Traumatic Memories Research Articles

Memory, trauma, and self: Remembering and recovering from sexual abuse in psychedelic-assisted therapy

AbstractBackground and AimsThis article examines the therapeutic potential of psilocybin in addressing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as the result of sexual abuse. PTSD is a prevalent form of mental distress resistant to most conventional treatment methods.MethodsThrough an in-depth analysis of the narratives of two individuals with longstanding, treatment-resistant mental health conditions, who participated in a weeklong group-based psychedelic retreat involving psilocybin, the study unveils the intricate interplay between psychedelic-assisted therapy, memory, and narrative in the healing process.ResultsThe research findings suggest that beyond the commonly acknowledged therapeutic effects of psychedelic drugs, psilocybin can facilitate the retrieval of repressed or forgotten traumatic memories, allowing for conscious awareness, recognition, and reconciliation. A noteworthy aspect of the healing progression observed is the re-narration of one's identity and biographical circumstances following the recovery of unresolved traumatic memories.ConclusionsThis study underscores the importance of memory and self-narrative in the therapeutic landscape of psychedelic-assisted therapy for trauma. The article concludes by advocating for continued exploration in future research regarding the complex dynamics of memory and self-narrative in the healing journey within psychedelic science and trauma studies.

Emotion, memory and storytelling: postmemorial emotion work in Vietnamese American graphic narratives

The article demonstrates how graphic narratives become a medium for managing inherited emotions in Vietnamese American second-generation works, GB Tran’s Vietnamerica and Thi Bui’s The Best We Could Do. Highlighting the intergenerational transmission of emotions in Vietnamese American families through parental stories about the Vietnam War, the article argues that the authors’ attempts to represent these family stories transform graphic literature into a medium for postmemorial emotion work. While drawing theoretical insights from the sociology of emotions, the study employs textual analysis to thematically close read Vietnamerica and The Best We Could Do to understand the graphic strategies that aid emotion work. The graphic recreation of stories, which are narrativised versions of their inherited trauma memories, can offer potential trauma resolution and autobiographical clarity while fostering communal bonding. The analysis finds that in the works, emotion work is facilitated by various literary strategies, such as affective genealogies, affective geographies, affective pasts, and postmemorial re-embodiment. In a broader sense, the study concludes that graphic narrative strategies can aid in postmemorial emotion work for second-generation refugees grappling with inherited trauma, incoherent autobiographical knowledge, and detachment from the community or family.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a sample of patients evaluated for acute coronary syndrome: A factor analysis of the PTSD checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5)

The PCL-5 is a psychometrically sound measure of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Although the scale is commonly applied to past external traumas (e.g., combat, assault), PTSD symptoms have also been assessed about potentially life-threatening cardiovascular events that represent ongoing internal threats. To date, there is a paucity of studies that have examined the updated scale factor structure for PTSD in patients with suspected acute coronary syndromes (ACS). MethodsExploratory and confirmatory factor analyses (EFA, CFA) were conducted using PCL-5 data completed by 830 patients enrolled in the REactions to Acute Care and Hospitalization (REACH) study, an observational cohort study of patients recruited from the emergency department during evaluation for ACS. Follow-up measurement invariance tests were conducted on pre-selected models and on the best-fitting model identified by EFA to evaluate invariance across diagnosis (confirmed v. rule-out ACS), sex, and language. ResultsThe EFA identified a two-factor model with “Memories of Trauma” (MT) and “Cognitive Behavioral Symptoms” (CBS) factors offering a balanced fit and interpretability. In CFAs, the Anhedonia CFA model performed the best overall. Measurement invariance tests supported strong invariance across confirmed and ruled-out ACS, male and female sex, and English and Spanish language for all models. LimitationsOnly 34 % of the sample was diagnosed with ACS at discharge, which limits generalizability. ConclusionOur study contributes to the understanding of PTSD in the context of internal traumatic reminders and may guide future research and clinical practice by informing intervention targets to improve health and well-being after suspected ACS.

Thwarting the Tyranny of Fathers: Women in Nicole Krauss’s Great House and the Creative Transmission of Traumatic Memory

With Great House (2010), Nicole Krauss offers a choral novel that interweaves the lives of several characters loosely connected by a huge, wooden desk that one of them relentlessly chases around the world. A possible symbol of the memory of the Second World War Jewish genocide transmitted to younger generations, the desk powerfully materializes transmission in its potentially traumatic, obsessional, and violent dimensions. This essay deals with the way first- and second-generation women, in the novel, develop ingenious, creative but also uncompromising responses to the inescapable duty of remembrance. While the dominating male characters freeze memory in timeless, petrified representations, these female writers expose its terrible necessity while hiding nothing of the damages memory causes to witnesses and descendants. They claim a right of inventory and use the desk as an echo-chamber reflecting both the suffering voices of children and the dark presence of defaulting fathers and failing mothers, thus allowing for a new generation to be born with a more bearable heritage.

Why reliving is not remembering and the unique neurobiological representation of traumatic memory

Why reliving is not remembering and the unique neurobiological representation of traumatic memory

La thérapie des schémas est-elle pertinente pour une population adulte souffrant de TSPT et de TSPT-complexe ? Une revue de littérature systématique qualitative

ContextSchema therapy (ST) involves two core concepts: early maladaptive schemas and modes. Early maladaptive schemas play a key role in the development and maintenance of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), while observed modes reflect the internalized relationships of the traumatized individual. Given this context, how might ST be an interesting psychotherapeutic approach for a population suffering from PTSD or complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD)? ObjectivesConsidering the impact of trauma and/or adversity on the subject's psychological development, ST could be relevant for a population suffering from PTSD or CPTSD. This study aims to explore the effectiveness of ST in treating an adult population suffering from PTSD or CPTSD, through a review of qualitative literature. MethodsFollowing the PRISMA guidelines, articles were searched from December 2023 to May 2024 on PubMed, Google Scholar, PsycInfo, and the Cochrane Library, with specific eligibility criteria: studies on ST, adult population with PTSD or CPTSD, with no publication year limit. Data extraction considered the studied pathology (PTSD or CPTSD), research methodology, therapeutic setting (group/individual), measurement tools, and therapy effects. ResultsNumerous studies explore the early maladaptive schemas of traumatized individuals, while others observe the effectiveness of ST in various clinical populations. However, few studies focus specifically on PTSD or CPTSD. The research process, summarized in a flow diagram, identified 989 articles, of which twelve were selected and analyzed, involving for 302 participants. Given the predominantly qualitative nature of the studies, a qualitative synthesis was deemed appropriate. Researchers’ chosen diagnoses varied according to the nosographic reference (DSM-5 for PTSD, ICD-11 for CPTSD). ST was found to reduce post-traumatic symptoms but also impacts overall psychiatric symptoms, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, and the severity of substance and/or alcohol addiction. Improvements were observed in overall functioning, emotional regulation, interpersonal relationships, socio-professional life, quality of life, and self-esteem. ST is found to be relevant when exposure therapy was ineffective for trauma treatment. Research methodologies varyQuantitative studies demonstrated ST's effectiveness, while case studies explore the process of change at work in therapy and ST's efficacy. Some biases were noted, particularly in session transcription practices, the small number of comparison groups, and the absence of independent evaluations. Psychotherapeutic interventions included individual and/or group-based approaches, utilizing cognitive, behavioral, and experiential tools, including imagery rescripting or chair work. Only one study adapted its group therapy content to the three-phase approach recommended in psychotraumatology. As an integrative approach, some researchers innovatively combined ST with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) to address traumatic and addiction memories or with psychoanalysis to work on dreams through imagery rescripting. DiscussionSeveral discussion points were explored. Contemporary psychotraumatology and its theoretical foundations, particularly the concepts of dissociation and integration, could enrich ST work for the studied population. Studying common factors, particularly the therapeutic alliance, would further illuminate the psychotherapeutic process, given ST's emphasis on the therapeutic relationship and attachment. Group therapy seems to reawaken previous family issues, with emotional regulation strategies implemented within the group. Examining group cohesion quality would clarify individual and group psychotherapeutic progress. Finally, contextual ST, integrating acceptance and commitment therapy principles, remains an unexplored avenue with this population. ConclusionTo bridge the gap between research and practice, action research in ST, combining individual and group therapy for CPTSD patients, would enhance understanding of the mechanisms of change within this therapeutic model.

Beyond Repressed Memory: Current Alternative Solutions to the Controversy.

Debates surrounding the origin of recovered memories of child abuse have traditionally focused on two conflicting arguments, namely that these memories are either false memories or instances of repressed memories (i.e., reflecting the idea that people can unconsciously block traumatic autobiographical experiences and eventually regain access). While scientific evidence for the first is clearly established, the second is the subject of a controversy in the academic, clinical, and legal fields. This controversy rages on today. In this introductory article to our topic "Beyond Repressed Memory: Current Alternative Solutions to the Controversy," we present alternative and more parsimonious explanations for repressed memories that we sorted into three categories: cognitive, motivational, and biological factors. Our aim is to provide a timely overview to help clinical and legal professionals, academics, and the general public to move beyond the idea that traumatic memories can be unconsciously repressed.

Stimulation of an entorhinal-hippocampal extinction circuit facilitates fear extinction in a post-traumatic stress disorder model.

Effective psychotherapy of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remains challenging due to the fragile nature of fear extinction, for which ventral hippocampal CA1 (vCA1) region is considered as a central hub. However, neither the core pathway nor the cellular mechanisms involved in implementing extinction are known. Here, we unveil a direct pathway, where layer 2a fan cells in the lateral entorhinal cortex (LEC) target parvalbumin-expressing interneurons (PV-INs) in the vCA1 region to propel low gamma-band synchronization of the LEC-vCA1 activity during extinction learning. Bidirectional manipulations of either hippocampal PV-INs or LEC fan cells sufficed fear extinction. Gamma entrainment of vCA1 by deep brain stimulation (DBS) or noninvasive transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) of LEC persistently enhanced the PV-IN activity in vCA1, thereby promoting fear extinction. These results demonstrate that the LEC-vCA1 pathway forms a top-down motif to empower low gamma-band oscillations that facilitate fear extinction. Finally, application of low gamma DBS and tACS to a mouse model with persistent PTSD showed potent efficacy, suggesting that the dedicated LEC-vCA1 pathway can be stimulated for therapy to remove traumatic memory trace.

A guided single session intervention to reduce intrusive memories of work-related trauma: a randomised controlled trial with healthcare workers in the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract Background Intrusive memories of psychologically traumatic events bring distress both sub-clinically and clinically. This parallel-group, two-arm randomised controlled trial evaluated the effect of a brief behavioural intervention on reducing intrusive memories in frontline healthcare workers exposed to traumatic events during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Participants with at least two intrusive memories of work-related trauma in the week before recruitment were randomised 1:1 to an imagery-competing task intervention (n = 73) or attention-based control task (n = 71). The number of intrusive memories was assessed at baseline and 5 weeks after the guided session (primary endpoint). Results The intervention significantly reduced intrusive memory frequency compared with control [intervention Mdn = 1.0 (IQR = 0–3), control Mdn = 5.0 (IQR = 1–17); p < 0.0001, IRR = 0.30; 95% CI = 0.17–0.53] and led to fewer post-traumatic stress-related symptoms at 1, 3 and 6 month follow-ups (secondary endpoints). Participants and statisticians were blinded to allocation. Adverse events data were acquired throughout the trial, demonstrating safety. There was high adherence and low attrition. Conclusions This brief, single-symptom, repeatable digital intervention for subclinical-to-clinical samples after trauma allows scalability, taking a preventing-to-treating approach after trauma. Trial registration 2020–07-06, ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04460014.

Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART) for the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder in adults: A systematic review

Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), developed in 2008, uses techniques such as rapid eye movement, in vivo exposure, and image rescripting to recondition stressful memories, and reduce physical and emotional reactions to traumatic memories. There is considerable interest in evidence-based treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This is the first systematic review examining the efficacy of ART for the treatment of PTSD among adults. We searched MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, trial registries, and government and private websites for citations published before October 2023. Studies that reported on the effect of ART for PTSD among adults were included. Meta-analyses could not be undertaken due to heterogeneity in study designs and an insufficient number of studies with a low risk of bias. Risk of bias was assessed, and findings synthesized following the synthesis without meta-analysis (SWiM) guidelines. Of the 112 records screened, five studies (Nenrolled = 337; Ncompleted = 250) and six reports of studies met criteria for inclusion. Included studies reported a significant reduction in symptoms of PTSD from pre- to post-intervention, d = 1.12 to 3.28. Significant reductions were also reported in symptoms of depression, mental distress, anxiety, and sleep dysfunction. ART shows some promise as a time-efficient clinical treatment for symptoms of PTSD in adults; however, more high-quality studies are needed.

PDE4B Missense Variant Increases Susceptibility to Post-traumatic Stress Disorder-Relevant Phenotypes in Mice.

Large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have associated intronic variants in PDE4B, encoding cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase-4B (PDE4B), with increased risk for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as schizophrenia and substance use disorders that are often comorbid with it. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms of genetic risk involving PDE4B are poorly understood. To examine the effects of PDE4B variation on phenotypes with translational relevance to psychiatric disorders, we focused on PDE4B missense variant M220T, which is present in the human genome as rare coding variant rs775201287. When expressed in HEK-293 cells, PDE4B1-M220T exhibited an attenuated response to a forskolin-elicited increase in the intracellular cAMP concentration. In behavioral tests, homozygous Pde4b M220T male mice with a C57BL/6JJcl background exhibited increased reactivity to novel environments, startle hyperreactivity, prepulse inhibition deficits, altered cued fear conditioning, and enhanced spatial memory, accompanied by an increase in cAMP signaling pathway-regulated expression of BDNF in the hippocampus. In response to a traumatic event (10 tone-shock pairings), neuronal activity was decreased in the cortex but enhanced in the amygdala and hippocampus of Pde4b M220T mice. At 24 h post-trauma, Pde4b M220T mice exhibited increased startle hyperreactivity and decreased plasma corticosterone levels, similar to phenotypes exhibited by PTSD patients. Trauma-exposed Pde4b M220T mice also exhibited a slower decay in freezing at 15 and 30 d post-trauma, demonstrating enhanced persistence of traumatic memories, similar to that exhibited by PTSD patients. These findings provide substantive mouse model evidence linking PDE4B variation to PTSD-relevant phenotypes and thus highlight how genetic variation of PDE4B may contribute to PTSD risk.

Влияние травматических переживаний на психологическую безопасность личности обучающихся в контексте террористической угрозы

<p>The article presents the results of a study of the impact of traumatic experiences on the psychological safety of the personality of students. The subjects were 70 students (21 boys and 49 girls) of the college of the Belgorod region. The study revealed that students who have experienced traumatic events are most often associated with the experience of being in a war zone and the death of a loved one. Criteria C (avoidance of stimuli), D (increasing arousal), and B (repetitive reproduction of a traumatic event) were among the most pronounced criteria for traumatic experiences among students. Girls are more susceptible to the negative effects of stress than boys. The results of the correlation analysis confirmed the hypothesis that traumatic experiences violate the psychological security of a person, including all its structural components: moral and volitional regulation (normativity), strategies for coping with stressful situations, value-semantic factor and post-traumatic growth. The psychological safety of girls is most strongly influenced by the symptom of impaired functioning of important areas of life (criterion F), and boys are influenced by recurring memories of trauma (criterion B), constant increasing arousal (criterion D) and immediate response to a traumatic event (criterion A).</p>

Unveiling citicoline's mechanisms and clinical relevance in the treatment of neuroinflammatory disorders.

Citicoline, a compound produced naturally in small amounts in the human body, assumes a pivotal role in phosphatidylcholine synthesis, a dynamic constituent of membranes of neurons. Across diverse models of brain injury and neurodegeneration, citicoline has demonstrated its potential through neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects. This review aims to elucidate citicoline's anti-inflammatory mechanism and its clinical implications in conditions such as ischemic stroke, head trauma, glaucoma, and age-associated memory impairment. Citicoline's anti-inflammatory prowess is rooted in its ability to stabilize cellular membranes, thereby curbing the excessive release of glutamate-a pro-inflammatory neurotransmitter. Moreover, it actively diminishes free radicals and inflammatory cytokines productions, which could otherwise harm neurons and incite neuroinflammation. It also exhibits the potential to modulate microglia activity, the brain's resident immune cells, and hinder the activation of NF-κB, a transcription factor governing inflammatory genes. Clinical trials have subjected citicoline to rigorous scrutiny in patients grappling with acute ischemic stroke, head trauma, glaucoma, and age-related memory impairment. While findings from these trials are mixed, numerous studies suggest that citicoline could confer improvements in neurological function, disability reduction, expedited recovery, and cognitive decline prevention within these cohorts. Additionally, citicoline boasts a favorable safety profile and high tolerability. In summary, citicoline stands as a promising agent, wielding both neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory potential across a spectrum of neurological conditions. However, further research is imperative to delineate the optimal dosage, treatment duration, and underlying mechanisms. Moreover, identifying specific patient subgroups most likely to reap the benefits of citicoline as a new therapy remains a critical avenue for exploration.

Factors influencing quality of processing in EMDR therapy.

This study presents a preliminary analysis of a new instrument oriented at the analysis of processes in EMDR trauma therapy, the Processing Difficulties Scale (PDS). This scale includes 17 items described by experienced EMDR consultants and practitioners as indicative of problems during memory reprocessing. The proposed factorial solution based on four factors explains a total variance explained of 55% and an adequate goodness of fit, based on the proposed indices: RMSEA = 0.07; TLI = 0.91; CFI = 0.95. Table 1 shows the factorial loads for each of the items. The first factor includes 5 items (7, 8, 9, 10, 11), the second factor includes 6 items (13, 14, 25, 27, 28, 31), the third factor includes 3 items (3, 16, 22) and the fourth factor includes 3 items (19, 23, 24). Confirmatory analysis confirms the factorial solution proposed in the exploratory analysis factor and based on four factors with 17 items. The analysis of internal consistency from Cronbach's alpha and the Omega index shows good internal consistency: Factor 1 (good processing; α = 0.92; ω = 0.94), Factor 2 (lack of generalization and/or absence of changes; α = 0.87; ω = 0.90), Factor 3 (poor emotional processing; α = 0.83; ω = 0.85) an Factor 4 (loss of dual attention; α = 0.82; ω = 0.83). In the case of the total scale, both coefficients exceeded 0.90, with an alpha of 0.92 and an Omega of 0.94. The convergent and discriminant validity criteria were estimated by calculating correlations, exploring the relationship between the factors resulting from the final result, the global severity index (GSI) of the SCL-90 and the level of improvement (NGS). These statistical analyses showed good levels of convergent and discriminant validity for all final factors. The PDS may offer a different perspective to analyze the controversy between clinicians and researchers about the need of a preparation phase in patients with complex early traumatization, dissociative symptoms and/or emotion dysregulation, and the different results in specific research around this topic. Exploring the problems in processing in a transdiagnostic way, in a preliminary analysis, we found that the number of early traumatic events measured with the ACE correlates positively with indicators of a loss of dual attention, while emotional dysregulation measured with the DERS does not predict poor processing. Finally, the dissociation measured with the DES seems to correlate positively with the indicators of a loss of dual attention during processing, not seeming to predict poor processing but did show a negative correlation with the indicators of good general processing. These results partially support the findings of some authors on the involvement of certain variables in the processing of traumatic memories, and it may be interesting to evaluate processing styles and their relationship with various indicators, to develop specific interventions in phase 2 of EMDR therapy, thus improving clinical interventions.

Effect of Motor Interference Therapy on Distress Related to Traumatic Memories: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Controlled Feasibility Trial.

Traumatic memories (TM) are a core feature of stress-related disorders, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Treatment is often difficult, and specific pharmacological interventions are lacking. We present a novel non-pharmacological intervention called motor interference therapy (MIT) as a promising alternative for these symptoms. To determine the feasibility of MIT, a brief, audio-delivered, and non-pharmacological intervention that uses cognitive and motor tasks to treat TM. We designed a randomized, double-blind trial. Twenty-eight participants from an outpatient clinic with at least one TM were included to receive either MIT or progressive muscle relaxation (PMR). Spanish versions of the PTSD symptom severity scale (EGS), visual analog scale for TM (TM-VAS), and quality of life (EQ-VAS) were applied prior to intervention, 1 week, and 1 month following intervention. Mean scores on all measures improved from baseline to posttest for both groups. MIT participants showed significantly more positive scores at 1 week and 1 month (TM-VAS baseline: 9.8±0.4; immediate: 6.0±2.0; 1 week: 3.8±3.1 [d=1.57]; 1 month 2.9±2.8 [d=1.93]) than PMR participants on measures of distress due to TM, trauma re-experiencing, anxiety, and a composite measure of PTSD. MIT is a simple, effective, and easy-to-use tool for treating TM and other stress-related symptoms. It requires relatively few resources and could be adapted to many contexts. The results provide proof-of-principle support for conducting future research with larger cohorts and controls to improve clinical effectiveness and research on brief interventions. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03627078.

Valenced dual tasking in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder.

Dual-tasking studies show that emotionality and vividness of aversive memory decrease by engaging in a working memory task and simultaneous recall of that memory. Adding positive valence to a dual task might be a promising innovation in the amelioration of lab-induced memory. However, studies aiming to translate these findings into autobiographical memory of a posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) population find conflicting results or show methodological flaws. The current study assesses the benefit of adding positive valence to a dual-tasking procedure in PTSD patients. In a cross-over design PTSD patients (N = 33) recalled their traumatic memory and received the following three conditions in randomized order: rating positive pictures + exposure, rating neutral pictures + exposure, and exposure only. Each of the three conditions consisted of four sets of 1 min. In the first cycle, participants were exposed to each condition in a randomized order, which was then repeated in a second cycle. Before and after each condition, emotionality and vividness were rated on a visual analog scale (VAS), resulting in seven measurement timepoints in total. Firstly, repeated measures ANOVAs showed a time effect: memories were less emotional and vivid after our summed (three) interventions. Secondly, repeated measures ANCOVAs indicated no evidence for differences between the conditions. We did not find evidence for a benefit of adding positive valence to a dual-task procedure in PTSD patients. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Nigella sativa extract abrogates traumatic brain injury-induced memory impairment in adult mice

BackgroundTraumatic brain injury (TBI) is an increasing widespread cause of disability and mortality, typically leading to dementia and memory impairment. ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the neuroprotective potential of Nigella sativa extract against TBI induced memory impairment in adult albino mice. MethodsAdult male mice were divided into four groups randomly: Control, Nigella sativa extract alone, TBI alone and TBI plus Nigella sativa extract. TBI induction was carried out in mice using a weight dropping method then Nigella sativa extract (10 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally for two weeks. Morris water maze and Y-maze tests were used to measure memory improvement ability and Western blot technique was used to analyse the neuroinflammatory and synaptic protein markers. ResultsNigella sativa extract significantly decreased phosphorylated c-Jun N-terminal kinase (p-JNK), Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) proteins to reduce TBI-induced neuroinflammation accompanied by the restoration of both pre- and post-synaptic protein expression in adult mice model. Furthermore, Nigella sativa extract enhanced both short and long-term spatial memory against TBI in adult mice model. ConclusionNigella sativa extract abrogated neuroinflammation mediated memory impairment in TBI mice model. Further research is needed to determine Nigella sativa extract ingredients detail completely and to understand its mechanisms of neuroprotection in reducing memory impairments associated with traumatic brain injury and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Remediation of intrusive symptoms of PTSD in fewer than five sessions: A 30-person pre-pilot study of the RTM Protocol

Introduction: The Reconsolidation of Traumatic Memories (RTM) Protocol is a brief non-traumatizing intervention for the intrusive symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is supported by nearly 25 years of anecdotal and clinical reports. This study reports the first scientific evaluation of the protocol. Methods: A 30-person pilot study using male Veterans with a pre-existing diagnosis of PTSD. Intake criteria included interviews and confirmatory re-diagnosis using the PTSD Checklist–Military version (PCL-M). Of 33 people who met the inclusion criteria, 26 completed treatment using the RTM protocol. A small ( n = 5) wait-list control group was included. All participants were reassessed following treatment using the PCL-M. Results: Of 26 program completers, 25 (96%) were symptom free at 6-week follow-up. Mean PCL-M score at intake was 61 points. At the 6-week follow-up, the mean PCL-M score was 28.8, with a mean reduction in scores of 33 points. Hedges’ g was computed for 6-week follow-up and showed a 2.9 SD difference from intake to follow-up. A wait-list control analysis indicated non-significant symptom changes during the 2-week wait period. Discussion: Results suggest that RTM is a promising intervention worthy of further investigation.

The paradox of international reparations

For centuries, international reparations were commonly exacted as a form of victor’s justice after war. Following World War II, however, the bitter legacy of the Treaty of Versailles and West Germany’s compensation of Nazism’s victim shifted this practice, ushering in a novel moral economy of international reparations. Yet, while recent decades have seen increased transnational activism around reparations, as well as interstate aid payments and official apologies, international reparations remain infrequent, and agreements often fail to end financial claims. This paper argues that one explanation for this lackluster record is a central paradox relating to finality. Though international reparations are designed to settle accounts and provide a basis for deeper reconciliation, by opening issues of traumatic memory to public debate, they often achieve the opposite effect and inspire a cascade of further financial claims. As evidence, we examine three cases of international reparations’ occurrence and rejection: Germany’s reparations for Nazi-era crimes, the United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC) formation following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, and reparations negotiated but removed from the 1973 Paris Peace Accords. Employing process tracing methods on archival documents, we demonstrate in each case how this paradox helps explain international reparations’ limitations as a practice.

Cerebellar Contributions to Traumatic Autobiographical Memory in People with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a debilitating mental health condition characterized by recurrent re-experiencing of traumatic events. Despite increasing evidence suggesting that the cerebellum is involved in PTSD pathophysiology, it remains unclear whether this involvement is related to symptoms directly resulting from previous trauma exposure, such as involuntary re-experiencing of the traumatic events, or reflects a broader cerebellar engagement in negative affective states. In this study, we investigated the specific role of the cerebellum in PTSD by employing a script reactivation paradigm with personalized traumatic and sad autobiographical memories in 28 individuals diagnosed with chronic PTSD. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were collected while participants listened to their own autobiographical narratives recounted by a third person. Activation in the right cerebellar lobule VI was uniquely associated with traumatic autobiographical recall and was parametrically modulated by the severity of re-experiencing symptoms. In contrast, cerebellar Crus II showed increased activation during both traumatic and sad autobiographical recall, suggesting a broader involvement in processing negative emotions. Our findings highlight the unique contribution of the right cerebellar lobule VI in the processing of traumatic autobiographical memories, potentially through its engagement in low-level representation of sensory and emotional aspects of traumatic events.