REM-like movements and autonomic self-regulation

Hi guys, I discovered in 1986 and published in that year and in 1996, that, during biofeedback experiment using thermal biofeedback, the subjects who give REM-like eye movements in the 15-minute sessions are the ones who are able to produce the stipulated autonomic change but not the subjects who do not give REM-like movements. These movements are NOT consciously done and therefore PRESUMABLY differ from those during eye movement desensitization. Also the subject who was not able to give REM-like movements (waking state) in earlier sessions was also not able to produce the stipulated autonomic change, but in later sessions when he started giving REM-like (spontaneous) movements, he was also able to produce the stipulated autonomic change. The autonomic change I have studied was finger temperature increase. The EEG in the successful subject changed from beta to alpha in right handed subject's right hemisphere (I could study only the temporal lobe due to technical limitation) but the EEG stayed put in beta range in the left hemisphere as it was in the baseline (it was in beta range in both hemisphere in the baseline of the session). This change happened when the subject was succeeding in increasing the finger temperature. The subjective report was that there were lot of imageries passing through, but their content could not be recalled. When I published the first paper, the eye movement desensitization was not yet reported in published form. I do not YET know how my finding is related to EMD. I am an old student of Joseph Wolpe. Last year when I was visiting him, he asked me this question that if my REM is the same as the eye movements during EMD. Procedurally they are of course different. But who knows.....? Field is wide open. What I am saying is that imagery is necessary for autonomic self-regulation. Right now my references are not on hand, but I will be able to post them if asked for. I have theorised in terms of right hemispheric function, dream-like imagery, hypnotisability. Green & Green of the Menninger Foundation have talked of role of imagery in "passive volition" to succeed at autonomic self-regulation much earlier. But, to my knowledge, I was the first to publish the direct data on imagery as indexed by REM-like movements. Thanks for your patience. Ratan, ratan@tm.net.my, ratan@kb.usm.my

• Eye movements and information processing by Francine Shapiro, 8/12/97
• Query regarding REM-like movements and autonomic regulation by Jim Johnston, 8/12/97
  • Frustrated by Ratan Singh, 8/16/97
  • Jim Johnston's &lllaos;Query regarding REM...&lllaos; by Ratan Singh, 8/17/97
    • Waking eye movements and REM-sleep by Francine Shapiro, 8/20/97
• Autogenic Training and Autonomic Response by David B. Rosenthal, M.Ed., LPC, 8/13/97
  • Eye movements and autonomic changes by Francine Shapiro, 8/13/97
    • Reply and request to Shapiro on Posting Response to Eye movements by Ratan Singh, 8/16/97
      • Reprints by Francine Shapiro, 8/16/97
        • Thanks to Shapiro by Ratan Singh, 8/20/97
  • Comments on David Rosenthal's posting Autogenic Training... by Ratan Singh, 8/20/97
• REM-like movements and autonomic change independently confirmed by Ratan Singh, Ph.D., 10/17/97