Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Psychiatric Hospital, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Department of Psychology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Sci Rep. 2021 Feb 25;11(1):4710. doi: 10.1038/s41598-021-83838-1.
Cognitive models assume that the incomplete integration of a traumatic experience into the autobiographical memory results in typical symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) such as intrusive re-experiencing. Sleep supports the integration of new experiences into existing memory networks through memory consolidation. In fifty-six females, we investigated whether a 90-min daytime nap (n = 33) compared to a wake period (n = 23) after being exposed to an experimental trauma (i.e. a trauma film) prevents PTSD analogue symptoms. Intrusive memories were recorded for seven days using a diary, overall PTSD symptoms were assessed using the Impact of Event Scale (IES-R) and affective response to trauma cues were measured one week after experimental trauma. The two groups did not differ in any of the analogue PTSD symptoms. However, participants obtaining rapid eye movement (REM) sleep in the nap experienced less distressing intrusive memories. Moreover, the duration of REM sleep and slow wave activity was negatively correlated with analogue PTSD symptoms. Our findings suggest that even a short sleep period after experimental trauma can play a protective role in trauma memory formation but only if the nap contains REM sleep. Our data provide additional evidence for a critical role of REM sleep in PTSD development.
认知模型假设，创伤经历不能完整地整合到自传体记忆中，会导致与创伤后应激障碍（PTSD）相关的典型症状，如侵入性再体验。睡眠通过记忆巩固，支持新体验融入现有记忆网络。在 56 名女性中，我们研究了在经历实验性创伤（即创伤电影）后，白天 90 分钟的小睡（n=33）与清醒期（n=23）相比，是否能预防 PTSD 模拟症状。使用日记记录了七天的侵入性记忆，使用事件影响量表（IES-R）评估了总体 PTSD 症状，在实验性创伤后一周测量了对创伤线索的情感反应。两组在任何模拟 PTSD 症状上均无差异。然而，在小睡中 REM 睡眠的参与者经历的痛苦侵入性记忆较少。此外，REM 睡眠和慢波活动的持续时间与模拟 PTSD 症状呈负相关。我们的发现表明，即使在实验性创伤后进行短暂的睡眠也可以在创伤记忆形成中发挥保护作用，但前提是小睡中包含 REM 睡眠。我们的数据为 REM 睡眠在 PTSD 发展中的关键作用提供了额外的证据。
