Intrusive memories of a traumatic event can be distressing and disruptive, and comprise a core clinical feature of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Intrusive memories involve mental imagery-based impressions that intrude into mind involuntarily, and are emotional. Here we consider how recent advances in cognitive science have fueled our understanding of the development and possible treatment of intrusive memories of trauma. We conducted a systematic literature search in PubMed, selecting articles published from 2008 to 2018 that used the terms “trauma” AND (“intrusive memories” OR “involuntary memories”) in their abstract or title. First, we discuss studies that investigated internal (neural, hormonal, psychophysiological, and cognitive) processes that contribute to intrusive memory development. Second, we discuss studies that targeted these processes using behavioural/pharmacological interventions to reduce intrusive memories. Third, we consider possible clinical implications of this work and highlight some emerging research avenues for treatment and prevention, supplemented by new data to examine some unanswered questions. In conclusion, we raise the possibility that intrusive memories comprise an alternative, possibly more focused, target in translational research endeavours, rather than only targeting overall symptoms of disorders such as PTSD. If so, relatively simple approaches could help to address the need for easy-to-deliver, widely-scalable trauma interventions.

Insomnia, nightmares, and circadian phase delay are associated with increased subsyndromal psychiatric symptoms in young people. Each is a treatable sleep disorder and might be a target for early intervention to modify the subsequent progression of psychiatric disorder.

Our findings suggest that sleep deprivation on one night, rather than sleeping, reduces emotional effect and intrusive memories following exposure to experimental trauma.

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Sleep enhances the consolidation of memory; however, this property of sleep may be detrimental in situations where memories of an event can lead to psychopathology, such as following a traumatic event. Intrusive memories of trauma are emotional memories that spring to mind involuntarily and are a core feature of post-traumatic stress disorder. Total sleep deprivation in a hospital setting on the first night after an analogue trauma (a trauma film) led to fewer intrusive memories compared to sleep as usual in one study. The current study aimed to test an extension of these findings: sleep deprivation under more naturalistic conditions—at home. Polysomnographic recordings show inconsistent sleep deprivation was achieved at home. Fewer intrusive memories were reported on day 1 after the trauma film in the sleep-deprived condition. On day 2 the opposite was found: more intrusive memories in the sleep-deprived condition. However, no significant differences were found with the removal of two participants with extreme values and no difference was found in the total number of intrusive memories reported in the week following the trauma film. Voluntary memory of the trauma film was found to be slightly impaired in the sleep deprivation condition. In conclusion, compared to our eariler findings using total sleep deprivation in a hospital setting, in the current study the use of inconsistent sleep deprivation at home does not replicate the pattern of results on reducing the number of intrusive memories. Considering the conditions under which sleep deprivation (naturalistic versus hospital) was achieved requires further examination.