Elsevier

Biological Psychiatry

Volume 30, Issue 6, 15 September 1991, Pages 618-622
Biological Psychiatry

Elevated awakening thresholds in sleep stage 3–4 in war-related post-traumatic stress disorder

https://doi.org/10.1016/0006-3223(91)90031-GGet rights and content

Abstract

Awakening thresholds from sleep stage 34 were investigated in 19 DSM-III-defined, war-related post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients compared with 6 normal controls. Patients had significantly higher awakening thresholds and significantly longer latencies to an arousal response than controls. These results are interpreted to suggest modifications in the depth of sleep as one of the long-term sequelae of traumatic events.

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