J. (2009) · Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition · doi:10.1037/a0017256 · Cited by 186 · see citing works
Swanson-Park, J. L., Coussens, C. M., Mason-Parker, S. E., Raymond, C. R., Hargreaves, E. L., Dragunow, M., Cohen, A. S., & Abraham, W. C. (1999) · Neuroscience · doi:10.1016/s0306-4522(99)00010-x · Cited by 175 · see citing works
Poulin, J., Daoust, A.-M., Forest, G., Stip, E., & Godbout, R. (2003) · Schizophrenia Research · doi:10.1016/s0920-9964(02)00346-8 · Cited by 160 · see citing works
Role of REM sleep and dream affect in overnight mood regulation: A study of normal volunteers
Cartwright, R., Luten, A., Young, M., Mercer, P., & Bears, M. (1998) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/s0165-1781(98)00089-4 · Cited by 142 · see citing works
Dream phenomena induced by chronic Levodopa therapy
Sharf, B., Moskovitz, C., Lupton, M. D., & Klawans, H. L. (1978) · Journal of Neural Transmission · doi:10.1007/bf01579073 · Cited by 137 · see citing works
Vetrugno, R., Manconi, M., Ferini-Strambi, L., Provini, F., Plazzi, G., & Montagna, P. (2006) · Sleep · doi:10.1093/sleep/29.7.949 · Cited by 136 · see citing works
Relation of dreams to waking concerns
Cartwright, R., Agargun, M. Y., Kirkby, J., & Friedman, J. K. (2006) · Psychiatry Research · doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2005.05.013 · Cited by 134 · see citing works
Zellner, M. R., Watt, D. F., Solms, M., & Panksepp, J. (2011) · Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2011.01.003 · Cited by 112 · see citing works
Dreaming and offline memory processing
Wamsley, E. J., & Stickgold, R. (2010) · Current Biology · doi:10.1016/j.cub.2010.10.045 · Cited by 84 · see citing works
Sleep-Related Eating Disorder and Night Eating Syndrome: Sleep Disorders, Eating Disorders, or Both?
Winkelman, J. W. (2006) · Sleep · doi:10.1093/sleep/29.7.876 · Cited by 72 · see citing works
Phasic Dopamine Signaling During Behavior, Reward, and Disease States
Wightman, R., & Heien, M. (2006) · CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets · doi:10.2174/187152706784111605 · Cited by 68 · see citing works
Multiple functions of dopamine neurons
Schultz, W. (2010) · F1000 Biology Reports · doi:10.3410/b2-2 · Cited by 59 · see citing works
Flagged first, then by citations
Cited by
Sorted by citations
The association of sleep and pain: an update and a path forward
Finan, P. H., Goodin, B. R., & Smith, M. T. (2013) · The Journal of Pain · doi:10.1016/j.jpain.2013.08.007 · Cited by 1,620 · see citing works
The sleep-deprived human brain
Krause, A. J., Simon, E. B., Mander, B. A., Greer, S. M., Saletin, J. M., Goldstein-Piekarski, A. N., & Walker, M. P. (2017) · Nature Reviews Neuroscience · doi:10.1038/nrn.2017.55 · Cited by 1,200 · see citing works
The neural correlates of dreaming
Siclari, F., Baird, B., Perogamvros, L., Bernardi, G., LaRocque, J. J., Riedner, B., Boly, M., Postle, B. R., & Tononi, G. (2017) · Nature Neuroscience · doi:10.1038/nn.4545 · Cited by 712 · see citing works
Self-citationThe microstructure of REM sleep: Why phasic and tonic?
Simor, P., van der Wijk, G., Nobili, L., & Peigneux, P. (2020) · Sleep Medicine Reviews · doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2020.101305 · Cited by 207 · see citing works
The Functional Role of Dreaming in Emotional Processes
Scarpelli, S., Bartolacci, C., D'Atri, A., Gorgoni, M., & De Gennaro, L. (2019) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00459 · Cited by 190 · see citing works
The role of rapid eye movement sleep for amygdala-related memory processing
Genzel, L., Spoormaker, V. I., Konrad, B. N., & Dresler, M. (2015) · Neurobiology of Learning and Memory · doi:10.1016/j.nlm.2015.01.008 · Cited by 161 · see citing works
Disrupted Sleep: From Molecules to Cognition
Van Someren, E. J. W., Cirelli, C., Dijk, D.-J., Van Cauter, E., Schwartz, S., & Chee, M. W. L. (2015) · The Journal of Neuroscience · doi:10.1523/jneurosci.2592-15.2015 · Cited by 127 · see citing works
Self-citationSleep and the processing of emotions
Deliens, G., Gilson, M., & Peigneux, P. (2014) · Experimental Brain Research · doi:10.1007/s00221-014-3832-1 · Cited by 119 · see citing works
Eichenlaub, J.-B., Bertrand, O., Morlet, D., & Ruby, P. (2014) · Cerebral Cortex · doi:10.1093/cercor/bhs388 · Cited by 101 · see citing works
Sleep and dreaming are for important matters
Perogamvros, L., Dang-Vu, T. T., Desseilles, M., & Schwartz, S. (2013) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00474 · Cited by 77 · see citing works
Reward biases spontaneous neural reactivation during sleep
Sterpenich, V., van Schie, M. K. M., Catsiyannis, M., Ramyead, A., Perrig, S., Yang, H.-D., Van De Ville, D., & Schwartz, S. (2021) · Nature Communications · doi:10.1038/s41467-021-24357-5 · Cited by 71 · see citing works
Self-citationPerogamvros, L., Baird, B., Seibold, M., Riedner, B., Boly, M., & Tononi, G. (2017) · Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience · doi:10.1162/jocn_a_01155 · Cited by 70 · see citing works
Self-citationVallat, R., Chatard, B., Blagrove, M., & Ruby, P. (2017) · PLOS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0185262 · Cited by 55 · see citing works
A neuropsychoanalytical approach to the hard problem of consciousness
Solms, M. (2014) · Journal of Integrative Neuroscience · doi:10.1142/s0219635214400032 · Cited by 49 · see citing works
Dopaminergic system and dream recall: an MRI study in Parkinson's disease patients
De Gennaro, L., Lanteri, O., Piras, F., Scarpelli, S., Assogna, F., Ferrara, M., Caltagirone, C., & Spalletta, G. (2016) · Human Brain Mapping · doi:10.1002/hbm.23095 · Cited by 45 · see citing works
Alpha reactivity to first names differs in subjects with high and low dream recall frequency
Ruby, P., Blochet, C., Eichenlaub, J.-B., Bertrand, O., Morlet, D., & Bidet-Caulet, A. (2013) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00419 · Cited by 44 · see citing works
Daily Life Experiences in Dreams and Sleep-Dependent Memory Consolidation
Eichenlaub, J.-B., Cash, S. S., & Blagrove, M. (2017) · Studies in Neuroscience, Psychology and Behavioral Economics · doi:10.1007/978-3-319-45066-7_10 · Cited by 42 · see citing works
Mental Sleep Activity and Disturbing Dreams in the Lifespan
Scarpelli, S., Bartolacci, C., D’Atri, A., Gorgoni, M., & De Gennaro, L. (2019) · International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health · doi:10.3390/ijerph16193658 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
Edwards, C. L., Ruby, P. M., Malinowski, J. E., Bennett, P. D., & Blagrove, M. T. (2013) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2013.00979 · Cited by 41 · see citing works
The role of the basolateral amygdala in dreaming
Blake, Y., Terburg, D., Balchin, R., van Honk, J., & Solms, M. (2019) · Cortex · doi:10.1016/j.cortex.2018.12.016 · Cited by 33 · see citing works
Dream recall frequency is associated with medial prefrontal cortex white-matter density
Vallat, R., Eichenlaub, J.-B., Nicolas, A., & Ruby, P. (2018) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.01856 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Orzeł-Gryglewska, J., Matulewicz, P., & Jurkowlaniec, E. (2015) · Synapse · doi:10.1002/syn.21843 · Cited by 31 · see citing works
Sleep restriction can attenuate prioritization benefits on declarative memory consolidation
Lo, J. C., Bennion, K. A., & Chee, M. W. L. (2016) · Journal of Sleep Research · doi:10.1111/jsr.12424 · Cited by 29 · see citing works
Fear in dreams and in wakefulness: Evidence for day/night affective homeostasis
Sterpenich, V, Perogamvros, L., Tononi, G., & Schwartz, S. (2019) · bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · doi:10.1101/534099 · Cited by 99 · see citing works
Self-citationWhat are the neural mechanisms and physiological functions of dreams?
Tsunematsu, T. (2023) · Neuroscience Research · doi:10.1016/j.neures.2022.12.017 · Cited by 22 · see citing works
Eichenlaub, J., van Rijn, E., Phelan, M., Ryder, L., Gaskell, M. G., Lewis, P. A., P. Walker, M., & Blagrove, M. (2019) · Journal of Sleep Research · doi:10.1111/jsr.12697 · Cited by 18 · see citing works
Does sleep help prevent forgetting rewarded memory representations in children and adults?
Prehn-Kristensen, A., Böhmig, A., Schult, J., Pedersen, A., Wiesner, C. D., & Baving, L. (2018) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00924 · Cited by 14 · see citing works
- Authors
- Perogamvros, L., & Schwartz, S.
- Affiliations
- University of Geneva (CH)
- Corresponding author
- Schwartz, Sophie
- Venue
- Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2012-09
- Volume
- 36
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 1934-1951
- ISSN
- 0149-7634 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2025015792
- Cited by
- 239
- References
- 55
- Citations by year
- 2026: 10 · 2025: 7 · 2024: 21 · 2023: 17 · 2022: 16 · 2021: 13 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 38 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 19 · 2014: 12 · 2013: 24 · 2012: 4
- FWCI
- 1.50
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- Locations
- Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Archive ouverte UNIGE (University of Geneva) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Sleep and Wakefulness Research
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Sleep and related disorders
- Keywords
- mesolimbic dopamine system, reward systems, sleep, dreams, REM sleep regulation, memory consolidation, emotional memory, major depressive disorder, addiction, schizophrenia
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Brain, Dreams, Emotions, Humans, Reward, Sleep, Sleep, REM
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review
