Quietly healing trauma: enhancing emotional processing during sleep with targeted memory reactivation

Project Code

MRCNMH26Br Purple

Project Type

Wet lab

Research Theme

Neuroscience and Mental Health

Project Summary Download

Summary

Why do some people recover from trauma while others develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? Sleep is known to play an essential role for processing our daily experiences and emotions yet its influence on processing trauma remains unclear. This project will explore the therapeutic potential of sleep using targeted memory reactivation (TMR) – a cutting-edge technique that subtly cues the brain during sleep to reshape memories. By investigating how TMR impacts memory processing after a trauma-like experience in healthy adults, this project aims to provide a stepping stone for developing innovative sleep-based interventions to reduce PTSD risk.

Lead Supervisor

Dr Ross Purple

Lead Supervisor Email

ross.purple@bristol.ac.uk

University Affiliation

Bristol