Final answer:
The correct answer is option (D). REM sleep displays increased brain activity, illogical and bizarre thoughts, and muscle paralysis, except the muscles for circulation and respiration. However, REM sleep does not feature decreased limbic system activity, which is active during this phase, making option B the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is a unique sleep phase characterized by a combination of high brain activity and paralysis of most voluntary muscles, except for those involved in circulation and respiration. During REM sleep, the brain waves appear very similar to those observed when a person is awake, and it's the period in which dreaming typically occurs. One of the distinguishing features of REM sleep is the paradoxical nature of high brain activity coupled with the lack of muscle tone. Dreams are often accompanied by illogical and bizarre thoughts due to the intense brain activity.
The characteristics of REM sleep include increased brain activity, thoughts that are illogical and bizarre, and muscles, particularly postural muscles, losing tone, leading to typical REM sleep paralysis. However, REM sleep does not exhibit decreased limbic system activity; rather, the limbic system tends to be active during this phase, playing a role in emotion and memory, which can be involved in dream content. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is option B) decreased limbic system activity is not characteristic of REM sleep.