For what reason do we dream? A theory by Stanford neuroscientists provides more depth.

 Eagleman's theory revolves around the brain's capacity for adaptation and the importance of protecting the visual cortex.

Neuroscientist David Eagleman's ground-breaking theory, which contends that dreams, which happen during Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, act as a defense mechanism for the brain's visual cortex against possible takeovers by other sensory functions, may offer new insight into the age-old question of why humans dream. 

Eagleman's theory is centered on the brain's adaptability and the need to protect the visual cortex, as opposed to conventional theories about emotional processing or memory enhancement during dreams.

Eagleman suggests that life experiences reshape the brain's map, drawing parallels between international territorial disputes and neuronal competition. 

Specifically, when sensory inputs change or slow down, neurons fight with one another over neural territory. Eagleman's theory highlights the brain's dynamic nature by citing instances of neuroplasticity in which the brain reorganizes to make up for missing regions.

Approximately ninety minutes after falling asleep, REM sleep corresponds with the visual cortex's defense schedule. Brain scans reveal that during REM sleep, dreams primarily activate the visual cortex. 

Eagleman argues that the more flexible the brain, the more REM sleep is needed. He uses the example of newborns, whose brains are extremely malleable, to show how much REM sleep is necessary.

Eagleman notes that his theory can coexist with alternative explanations for dreams, highlighting the complex nature of REM sleep, despite the skepticism of some researchers. 

Eagleman's hypothesis, which proposes dreams as the nightly defenders of the brain's visual domain, offers a novel viewpoint as the scientific community struggles to comprehend the complex domain of dreams.