Sleep as a window to target traumatic memories

Heijden, A.C. van der; Heuvel, Odile A. van den; Werf, Y.D. van der; Talamini, Lucia M.; Marle, Hein J. F. van

doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104765

Cited by 11 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 104 publications

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“…spoken words) during sleep (Farthouat et al, 2017; Göldi et al, 2019; Lehmann et al, 2016; Schreiner, Göldi, et al, 2015; Schreiner & Rasch, 2015). Whether the effectiveness of TMR is any greater for verbal or non-verbal cues has received only limited attention, but is nevertheless an important question: by determining which type of memory cue engenders the greatest impact on offline memory processing, we can optimise TMR protocols and strengthen their potential utility as tools in education and healthcare (van der Heijden et al, 2022).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Delineating memory reactivation in sleep with verbal and non-verbal retrieval cues

Guttesen

Gaskell

Cairney

2023

Preprint

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Sleep supports memory consolidation via the reactivation of newly formed memory traces. One way to investigate memory reactivation in sleep is by exposing the sleeping brain to auditory retrieval cues; a paradigm known as targeted memory reactivation (TMR). To what extent to acoustic properties of memory cues influence the effectiveness of TMR, however, has received limited attention. We addressed this question by exploring how verbal and non-verbal memory cues affect oscillatory activity linked to memory reactivation in slow-wave sleep. Fifty-one healthy adult males learned to associate visual stimuli with spoken words (verbal cues) and environmental sounds (non-verbal cues). Subsets of the verbal and non-verbal cues were then replayed during sleep, alongside previously unheard control cues. For a subset of the participants, the voice of the verbal cues was mismatched between sleep and learning. Memory cues (relative to control cues) prompted an increase in theta/alpha and spindle power, which have been heavily implicated in sleep-associated memory processing. Moreover, verbal memory cues were associated with a stronger increase in spindle power than non-verbal memory cues. There were no significant differences between the matched and mismatched conditions when analysing verbal memory cues in isolation. Our findings suggest that verbal memory cues may be more effective than non-verbal memory cues for triggering memory reactivation in sleep, as indicated by an amplified spindle response.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Delineating memory reactivation in sleep with verbal and non-verbal retrieval cues

Guttesen

Gaskell

Cairney

2023

Preprint

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“…Another potential intervention could be to manipulate the memories by re-activating them during sleep through targeted memory re-activation. See van der Heijden et al [ 47 ] for a review and discussion of the potential of this, as well as some potential conceptual and methodological challenges.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of sleep on intrusive memories in daily life: a systematic review and meta-analysis of trauma film experiments

Davidson

Marcusson-Clavertz

2022

Sleep

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Study objectives To synthesize the literature on the effect of sleep versus wake on the frequency and distress of intrusive memories in everyday life after watching film clips with distressing content as a proxy for traumatic experiences. Methods We conducted a systematic review by searching PubMed and PsychInfo. The last search was conducted on January 31 st 2022. We included experimental studies comparing sleep and wake groups on intrusions using ecological diary methods, whereas studies lacking a wake control condition or relying solely on intrusion-triggering tasks or retrospective questionnaires were excluded. Meta-analyses were performed to evaluate the results. Risks of biases were assessed following the Cochrane guidelines. Results Across 7 effect sizes from 6 independent studies, sleep (n = 192), as compared to wake (n=175), significantly reduced the number of intrusive memories (Hedges’ g = -0.26, p = .04, 95% CI [-0.50, -0.01]), but not the distress associated with them (Hedges’ g = -0.14, p = .25, 95% CI [-0.38, 0.10]). Conclusions Although the results suggest that sleep reduces the number of intrusions, there is a strong need for high-powered pre-registered studies to confirm this effect. Risks of biases in the reviewed work include the selection of the reported results, measurement of the outcome, and failure to adhere to the intervention. Limits with the current meta-analysis include the few number of studies, only including English-language studies, and the fact that it was not pre-registered.

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“…While sleep disturbances are characteristic of PTSD, sleep disturbances present prior to a traumatic event are also related to later PTSD symptoms (Mellman et al, 2002). In fact, sleep disturbances have been proposed as a risk factor and an underlying mechanism of PTSD symptom development (Harvey et al, 2003; van der Heijden et al, 2022), though the role as a risk factor is not well understood. Thus, while it may be a natural interpretation to attribute sleep difficulties as a symptom of PTSD in those who experience childhood maltreatment, prior empirical work suggests that sleep difficulties may also play a causal role in the development of PTSD.…”

Section: The Current Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Utilizing the Hyperarousal Model of Insomnia, childhood maltreatment is linked to increased arousal and sympathetic nervous system activity, leading to poorer sleep health (Riemann et al, 2010). Moreover, poor sleep has been posited as a risk factor for PTSD development (Harvey et al, 2003; van der Heijden et al, 2022). Thus, as it stands, the literature has established individual links between childhood maltreatment, sleep, and PTSD symptoms.…”

Section: The Current Studymentioning

confidence: 99%

Subtypes of childhood maltreatment and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in an adult trauma sample: The mechanistic role of sleep.

Harb,

González-Van Wart,

Brzezinski

et al. 2024

Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy

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Sleep as a window to target traumatic memories

Cited by 11 publications

References 104 publications

Delineating memory reactivation in sleep with verbal and non-verbal retrieval cues

Delineating memory reactivation in sleep with verbal and non-verbal retrieval cues

The effect of sleep on intrusive memories in daily life: a systematic review and meta-analysis of trauma film experiments

Subtypes of childhood maltreatment and posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms in an adult trauma sample: The mechanistic role of sleep.

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