Clinical trial NCT05933109: Mental Imagery and Targeted Memory Reactivation in PTSD
Official title: Augmentation of Imagery Rehearsal Therapy With Targeted Memory Reactivation for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: RECRUITING
Phase: NA
Conditions: Nightmares, REM-Sleep Type
PTSD
Lead sponsor: University Hospital, Geneva
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2023-07-06
Enrollment: 60
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 60
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Primary purpose: TREATMENT

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).


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

Primary outcomes:
measure: Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5
timeFrame: 1 month
measure: Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5
timeFrame: 3 months
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Nightmare Frequency
timeFrame: 1 month
measure: Nightmare Frequency
timeFrame: 3 months
measure: Nightmare Distress Questionnaire
timeFrame: 1 month
measure: Nightmare Distress Questionnaire
timeFrame: 3 months
measure: Positive emotions in dreams
timeFrame: 1 month
measure: Positive emotions in dreams
timeFrame: 3 months
measure: PTSD Checklist for DSM5
timeFrame: 1 month
measure: PTSD Checklist for DSM5
timeFrame: 3 months
measure: Beck Depression Inventory
timeFrame: 1 month
measure: Beck Depression Inventory
timeFrame: 3 months
measure: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index
timeFrame: 1 month
measure: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index
timeFrame: 3 months
Other outcomes:
measure: Sleep efficiency
timeFrame: 1 month
measure: REM arousal index
timeFrame: 1 month
measure: Arousal index
timeFrame: 1 month
Locations:
city: Geneva
country: Switzerland
facility: Center for Sleep Medicine
Study officials:
References: