Induction of Dreaming With EEG and Anesthesia in Healthy Adults

This open-label, randomized crossover study in healthy adults tests two propofol protocols to produce distinct experiential states. One induces brief loss of responsiveness with spontaneous emergence, intended to elicit dream reports; the other maintains light sedation without loss of responsiveness, intended to elicit non-dream experiences while participants remain responsive. The main goals are to (a) measure the protocol-concordant experiential report rate (how often each method produces its intended experience), (b) explore EEG correlates of these experiences in the two states, and (c) describe their phenomenology (what they are like). We will also examine short-term changes in well-being and sleep related to these experiences. Participants complete four sessions (two of each method) with EEG and routine monitoring, immediate post-session interviews, and brief questionnaires and daily sleep/dream logs before and after anesthesia sessions.

NCT Number	NCT07198711
Lead Sponsor	Stanford University Collaborators: Tiny Blue Dot Foundation
Conditions	Healthy Volunteers
Enrollment	15 participants
Start Date	2025-05-20
Primary Completion	2027-05-31 (estimated)
Study Completion	2027-05-31 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-06-22