How do activity in the amygdala and reduced frontal-cortex activity shape dreams?

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During REM sleep, the brain exhibits a unique pattern of localized activation and deactivation that researchers believe shapes the nature of dreams.

The activation of limbic structures—which include the amygdala—is associated with the intense emotional content often found in dreams. Conversely, the deactivation of the frontal cortex is thought to contribute to the characteristic bizarreness of the dream experience. This reduction in frontal activity may explain why dreams often feature distortions of time and space, as well as a notable lack of logical insight and personal control.1