Brace yourself.  Dr. David Maurice has a controversial theory.  As professor of occular physiology in the Dept. of Opthalmology at Columbia University Medical Centre, he suggests the REM sleep phenomenon, the stage in which the eyes rapidly move and most dreams and assumed to occur, actually has a different purpose than we thought. So much for "cut and dried" sleep explanations!

Dr. Maurice refuses to accept status quo theories that say REM exists to process memories of the earlier day's events during dreams. He prefers to believe the sleep experience of REM enables a supply of much-needed oxygen to moisten the cornea of the eye.  Maurice suggests that the aqueous humor (the clear watery liquid in the anterior chamber just behind the cornea) needs to be "stirred" by the REM process to carry oxygen to the cornea.

"Without REM," Maurice told 21stCentury, "our corneas would starve and suffocate while we are asleep with our eyes closed. This may mean we wouldn't be able to see.  Perception would be altered.

Okay.  REM is strongly linked with many physiological processes that impact changes in breathing, changes in blood flow to brain, and changes in brain activity.  If Dr. Maurice is proven right, his work would certainly enhance human understanding of functions during REM sleep.  Yet, would it be enough to invalidate principles of psychoanalysis? Other experts don't think so. They believe it has a valuable place to treat patients by helping them interpret their dreams.  As for which is the major versus which are the minor functions of REM process, the jury is still out on that.