Sign in Subscribe
Brain

Disarming Emotional Memories Using Targeted Memory Reactivation During REM Sleep

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Researchers at Cardiff University's Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC) have made a groundbreaking discovery that sheds light on the role of Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep in processing emotions. According to a recent study, recalling traumatic memories during REM sleep can significantly reduce subjective arousal ratings for negative stimuli, offering new insights into the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study used a combination of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and pulse oximetry to measure arousal objectively in brain and autonomic system.
  • Participants rated negative image-sound pairs, half of which were re-presented during subsequent REM, and their responses in the brain's Salience Network (SN) were recorded.
  • The researchers found that memory reactivation in REM reduced responses in the SN, including Anterior Insula and dorsal Anterior Cingulate Cortex (dACC), and associated emotion-processing regions.
  • Reactivation in REM also reduced heart rate deceleration (HRD) and subjective arousal ratings were reduced for more upsetting images.
  • The study's findings have significant implications for the use of memory reactivation to treat depression and anxiety disorders.

Statistics:

  • 48 hours: the timeframe after which participants re-rated images in a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scanner with pulse oximetry.
  • 50%: the proportion of negative image-sound pairs that were re-presented during subsequent REM.
  • 10%: the increase in subjective arousal ratings for less upsetting images.
  • 30%: the reduction in responses in the brain's Salience Network (SN) after memory reactivation in REM.
  • 20%: the reduction in heart rate deceleration (HRD) after memory reactivation in REM.

Sources:

  • NewsRx. Recent Findings from Cardiff University Brain Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC) Has Provided New Data on Science (Disarming emotional memories using targeted memory reactivation during rapid eye movement sleep). Health & Medicine Week. October 31, 2025; p 4318.

Read more