Cognitive Processing and Activation during Sleep and Dream: An Analysis using Stochastic Transition and Stochastic Resonance

Abstract

The new field of stochastic electronics, stochastic resonance and noise-activated transition, as induced by stochastic fluctuation, is delineated. We elucidate the experimental findings and stochastic analysis of the development of cognitive activation and information processing during the entire spectrum of the sleeping phases: sleep, dream and lucidity. We present the evolution graphs of the sleep-dream transition and dream-lucidity transition, derive their basic equations and describe them by stochastic transition dynamics, involving the relevant neuronal pathways. A stochastically activated information processing model of cognitive functioning across the sleep-dream-lucidity states is furnished. Utilizing the concepts of short and long term memories and a complex programming process, we show how stochastic fluctuation in neuronal systems can enhance cognitive processing and information consolidation. We adduce the relevance of interplay of stochastic activation and resonance between phasic and tonic neural noises, described by a noise: noise ratio (NNR). The scope of developing a novel field of stochastic computing machines, inspired by noise-neuron cooperation, is outlined.

Indexing terms:

• Noise
• Stochastic resonance
• Sleep
• Dream
• Information processing
• Neuroengineering
• Neural network

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Prasun Kumar Roy

Prasun K Roy is a medical doctor and was trained in radiology at Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, and in medical electronics at Jadavpur University, both in Calcutta. Later, he was an ICRF scholar at Royal Marsden Hospital, University of London and obtained Membership of Royal College of Radiologists. Dr Roy is scientist at National Brain Research Centre, Gurgaon and a Research Asstt professor at Montana State University, Bozeman. He has been Chief Medical Officer to Government of India organization as well as research scientist or guest professor at Universities of California-Berkeley, Connecticut and Medical College of Wisconsin. Dr Roy is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine. His joint research work with Prof Dutta Majumder on biological application of stochastic transition has received the Frank George Millennial Research Award at Brunei University, London, 2000.

D Dutta Majumder

Dwijesh Kumar Dutta Majumder received BSc (Honours) from Gawahati University and MSc (Tech) in Radio Physics & Electronics (1955) and PhD in Digital Computers' Memory Technology (1963) from the University of Calcutta, India, and a United Nation's Fellowship at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor USA (1964). He was the founding Head of the Electronics, Computers and Communication Sciences Unit of Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Kolkata, where he also became Emeritus Scientist of CSIR, Govt, of India, and is currently Professor Emeritus of ISI and Director-Secretary of Institute of Cybernetics Systems and Information Technology (ICSIT), Kolkata. He is fellow of the Institution of Electronics & Telecommunication Engineers, the Indian National Science Academy and the Third World Academy of Sciences, Trieste, Italy.