The Role of Slow Wave Sleep in Memory Pathophysiology: Focus on Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

Carletto, Sara; Borsato, Thomas; Pagani, Marco

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.02050

Cited by 13 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 62 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…EMDR, which consists in alternate bilateral stimulations (ABS) while the patient is asked to maintain their attention on traumatic memories, aims at re-elaborating memory from traumatic events in order to lead them to an adaptive resolution (Landin-Romero, Moreno-Alcazar, Pagani, & Amann, 2018 ; Shapiro Francine, 2001 ). The exact physiological mechanism for reaching therapeutic efficiency in EMDR is nonetheless still unknown (Sara Carletto, Borsato, & Pagani, 2017 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Involvement of the cerebellum in EMDR efficiency: a metabolic connectivity PET study in PTSD

Verger

Rousseau

Malbos

et al. 2020

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: We recently reported an improvement of precuneus PET metabolism after EMDR therapy in military participants suffering from PTSD. Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the metabolic changes of precuneus connectivity in these participants after such treatment. Method: Fifteen participants with PTSD performed a brain 18F-FDG-PET sensitized by virtual reality exposure to war scenes, before and after EMDR treatment. Interregional correlation analysis was performed to study metabolic changes of precuneus connectivity through SPMT maps at whole-brain level (p < 0.005 for the voxel, p < 0.05 for the cluster). Results: A decrease of connectivity was observed after EMDR between the precuneus and two significant bilateral clusters of the cerebellum (bilateral Crus I and VI cerebellar lobules, Tmax voxel of 5.8 and 5.3, and cluster size of 343 and 314 voxels, respectively). Moreover, higher cerebellar metabolism before treatment was associated with reduced clinical PTSD scores after EMDR (p = 0.03). Conclusions: The posterior cerebellum and its metabolic connectivity with the precuneus are involved in the clinical efficiency of EMDR in PTSD.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Involvement of the cerebellum in EMDR efficiency: a metabolic connectivity PET study in PTSD

Verger

Rousseau

Malbos

et al. 2020

European Journal of Psychotraumatology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Delta waves are present during slow‐wave sleep and this sleep cycle is understood to play an important role in memory consolidation . The researchers suggest that the cerebellum may be an important anatomical correlate of this theory by highlighting its involvement in associative learning, fear conditioning, sleep‐wake cycle, and modulating behavior . Given these points, the researchers encourage future investigation of the cerebellum and its possible involvement in PTSD and symptom recovery.…”

Section: Theory 3: Emdr Adjusts the Storage Of Traumatic Memoriesmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…After successful therapy, individuals demonstrated significantly reduced activation of the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and primary visual cortex and increased activation of the fusiform and lingual cortex . The authors offered support for the adjusted storage of traumatic memory theory, theorizing that during EMDR, the traumatic memory moves from emotional brain areas (i.e., OFC) to association areas (i.e., fusiform and lingual cortex) where the memory “is integrated and consolidated.” In three recent papers, Pagani, Carletto, and colleagues have proposed that this process is achieved by shifting the brain into a mental state similar to slow‐wave sleep, when the brain is admissible to memory recall and reconsolidation . This hypothesis is based on EEG studies that have reported increased prevalence of delta waves (0.5–4 Hz) during bilateral EMs while patients undergo EMDR .…”

Section: Theory 3: Emdr Adjusts the Storage Of Traumatic Memoriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This hypothesis is based on EEG studies that have reported increased prevalence of delta waves (0.5–4 Hz) during bilateral EMs while patients undergo EMDR . Delta waves are present during slow‐wave sleep and this sleep cycle is understood to play an important role in memory consolidation . The researchers suggest that the cerebellum may be an important anatomical correlate of this theory by highlighting its involvement in associative learning, fear conditioning, sleep‐wake cycle, and modulating behavior .…”

Section: Theory 3: Emdr Adjusts the Storage Of Traumatic Memoriesmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing as a treatment for PTSD: current neurobiological theories and a new hypothesis

Calancie

Khalid‐Khan

Booij

et al. 2018

Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), a form of psychotherapy for individuals with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), has long been a controversial topic, hampered in part by a lack of understanding of the neural mechanisms that contribute to its remedial effect. Here, we review current theories describing EMDR's potential neurobiological mechanisms of action involving working memory, interhemispheric communication, de-arousal, and memory reconsolidation. We then discuss recent studies describing the temporal and spatial aspects of smooth pursuit and predictive saccades, which resemble those made during EMDR, and their neural correlates within the default mode network (DMN) and cerebellum. We hypothesize that if the production of bilateral predictive eye movements is supportive of DMN and cerebellum activation, then therapies that shift the brain towards this state correspondingly would benefit the processes regulated by these structures (i.e., memory retrieval, relaxation, and associative learning), all of which are essential components for PTSD recovery. We propose that the timing of sensory stimulation may be relevant to treatment effect and could be adapted across different patients depending on their baseline saccade metrics. Empirical data in support of this model are reviewed and experimental predictions are discussed.

show abstract

“…It is guided by the adaptive information processing (AIP) model, that posits that stressful events not fully processed and integrated into the already existing memory networks are stored in a dysfunctional way. A distinct characteristic of EMDR therapy is the use of alternating bilateral stimulation (eye movements, tactile, or audio), which appears to produce a physiological effect promoting accelerated reprocessing of dysfunctionally stored information related to the traumatic event (Jeffries and Davis, 2013 ; Carletto et al, 2017 ; Pagani et al, 2017 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

EMDR as Add-On Treatment for Psychiatric and Traumatic Symptoms in Patients with Substance Use Disorder

Carletto

Oliva

Barnato³

et al. 2018

Front. Psychol.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Substance use disorders (SUD) are patterns of substance use leading to severe impairment on social, working and economic levels. In vivo and clinical findings have enhanced the role of the brain's stress-related system in maintaining SUD behaviors. Several studies have also revealed a high prevalence of post-traumatic symptoms among SUD patients, suggesting that a trauma-informed treatment approach could lead to better treatment outcomes. However, only few studies have evaluated the use of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) in SUD without consistent results. The aim of the present pilot study was to assess the efficacy of a combined trauma-focused (TF) and addiction-focused (AF) EMDR intervention in treating post-traumatic and stress-related symptoms of patients with SUD.Methods: Forty patients with different SUD were enrolled in the study. Twenty patients underwent treatment as usual (TAU), the other 20 patients were treated with TAU plus 24 weekly sessions of EMDR. All patients were assessed before and after intervention for several psychological dimensions using specific tools (i.e., BDI-II, DES, IES-R, STAI, and SCL-90-GSI). A repeated measure MANOVA was performed to evaluate both between groups (TAU + EMDR vs. TAU) and within group (pre- vs. post-intervention) effects and interactions. A secondary outcome was the dichotomous variable yielded by the urine drug testing immunoassay (yes/no).Results: The RM-MANOVA revealed both a significant pre–post main effect (p < 0.001), and a significant group-by-time main effect (p < 0.001). Significant improvements on IES-R, DES, and SCL-90-GSI scales were shown in both groups according to time effects (p < 0.05). However, significant greater effects were found for TAU + EMDR group than TAU group. No differences were found between TAU and TAU + EMDR groups in terms of urine drug immunoassay results before and after the interventions.Conclusions: The TAU + EMDR group showed a significant improvement of post-traumatic and dissociative symptoms, accompanied by a reduction in anxiety and overall psychopathology levels, whereas TAU group showed a significant reduction only in post-traumatic symptoms. Although our results can only be considered preliminary, this study suggests that a combined TF- and AF- EMDR protocol is an effective and well-accepted add-on treatment for patients with SUD.

show abstract

The Role of Slow Wave Sleep in Memory Pathophysiology: Focus on Post-traumatic Stress Disorder and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

Cited by 13 publications

References 62 publications

Involvement of the cerebellum in EMDR efficiency: a metabolic connectivity PET study in PTSD

Involvement of the cerebellum in EMDR efficiency: a metabolic connectivity PET study in PTSD

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing as a treatment for PTSD: current neurobiological theories and a new hypothesis

EMDR as Add-On Treatment for Psychiatric and Traumatic Symptoms in Patients with Substance Use Disorder

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About