Cardiovascular and psychological responses to voluntary recall of trauma in posttraumatic stress disorder.
Chia-Ying Chou, Roberto La Marca, Andrew Steptoe, Chris R Brewin
European Journal of Psychotraumatology June 4, 2018 DOI: 10.1080/20008198.2018.1472988 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Individuals with PTSD |
| Topics | PTSD |
| Keywords | Heart rate variability Memory recall Flashbacks Depersonalisation/derealisation |
| Key findings | Parasympathetic activity increased significantly during voluntary trauma recall, and greater parasympathetic dominance indicated greater state depersonalisation/derealisation. Overall heart rate decreases during recall were associated with increased fear and perceived threat, whereas flashbacks were accompanied by short-term heart rate increases. The authors conclude that different types of cardiovascular response accompany different psychological experiences during trauma recall. |
Abstract
Voluntary recall of trauma is a key element in exposure-based psychotherapies and can trigger spontaneous dissociative responses such as flashbacks, depersonalisation, and derealisation. In order to examine the associations between cardiovascular and psychological responses to voluntary recollection of trauma, individuals with PTSD recalled a traumatic memory. Heart rate and heart rate variability were recorded continuously and the episodes when different forms of dissociation were experienced during the recall were identified. A significant increase in parasympathetic activity was found during trauma recall, with greater parasympathetic dominance being indicative of greater state depersonalisation/derealisation. Whereas overall decreases in heart rate during trauma recall were associated with increased fear and perceived threat, flashbacks were accompanied by short-term increases in heart rate. These findings demonstrate different types of cardiovascular responses associated with different psychological experiences during trauma recall. Future research directions were discussed.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on PTSD, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy Using Low Doses in a Small Sample of Women with Chronic Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Women with chronic PTSD secondary to sexual assault | 2008 | Observational cohort | n = 6 |
| An Ambulatory Polysomnography Study of the Post-traumatic Nightmares of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Treatment-seeking veterans, current serving military members, and emergency service... | 2017 | Observational study using ambulatory polysomnography | n = 35 |
| Increased Mastery Elements Associated With Imagery Rehearsal Treatment for Nightmares in Sexual Assault Survivors With PTSD. Female sexual assault survivors with chronic nightmares | 2004 | Observational cohort | n = 44 |
| Posttraumatic stress symptoms following near-death experiences. Persons who report near-death experiences and those who came close to death without NDEs | 2001 | Observational study | |
| Impact of oral ketamine augmentation on hospital admissions in treatment-resistant depression and PTSD: a retrospective study. Outpatients with treatment-resistant depression and PTSD | 2018 | Retrospective review | n = 37 |
Citations in the library
Cites 2
- Measurement of dissociative states with the Clinician‐Administered Dissociative States Scale (CADSS) Journal of Traumatic Stress 1998
- Trauma-related dissociation and altered states of consciousness: a call for clinical, treatment, and neuroscience research European Journal of Psychotraumatology May 19, 2015