Comparison of autonomic reactivity to trauma and nightmare imagery: A Pilot Study
Christopher M. McGrory, Augustus Kram Mendelsohn, Suzanne L. Pineles, Natasha B. Lasko, Vladimir Ivković, Mabelle Moon, Doga Cetinkaya, Oren Bazer, Elizabeth Fortier, Anne M. Kelly, Laura B. Bragdon, Kimberly A. Arditte Hall, Kaloyan S. Tanev, Scott P. Orr, Edward F Pace-Schott
SLEEP Advances January 1, 2024 DOI: 10.1093/sleepadvances/zpae060 (opens in new tab) via OpenAlex
Summary
AI-generated from the abstractTrauma-related nightmares (TRNs) elicit psychophysiological responses similar to those triggered by recalling the original traumatic event. In a pilot study of 17 trauma-exposed participants with clinical or sub-clinical PTSD who reported frequent TRNs, heart rate, skin conductance, and facial muscle activity did not differ significantly between recollections of the index trauma and the most trauma-like nightmare. Bayesian analyses supported the null hypothesis of no difference. Emotional ratings were also largely equivalent, except that sadness was lower for nightmare recollections. These findings suggest TRNs might be as effective a target as the trauma memory itself for imaginal exposure therapy, pending replication.
Study at a glance
| Characteristics | Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 17 |
| Population | Trauma-exposed participants with clinical or sub-clinical PTSD who reported frequent trauma-related nightmares |
| Topics | Dreaming |
| Keywords | Arousal Recall Reactivity psychology Salience neuroscience |
| Citations | 2 |
| Key finding | Trauma-related nightmare content elicited psychophysiological reactivity similar to that of the index traumatic event. |
Abstract
Study Objectives: Trauma-related nightmares (TRNs) are a hallmark symptom of PTSD and are highly correlated with PTSD severity and poor sleep quality. Given the salience and arousal associated with TRNs, they might be an effective target for imaginal exposures during Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy. As a first step in this line of research, the current study compared participants' emotional reactivity during recollection of TRNs to their recollection of the index traumatic event. Methods: Seventeen trauma-exposed participants with clinical or sub-clinical PTSD who reported frequent TRNs engaged in script-driven imagery using scripts depicting their index trauma and their most trauma-like TRN. Heart rate (HRR), skin conductance (SCR), corrugator EMG (EMGR) responses, and emotional ratings were recorded. Results: HRR, SCR, and EMGR did not differ significantly between trauma-related and TRN scripts. Bayesian analyses confirmed support for the null hypothesis, indicating no differences. With the exception of "Sadness," for which TRNs elicited significantly lower ratings than trauma scripts, individual emotion ratings showed no significant differences, suggesting likely parity between the emotionality of trauma-related and TRN recollections. Conclusions: Together, TRN content elicited psychophysiological reactivity similar to that of the index trauma in this pilot study. Upon replication, studies testing TRNs as potential targets for imaginal exposures during PE may be warranted.