A new PhD position (fixed-term for an initial period of 2 years, 65 % TV-L) is available in our research group at the earliest opportunity. The position will focus on translational research in the field of post-traumatic stress disorder with a particular focus on investigating psychological and psychophysiological mechanisms of action in trauma-focused therapy methods […]
New PhD position in our lab! Read More »
This February, we have a new publication in Translational Psychiatry! “Sleep to remember, sleep to protect: increased sleep spindle and theta activity predict fewer intrusive memories after analogue trauma” explores the role of different EEG parameters in the processing of an analogue trauma and how this might deepen our undestanding of underlying processes in PTSD
New publication in Translational Psychiatry Read More »
Recent evidence shows a strong correlative link between sleep disturbances and intrusive memories after traumatic events, presumably due to insufficient (nocturnal) memory integration. However, the underlying mechanisms of this link and the role of specific neural activities during sleep are poorly understood so far. Here, we investigated how the intra-individual affective response to an experimental
Dr. Mathias Kammerer recently became a funded member of the new Scientific Network for Experimental Psychopathology and Psychotherapy (SNEPP). SNEPP aims to 1) promote a formally organized translational and interdisciplinary exchange between basic and applied psychological subdisciplines to foster (transdiagnostic) EPP research, 2) increase the quality and quantity of research output from German labs at
New Scientific Network for Experimental Psychopathology and Psychotherapy Read More »
Time of day influences a variety of human cognitive processes, including attention, executive functions and memory formation, as well as affective experiences and mood. However, circadian modulations of self-related learning and belief formation, which are highly affected by emotional states, remain poorly understood. Here, we present results from exploratory post-hoc analyses on data aggregated from
Time-of-day related fluctuations of self-belief formation Read More »
Study Objectives High-frequency EEG activity during sleep (cortical hyperarousal), is a transdiagnostic feature across psychiatric disorders, including nightmare disorder. It is discussed as a target of intervention; however, specific treatment options are yet unavailable. We tested whether exposure to relaxation-associated odor cues during sleep would reduce cortical hyperarousal, i.e. beta (16.25 – 31 Hz), gamma
Insomnia and nightmares are present in up to 45 % of individuals with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and can contribute to challenges with emotion regulation, low sleep quality, dream anxiety, increased arousal and self-control. Despite their prevalence, nightmares are usually not addressed in classical BPD treatment. Imagery rehearsal therapy (IRT) is considered first in line
Background: There is a great need for feasible interventions in the initial period after a trauma that minimize the risk of developing a clinically relevant PTSD. The majority of people suffer from severe sleep disorders after a traumatic event. Because sleep is essential for processing emotional memories, we aim to improve sleep quality in acutely
Nightmares are common among the general population and psychiatric patients and have been associated with signs of nocturnal arousal such as increased heart rate or increased high-frequency electroencephalographic (EEG) activity. However, it is still unclear, whether these characteristics are more of a trait occurring in people with frequent nightmares or rather indicators of the nightmare
Cortical hyperarousal in individuals with frequent nightmares Read More »
Aversive autobiographical memories play a key role in the development and maintenance of many mental disorders. Imagery rescripting is a well-established psychotherapeutic intervention aiming to create a more adaptive version of an aversive memory by modifying its interpretation. Sleep has been shown to support reconsolidation of updated neutral memories. Here, we investigated in healthy participants
Sleep’s role in updating aversive autobiographical memories Read More »
