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Fig. 2 | Biology of Mood & Anxiety Disorders

Fig. 2

From: Sleep and REM sleep disturbance in the pathophysiology of PTSD: the role of extinction memory

Fig. 2

Possible pathway whereby sleep disruption accompanying acute response to trauma can lead to PTSD. In vulnerable individuals, acute post-traumatic insomnia can become chronic and disrupt processes of sleep-dependent emotional memory consolidation, thereby contributing to the etiology of PTSD. Chronic sleep disruption can subsequently perpetuate PTSD symptoms by continued interference with normal processing of emotional memories as well as impaired consolidation of therapeutic extinction memories if exposure therapy has been initiated. Stars indicate possible strategic points for sleep interventions to prevent PTSD onset or enhance exposure-based treatment

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