Sleep disturbances in survivors of the Nazi holocaust

Article Abstract:

Impaired sleep has been called ''the hallmark of posttraumatic stress disorder'' (PTSD), a syndrome characterized by excessive anxiety, nightmares, and sensitivity seen in individuals who have endured unusual stress. One problem with studying the sleep patterns of such victims in the laboratory is that the artificial environment itself places stress on the individual. There has been no formal study of the patterns of sleep and the nature of sleep disturbances in trauma victims in their natural environment. Complicating the study of changes in traumatic stress reactions over many years are new stressors, frequent concurrent substance abuse, and normal changes attributed to aging. Studies of World War II combat veterans and former prisoners of war suggest that most symptoms of PTSD improve with time; however, significant symptoms, especially disturbed sleep and frequent nightmares, have been reported as late as 45 years after the original stressful events. Forty-two survivors of Nazi concentration camps, 37 depressed patients, and 54 healthy subjects of about the same age, all living in the community, described their sleep patterns over the previous month on a self-rating questionnaire that inquired about various aspects of the sleep experience. The survivors had significantly greater sleep impairment than the healthy comparison subjects, but had less impairment than the depressed patients except on subscales that measured sleep disturbance and ability to adequately perform during the day. However, for specific items, survivors had significantly more frequent awakenings due to bad dreams and had less loss of enthusiasm than depressed patients. Sleep disturbances and frequency of nightmares increased with the length of time survivors spent in the camps. These findings suggest that for some Holocaust survivors, impaired sleep and frequent nightmares are considerable problems even 45 years after liberation. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Demographic aspects, Holocaust, Jewish (1939-1945)

---

Sleep disturbance as the hallmark of posttraumatic stress disorder

Article Abstract:

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurs after a traumatic event and is manifested by recurrent nightmares and flashbacks, which are included in its diagnostic criteria. Anxiety dreams are reported more frequently in combat veterans and other PTSD populations. The posttraumatic anxiety dream is thought to be associated with changes in the normal REM (rapid eye movement) sleep mechanisms. It has been hypothesized that REM sleep is involved in the processing and integrating of stressful experiences. A person's psychological state is thought to influence the pressure, or inherent need, to dream. REM sleep alterations and anxiety dreams after stress may be repetitive attempts to reconstitute psychological defenses. It is difficult to study sleep as sleep patterns are often altered in an experimental environment. Many antidepressant drugs have a REM sleep suppressant effect. The drug phenelzine, which has the best documented efficacy in the treatment of PTSD sleep problems, is known to reduce REM sleep profoundly. Further studies of the sleep patterns of PTSD and control subjects are needed to clarify if REM sleep mechanisms are primarily disturbed, or simply effectively aiding adaptation to stress. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Complications and side effects

---

Sleep disturbance in posttraumatic stress disorder: pathogenic or epiphenomenal?

Article Abstract:

An article in the June 1989 issue of 'The American Journal of Psychiatry' by Ross et al associates specific dream disturbances with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which suggests that PTSD is a disorder of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep mechanisms. It has been theorized that the function of REM sleep is one of affective information processing and that dreaming is important for emotional problem solving. After any major stress there is a need for mental and emotional reorganization and reshaping. The researchers found that REM sleep disturbances after stressful events correlate with the level of anxiety and depression experienced by a person. They go on to speculate whether the REM sleep disturbance is involved in the PTSD in a cause or effect manner. More scientific studies on PTSD-related sleep disturbances are needed to clarify this issue. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

editorial

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Risk factors for long-term psychological effects of a disaster experienced in adolescence: predictors of post traumatic stress disorder
• Abstracts: Practitioner review: the assessment and treatment of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder in children and adolescents
• Abstracts: Visual conversion disorder: a case analysis of the influence of visual information. Hypnotic blindness, awareness, and attribution
• Abstracts: Attentional bias in anxiety: selective search or defective filtering? Implicit and explicit memory bias in anxiety

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.