Physiological correlates of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing

Elofsson, Ulf; Schéele, Bo von; Theorell, Töres; Söndergaard, Hans Peter

doi:10.1016/j.janxdis.2007.05.012

Cited by 95 publications

(86 citation statements)

References 33 publications

(46 reference statements)

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“…Page 27 In this study and past EMDR treatment studies (Sack et al, 2008;Elofsson et al, 2008), the physiological changes associated with EMs were consistent with the presence of a relaxation response. At the onset of EMs there was a clear decrease in sympathetic indices and an increase in parasympathetic tone.…”

Section: The Physiological Effects Of Emdr and Correlates Of The Em Csupporting

confidence: 79%

“…This study demonstrates that onset of the EM A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t 25 component was associated with an immediate decrease in HR during EMDR treatment in a non-clinical sample. This was also observed by Sack et al (2008) and Elofsson et al (2008) who used EMDR to treat PTSD patients. However, these findings extend those of past research, as it can be concluded that the decrease in HR is a distinct feature of the EMs because in the no-EM condition HR did not decrease significantly at the onset of exposure sets.…”

Section: The Physiological Effects Of Emdr and Correlates Of The Em Csupporting

confidence: 65%

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The efficacy and psychophysiological correlates of dual-attention tasks in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)

Schubert

Lee

Drummond

2011

Journal of Anxiety Disorders

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Section: The Physiological Effects Of Emdr and Correlates Of The Em Csupporting

confidence: 79%

Section: The Physiological Effects Of Emdr and Correlates Of The Em Csupporting

confidence: 65%

The efficacy and psychophysiological correlates of dual-attention tasks in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)

Schubert

Lee

Drummond

2011

Journal of Anxiety Disorders

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“…How these mechanisms, in particular the eye movements aid the therapeutic process is uncertain, though some proponents suggest that there is a psychophysiological response with respect to autonomic changes (see Elofsson, von Scheele, Theorell, & Sondergaard, 2008;Sack, Lempa, Steinmetz, Lamprecht, & Hofmann, 2008 for more information). Perhaps the most researched and supported model for the mechanism of eye movements in EMDR is the Working Memory model.…”

Section: Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (Emdr) Or Trauma-fmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cognitive behaviour therapy versus eye movement desensitization and reprocessing for post-traumatic disorder – is it all in the homework then?

Lee

2012

European Review of Applied Psychology

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The aim of the present meta-analysis was to determine whether there are any differences between eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) and trauma-focused cognitive behaviour therapy (TFCBT) for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with respect to efficacy and efficiency. We performed a comprehensive literature search using several electronic search engines as well as manual searches of other review papers. Eight original studies involving 227 participants were identified in this manner. The results showed no difference between EMDR or TFCBT on measures of PTSD. However, there was a significant advantage for EMDR over TFCBT in reducing depression (Hedge's g= .63). The analysis also indicated a difference in the prescribed homework between the treatments.Meta-regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between hours of homework and gains in depression and PTSD symptoms. Conclusions were confounded by differences between the treatments. These findings are discussed in terms of efficacy and cost-effectiveness. Conflict of interest:The second author receives payments for CBT and EMDR trainings.

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“…EMs during EMDR therapy are observed to activate cholinergic and inhibit sympathetic systems. This pattern of activity has similarities with the configuration observed during REM sleep (Elofsson, von Scheele, Theorell, & Sondergaard, 2008). An increase in parasympathetic tone follows EMDR therapy (Sack, Lempa, & Lamprecht, 2007).…”

Section: Jim Knipe's Summary Of the Researchsupporting

confidence: 78%

Neurobiology and Stochastic Resonance: Going Deeper

EMDR Therapy for Schizophrenia and Other Psychoses

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This section is to inform therapists who have clients who want more detail on the proposed science of the eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) method. It will not be necessary to go into such detail with all clients, but better to have this knowledge and not need it, than to need it and not have it; so here is a summary of the latest research and publications. THALAMIC ACTIVITY AND PTSDIn patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), where the naturally occurring noise from descending cortico-thalamic feedback is presumed to be unavailable due to a decrease in thalamic activity (Bergmann, 2008;Sartory et al., 2013; Yan et al., 2013) seen in PTSD, the dual attention stimulation/bilateral stimulation (DAS/BLS) of EMDR therapy could be generating a random (stochastic) signal at the thalamic level. Stochastic resonance (SR) in this setting would presumably facilitate the sensing of a signal that would otherwise be subthreshold. In other words, a further signal is transmitted that would otherwise not be. The principle of boosting an undetectable signal by having it resonate with added white noise is an area of intense research (Moss, Ward, & Sannita, 2004). So although noise may seem a worthless thing in one context, it can be the essential phenomenon for generating a meaningful signal in another. This observation has led one researcher in this area to state, "One man's noise is another man's signal" (Kosko, 2006). REVIEW OF PROPOSED MECHANISMS OF ACTION OF DAS/BLS ELEMENT OF EMDR THERAPYDAS/BLS is the element of the EMDR method that raises the most questions, controversy, and derision. One of the earliest and most influential authors who examined the effects of eye movements and their role within EMDR therapy states, "A major bar to the further acceptance of EMDR as a treatment and as an inviting

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Physiological correlates of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing

Cited by 95 publications

References 33 publications

The efficacy and psychophysiological correlates of dual-attention tasks in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)

The efficacy and psychophysiological correlates of dual-attention tasks in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)

Cognitive behaviour therapy versus eye movement desensitization and reprocessing for post-traumatic disorder – is it all in the homework then?

Neurobiology and Stochastic Resonance: Going Deeper

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