Research SquareOctober 14, 2026Océane Lüthi, Vincent Rochas, Audrey Theux et al.
preprint
Abstract Post-traumatic stress disorder is frequently associated with post-traumatic nightmares, which may be related to cortical hyperarousal. Imagery Rehearsal Therapy is the first-line treatment for nightmares. Targeted Memory Reactivation, which reactivates specific memories during sleep to enhance memory consolidation, has been shown to enhance the effects of Imagery Rehearsal Therapy in...
According to some theories of emotion regulation, dreams could modify negative emotions and ultimately reduce their intensity. We introduce here the idea of cathartic dream, a specific and separate type of emotional dream, which is characterized by a dynamic plot with emotional twists, and where negative emotions are expressed and ultimately decreased. This process would reflect psychological...
Summary: Functional dissociations in the brain observed during non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep have been associated with reduced information integration and impaired consciousness that accompany increasing sleep depth. Here, we explored the dynamical properties of large-scale functional brain networks derived from transient brain activity using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Spatial...
Nightmares are characterized by the experience of strong negative emotions occurring mainly during REM sleep. Some people suffer from nightmare disorder, which is defined by the repeated occurrence of nightmares and by significant distress in wakefulness. Yet, whether frequent nightmares relate to a general increase in emotional reactivity or arousal during sleep remains unclear. To address...
Vincent Rochas, Kevin Mammeri, Laurence Bayer et al.
preprint
Previous studies on the neural correlates of dreaming using high-density EEG (hdEEG) and the serial awakening paradigm have identified posterior brain regions related to dreaming, with maximal activity over occipital areas. Based on these results, we have hypothesized that neural activity during dreaming is mainly driven by sensory experiences (e.g., vision, audition), which predominate our...