The reexperiencing of a traumatic event in the form of repetitive
dreams, memories, or flashbacks is one of the cardinal manifestations of
posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The dream disturbance associated with
PTSD may be relatively specific for this disorder, and dysfunctional REM
sleep mechanisms may be involved in the pathogenesis of the posttraumatic
anxiety dream. Furthermore, the results of neurophysiological studies in
animals suggest that CNS processes generating REM sleep may participate in
the control of the classical startle response, which may be akin to the
startle behavior commonly described in PTSD patients. Speculating that PTSD
may be fundamentally a disorder of REM sleep mechanisms, the authors
suggest several strategies for future research.Abstract Teaser