Mental Imagery and Targeted Memory Reactivation in PTSD

NCT ID: NCT05933109

Last Updated: 2023-07-11

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: UNKNOWN
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 60 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2023-03-01
• Study Completion Date: 2025-03-01

Brief Summary

With this protocol, investigators examine whether targeted memory reactivation (TMR), a technique used to strengthen memories, can accelerate remission of traumatic nightmares and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology. This protocol uses TMR during REM sleep to strengthen positive memories generated by Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT), a recommended treatment of nightmares. Patients with PTSD are asked to perform 3 weekly IRT sessions and, while they generate a positive outcome of their recurrent nightmare, half of the patients are exposed to a sound S1 (TMR group), while the other half is not exposed to this sound (control group). All patients will perform IRT every evening at home and will be exposed to the sound S1 during REM sleep with a wireless headband, which automatically detects sleep stages. Clinical evaluation of the severity of PTSD and nightmares before and after (1-month follow-up and 3-months follow-up) this intervention takes place using the validated Clinically Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5, primary outcome measure). The investigators hypothesize that patients treated with IRT and who are exposed, during REM sleep to a sound that had previously been associated with the new positive dream scenario of IRT (TMR group), will have more reduced frequency of PTSD severity and nightmares compared to participants with stimulation of the same, but non-associated, sound during REM sleep (control group).

Conditions

Nightmares, REM-Sleep Type; PTSD

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

TMR group

Patients will receive a sound S1 while they generate a positive outcome of imagery rehearsal therapy (IRT). They will also receive the sound S1 during REM sleep.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Imagery Rehearsal Therapy and Targeted memory reactivation during REM sleep

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Emerging evidence shows that REM sleep plays a causal role in extinction learning, emotion regulation and consolidation of emotionally positive memories. By using targeted memory reactivation (TMR), a known method where a sound S1 is associated with a waking experience (i.e., a positive outcome of imagery rehearsal therapy in this study) and strengthening it during REM sleep, the investigators want to accelerate the remission of traumatic nightmares and PTSD symptomatology.

Control group

Patients will not receive the sound S1 while they generate a positive outcome of imagery rehearsal therapy (IRT). During REM sleep, they will receive the same sound as the experimental group (S1) under the same conditions.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Imagery Rehearsal Therapy

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

These patients will receive the classic treatment of Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT) for nightmares without association with the sound S1.

Interventions

Imagery Rehearsal Therapy and Targeted memory reactivation during REM sleep

Emerging evidence shows that REM sleep plays a causal role in extinction learning, emotion regulation and consolidation of emotionally positive memories. By using targeted memory reactivation (TMR), a known method where a sound S1 is associated with a waking experience (i.e., a positive outcome of imagery rehearsal therapy in this study) and strengthening it during REM sleep, the investigators want to accelerate the remission of traumatic nightmares and PTSD symptomatology.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Imagery Rehearsal Therapy

These patients will receive the classic treatment of Imagery Rehearsal Therapy (IRT) for nightmares without association with the sound S1.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• with untreated persistent PTSD according to DSM-5 (> 1 month), suffering from chronic nightmares
• with no active specific treatment for PTSD

Exclusion Criteria

• patients with active specific treatment for PTSD
• patients with neurological disorders

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 60 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

University Hospital, Geneva

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Lampros Perogamvros

Attending Physician

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

Center for Sleep Medicine

Geneva, , Switzerland

Site Status: RECRUITING

Countries

Switzerland

Central Contacts

Lampros Perogamvros

Role: CONTACT

lampros.perogamvros@hcuge.ch

+41223729952

Facility Contacts

Lampros Perogamvros

Role: primary

Other Identifiers

2019-02270_TR

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id