Brain Functions
The Whole Brain
Both right and left hemispheres of the brain are used during dreaming. The Right hemisphere is associated with creative thinking and imagination. While the Left hemisphere is more involved with logical thinking.
Reticular Activating System (R.A.S.)
Dreams basically begin with stimulation in areas right above the brain stem. Beginning at the Reticular Activating System and moving up to the motor cortex. In the diagram below...a dream would begin in the green area and move up to the orange area.
The Reticular Activating System is very essential in the dreaming process. It's function is to determine what the dreamer will pay attention to. The R.A.S. decides what is important and filters out that which is not important. This system suggests that dreams do hold a significant meaning because, the dreamer decides what to attend to.
Eye Movement
Eyelid movement is recorded by an electooculogram (EOG). The combined measures of EEGs and EOGs suggests that brain activated sleep state with it's rapid eye movements, might be associated with dreaming.
The radical difference in eye movement between wake and dreaming states also suggests that eye movement is more involved in creating a dream image, and not just viewing it as if it were a television show.
Dream Research Index