The nature of the paradoxical phase of sleep

Summary 1. Paradoxical sleep is a complex phenomenon which can be divided into three stages: 1) the stage of general activation, or desynchronization of slow activity in all areas of the brain, 2) the stage of predominance of the hippocampal -rhythm and 3) the stage of predominance of the hippocampal -rhythm.These stages are considered to have their neurophysiological mechanisms subcortically. The stage of general activation would be determined by excitation of the reticular formation, the stage of hippocampal -rhythm by excitation of the hippocampal centers of motivation, and the stage of hippocampal -rhythm by excitation of the hypothalamic centers causing inhibition of drives.