Question: What part of the brain do you use when you dream?

Jemma Ransom answered on 11 Mar 2011:

That’s an interesting question! I think the best answer really is we simply don’t know. That’s the case for many questions concerning the brain, and why neuroscientists like myself are still in a job! As for the research as it stands however, I would imagine the most important part of your brain for dreaming is you cortex. That’s the part of your brain directly behind your eyes that does all of the conscious thought for you. Another area that is pretty important is something called the limbic region. This processes memory and emotion, ever had a dream about a person or place you know in real life? Or experienced fear/sadness/joy etc during a dream? This is the part of the brain which is likely to be responsible. But as for why we dream, or indeed why we sleep for that matter, the jury is out!